Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-10
CANDIDATES IN BOTH PARTIES.

Sufficient in Quantity but Not in Quality.
A New York Sun Washington special
-. IS the Presidential candidates as fol.
lowing;
-Four months hence the National Con-
yentiOns of the Republican and Democrat
tic parties viii nominate candidates Tor
the Presidency and the NIce-PresldencY
at no former time was the opinion of
either side less crystalized thar. it is
now,
Both parties are at sea, Grant and the
third term have been laid aside. Blaine
has hold on an element Of his party,
which he proposes to utilize as he did for
Garfield. expecting in a certain cOntin-
gencv to be the Warwick OF another Adj
ministratiOn. COnkling is ''OUt Of poll
tics for the time being, and is waiting
for q new turn in the wheel Of fortune
that may bring him to the front. Mean
time he is pTudently strengthening his
resources.
Edmunds denies the ''sOft impeach-
ment1 of being an aspirant, and Is content
tObe President Ofthe Senate and Chairman
of the Judiciary Committee at the same
time. Moreover, he is zoo far East tor
present politics. Logan put on his war
paint last year, and announced himself as
a candidate against all Corners. Lincoln
has been quietly working for the chance
of a possible compromise on the heritage
of his name.
Indiana has three candidates in the
persons of Porter, Harrison, and Ores
ham. Lew Wallace, who loads the Allan
tic cable every day after an interview with
the Sultan. thinks himself a good fourth
from that State. Honest John Sherman
and Gov. Foster claim to be backed by
Ohio and by strong influences outside
the State. Cold and calculating as he
may be, Sherman has undoubtedly the
support of the national banks and OF other
mOneyed institutions to rely upon.
Arthur has played his game adrOitly,
and has conquered many preJudices.
But a loud voice of protest IS uttered by
many Republicans of New York against
naming any candidate from that State be-
cause of the danger of reOpening old
wounds. and mourning defeat thereby.
PENNSYLVANIA has no candidate. The
machine has dwarfed all her public men
of any eminence, and made corrupt poll
ticinns the leaders Of the second State in
the Union.
Who among all this crowd of competi-
tors will be nominated is difficult ques-
ton to answer. The Republicans have
shrewd managers, who are sharp in action
at the critical time.
The Democrats are in no better cOndi-
ton now for the Presidential contest than
the Republicans. Fourteen months ago
they carried the country by a great major
ity, and elected reform House of Repre-
sentatives. which included members from
California to Massachusetts. They were
inspired with hope Of an easy victory
next November.
UntOward events have cooled that hope
full expectation seriously. While the
Democrats are to-day, as they really have
been since 1872, in large majority over
the Republicans, fatality seems to have
pursued their policy or management, or
whatever else it may be called, so that
this majority, except in 1876, when il was
rendered pOWerless by the Great Fraud,
has never been consolidated successfully.
Gen. Hancock may be considered entire
" out of the race. An officer of the regu-
lar army, however gallant he may be,
hardly represents the Democratic idea Of
the military being subordinate to the civil
authority for the first office in the gift Of
the American people.
Mr.. Mcdonald is urgently pressed by
combination Of politicians in Indiana and
the Southwest, headed by Mr.. WattsrsOn
and Senator Garland of Arkansas. The
ex-senator is now 90 weary old, and in fair
condition for that age. He has been
consistent Democrat, and was so during
the war, when he was beaten by Q. p.
Morton as a candidate for Governor. Mr..
Mcdonald is esteemed by those who know
as a good lawyer. But his great defect of
character is the want of backbone, the
quality of all others most needed for
President at this time. He is said to have
described himself most aptly: 1T is for
tunate l was not born a woman
4 clear and strong head, affirm hand, and
stern front against all seductive arts, are
prerequisites indispensable for any candi-
date. When Mr.. Mcdonald supported the
nomination of Stanley Matthews against
the opinion Of his political friends, and
against the evidence of his own senses,
having seen Matthews act as the virtual
attorney of the great corporations on the
Thurman bill, he signed his death warrant
to any higher elevation by the Democracy.
"Bill'' Morrison is not seriously regard
ed in the category OF Presidential candi-
dates by any sane Democrat outside his
own family circle. But Don Morrison. of
st. Louis, and enthusiastic cousin, thinks
he ought to be on the list of hopeful aspir-
ants.
If Mr. Hewitt was ever inclined to 90
before the National Convention, recent
events have probably decided him to re-
consider that intention. and therefore he
may be considered as not cOntending for
nomination.
Mr.. Randall will probably be presented
by the delegates from Pennsylvania as
their preference for the Presidency, upon
his record as a reformer in the House of
Representatives and as a consistent and
loyal Democrat.
Gen. Palmer, of Illinois, has the elements
Of an excellent candidate, with strength
of character, a clean reputation, and fine
ability to recommend him.
Judge Holman unites the qualities, the
experience, the practical wisdom. the
directing mind, and strong devotion to the
interests of people that would make HIM,
voorf,aDc most fOrp1f1 abIp 0audida 70
the Democracy could nominate. The
politicians are against him, because he is
not for the politicians.
Other names have been and still may be
suggested that would prove acceptable in
the coming contest. The Democrats have
the votes wherewith to win the Presid-
ency. Have they the gOOd-sense to keep
and to control them so as to gain that OBJ
ject for which they have been so long con-
tending? Whoever can make satisfactory
answer to that question will deserve to be
hOnored as prophet IN his own country,