The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-25
Saratoga Practical Politics.
Philadelphia L.edger. ]

Philadelphia le0geIJ
In looking over the comments OF our
esteemed contemporaries upOa the do
ines Of the Democratic State Convention
Al Saratoga we do not find any full dis
cussiou Of what seem to us the disting-
uishing marks Of the proceedings. Inns
prompts Us to make q few suggestions 10
aid Of the general reader who pays atten-
ton to this branch Of pubic affairs.
The Saratoga Convention appointed oel-
eeafes TO Chicago, adopted three resolu-
tions and nominated two State Judges
of the Court of Appeals. This the
reader viii be prompt to think i no
more than the ordinary discharge OF the
ordinary functions of a State Convention,
and affords no occasion for special re-
mark; and the readers thought would
be entirely correct Yet still the Con
vention's proceedings are marked by
strong peculiarities in the nature OF the
resolutions, the manner Of selecting and
instructing the delegates, and in the
nominations for Judges, that should not
be, overlooked and that the opponents
of the Democratic party will be
very short-sighted if they attempt To
cheaper.
As to the resolutions take a second
lock at them as printed in this paper
Yesterday. They are three only in num-
Der. There is no nonsense in them. There
Is no misstep, and no step at all, about
the tariff. They make no committai a.
10 candidate for the Presidency. They
raise but one issue, and the delegates are
to vote as unit upon that. What now
is the issue? Passing by all the hack
neved platitudes and vague geueralities
Of. platform making, the inst Tesola
ton saws, and truly SAYS: that no is
sue can be more important than the
election of a Presidant OF the United
States whose character and public repu
tation shall give to the whole people as
surance of an honest, impartial and ct
fective administration of the laws, with
out suspicion of personal ends or private
interests" Then the second resolution
points for examples of the kind of Gov
eminent meant, two New York STATE
Administrations eight to ten years
ago, 1S14-T6, and one now in existence
since lS72-1ilden' and Clevelands s.
One of these two is the man sugge 'ted.
There is the whole issue raised at sara
toga. The only other thing mentioned as
policy is passing recognition OF the
popular vote in New York against con-
tract labor in prisons.
These resolves are characterized by
leep sagacity and tact, both in wha'
they say and in what they omit to say.
The one issue is aimed squarely at ono
Of Mr.. Blaine's weak pOints-weaL
points as candidate, We mean. 1t pro
poses to place against him candidate
who is strongest precisely where Mr..
Blaine is feared to be the weakest. That
candidate may be either MIR. Cleee-
and or Mr.. 1ildeu; for the lilden
Iuestio goes now to Chicago an opeE
question, referred to the sound discre
ion of the National Convention, in the
significant language quoted above. This
is why, in fully ACKNOWLEDGED Cleveland
Convention, there was no Cleveland IN
suction And finally, the one issue
raised is Just the one which every di>.
satisfied Republican reformer can adopt
without qualification, the question OF
honest and efficient civil government. Ii
vas a master hand that drew those three
revolyes,
u AIilAtSh odShSAtt piNNNN'S wy IAN
seedlings. There is visible conscious
ness that New York State is to nam,
the presidential candidate at the Chica
20 Democratic Convention; and al
equal consciousness that everything - tn
be shaped and put in order to ensure
decisive majority for that candidate, in
he State of New York in November
To this end the Tammany- Kelly -Cleye
land Flower feuds were all allayed before
the Convention assembled. There was
40 sauabble. no discord no, inharmoni
aus note at any time on the convention
door. Who should be admitted as dele
gates from among the Earring and clam
0rous Irving Hall, Tammany and Coun
ty Democracy factions of New York
.ity, and how many of each, were mat
tiers settled quietly and adroitly, with
the assent OF all of them, before the
Convention met. Who should go to
Chicago was disposed of in the same def
way, with full agreement that they were
70 vote and act as unit, as instructed
in third resolution for candidate who
could be pointed to as type of honest
and efficient government. And then. |
finally, and still with an eye to standing |
we'll with the dissatisfied Republican |
the Convention nominated for
without regard to politics OF
faction, two of the existing Judges OF
he Court of Appeais--Those tsss4aa arc |
ibout to expile-after the approved Phil
ldelphia fashion.
There was no blunder and no mishap,
md as already said, no nonsense. SO it
nay be repeated for the attention of all
that master hand drafted the
resolutions, and a master hand guided
he Conventions proceedings Whose
,snd that was, nobody need be at loss
o surmise. 1t was the hand of man
to be withdrawn from public
life, because of advancing years" and
physical Weakness" but who is shown
y these proceedings to be still in posses
ion of a IN rga nnlifieal vitality