Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-07
CONVENTION ECHOES.
Talk About the Platform and Candi-
dates.

CONVENTION ECHOES.
Talk About the Platform and Candi-
dates.
The Cleveland boom only shows signs of
| life. 1t is gathering its lines preparatory
to showing positive strength. That 1t has
such strength is certain, but it is not GER
| tain that it has strength enough to win.
1t may be compared to- a magnet with
| limited powers of attraction. 1t will at
| tract just so much and no more. Its
! leaders are trying TO increase its power
| by positive declarations that Samuel j.
Tllden indorses Cleveland. They assert
that before the convention is permanently
| organized they will show beyond perad-
venture that Mr.. Tilden is with them. II
is ominOusly whispered everywhere that
MantOn Marble has an important COM
munication which will be made public in
day or two.
AN HONEST SPIDER Is AT WORK
away up in the cock loft of the Grand Pa
| citic Hotel. He is trying to weave a lam
| brequin for the Democratic mantel. He
wants to make it satisfactory to free
traders, horizontal reductionists and real
tariff Democrats. He wOYe one for the
Democratic mantelpiece eight years ago
which took the prize. He is an expert
enced weaver, handling his crotchet
needle with care and delicacy. He is now
using incongruOus threads, Macrame
cord, Willimantic thread, Ohio wool, New
Jersey silk and sea island cotton. Wat
terson, eX-MayOr Cooper, Frank Hurd.
Morrison and others are watching his
operations with great interest.
The platform is the4subject of consider
able discussion. Henry Watterson
breakfasted with Smith NJ. Weed and
some others, and from what was gathered
from his conversation, his position was
that Of man who believes on nothing
more radical than a reduction of the
tariff for the purpose eXpressedly of re-
dueing the revenue. MantOn Marble,
Congressman Hewitt and eX-MayOr
Edward Cooper are all known to be en-
gagged in formulating tariff plank. which
they hope to see adopted. The subject
may eventually fall exclusively into the
hands of the halt and the blind, for Con-
gresham Frank Hurd and Mr.. WattersOn
held a consultation, and then, with de-
termined faces, hunted up Manton Marble.
"Marble isn't much of fellow
to loaf around the corridors. Too
much rufle on his shirt, eh? Where
is he to be found, Weed?'' asked
the Kentuckian of the Plattsburg iron
producer. Hurd is pronounced in his
views, and bluntly declares that he is
done with the Democratic party forever
if it it does not make straight issue on
the tariff this year. He claims that three
fourths of the Committee on Resolutions
will be favorable to this idea. ''Three-
f0urths of the committee won't be with
him on tariff for revenue only" exclaimed
an Eastern capitalist impatiently, when
he heard the declaration. Mr.. Morrison
has been in consultation with the Ken
tuckian and the Ohioan, and some inter-
esting developments on the tariff plank
may be expected. An Eastern Democrat
has said, however, that the differences of
opinion on this point were practically
settled week ago by representatives of
the party in Washington, and he appre-
hends no serious division.
Mr.. wATTERsON SAID TO-DAY
that the National Convention would un-
doubtedly place in the platform plank
in favor of revenue reform, and that this
plank would be plain and positive
declaration of the principles advocated in
Congress by majority of the party. He
expects to be a member of the Committee
on Resolutions, and Morrison will
probably represent Illinois in the same
committee. Mr.. Watterson has heen
looking over the list of delegates, and he
says that the revenue reformers or low
tariff men will have in the committee the
representatives of not less than "a States,
or majority of nearly twO-thirds.
He is determined to put the
thing through. "lf there is to
be no dividing line between
the two parties on this question, :" he saws,
Il don't know why / am Democrat. We
can t live on the sole issue that the 'ins'
should be removed to make place for the
'outs.' 1 think that most of the New
York men are with us. Weed, of course,
is against us, and / understand that he
will be the New York member of the COM
mittee. His selection is satisfactory to
us, as everybody must know. We shall
not report an ambiguous or eQuivocaI res
olution like the notorious resolution in the
Ohio platform"
TILDEN'S SECOND LETTER OF DECLINA-
TION,
the one to be read before the convention
is here. 1t is in the possession of Nick
Bell, of Missouri, who will be reading
clerk of the convention. 1t is terse and
simply states that ill-health will posi-
lively prevent Tilden from accepting the
nomination under any circumstances.
The story that Daniel Manning has it is a
hoax, as your correspondent met Bell to-
night and was informed that Manning
never saw the letter to be read when Til
den was put in nomination.
Daniel Manning is telling inquiring
delegates that Tilden has authorized him
to say that he does not wish to influence
the choice of the convention, but if dele
gates ask for his opinion he does not hesI-
tate to say that he regards Mr.. Cleveland,
under all the circumstances, as the best
man for the party to nominate.
Hubert .. Thompson excites the amaze
ment of the country delegates. A dozen
of them were plastered against the plate
glass doors of the Palmer restaurant for
three hours this afternoon, seeing him
NOW away his midday meal.
Col. John Il. Fellows is. here working
Southern delegates in Cleveland's favor,
and eX-Alderman Michael Tuomey is
doing his best to defeat the Governor.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT
is the growth. of Ben Buffers boom. It
seems silly, and doubtless is so, but, as
usual, two and two make four. The sum
is on the slate, and the figures are PLAIN.
Washington Democrats are becoming
alarmed about Butler as his purposes are
gradually disclosed, and his strength be-
gins to appear. That he has got Kelly IS
conceded. and that he will have mex
pected strength is feared. He is not only
a delegate, but also a candidate and is
loaded for war. As long as he kept with
in his own province OF Massachusetts and
run for President ON an amateur ticket
the Democrats encouraged him. But now
that he is in the party they regard him
with a terror, and would be willingto pay
a high premium for his scalp. His ability
and shrewdness, his fertility of resource
and his audacity are everywhere ad-
mitted.
The Exposition Finances.
WASHINGTON, July 6.-The amounts
III