New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-14

There is nothing cloudy about the issue
upon which the people of this State are re-
CURED to choose their next Governor. 1t is
precisely the same kind of issue which would
be presented to ones mind were he called
upon to select between an honest man and
confessed pickpocket as the guardian of
trust fund. And the issue between the two
political parties is that presented by the re-
spective ndorsers Of the honest man and the
convict. Mr.. David b. Hill and his cham
pon, Mr. Grover Cleveland, may not fancy
this way of putting things, but they have
given decent people no choice. David b. Hill
spent $4,000 three years ago to elect him
self Governor of New ork, which he after
ward distracted from the public treasury. He
didn't put his hand into till and take out the
money. He didn't forge the public name. lie
didn't use a crowbar or can of gunpowder
like the ordinary burglar. Perhaps he got the
peoples money in way that successfully
evades the Penal Code But none the less, he
did get it, Ten Thousand Dollars, the peoples
money, paid in taxes and used by him through
his party machinery to pay his campaign debts.
The name for that transaction, in our opinion.
is Theft.
1t is inconceivable that the Democrats can
elect Hill 1t is beyond belief that even that
party dull as it is to those high considerations
which occasionally demand the subordinatiOn
of party loyalty to the public welfare, Will
tamely endure the insult of such nomination.
If there were any doubt of Hills guilt, if the
giving Of that contract to O'Brien and the
payment by him of Hills note were susceptible
Of any explanation that would make them
seem halfway honest, that would even relieve
the blackneSs Of the transaction, there might
be some occasion for fear lest the people, with
their easy going Indifference to public wrongs,
might fail in their duty. But when the con-
spiracy is clear, proved, confessed and re-
corded, it is not TO be dreamed that the decent
sentiment of the State will tolerate the spec
tacle Of man thus devoid Of character APP
pealing for a reelection to their highest Office.
If this man is elected, if the degraded Gle
mentS that have thrust him upon his party tri-
umph in this campaign, it will indeed be time
to look seriously at our system of free GOV
eminent. We know the badness Of his party
organization. We understand The circum-
stances by which he quelled the opposition
in his machine But even those facts do not
satisfactorily explain the brazen audacity Of
his nomination. True, Cleveland was afraid
Of him. True, the saloon power stands at his
back. But are honest Democrats going to ad-
NIT that their party is so depraved, so sub
servient to the gin power as TO make the sue
cess of such a man possible simply because
their Presidential candidate is either too cow
ardly to oppose him, or is himself willing to
profit by the corrupt elements that Hill has
summoned to his support? Is this confession
to be written in the record of the November
election? Well, we should hope not. There
will be revolution against the Democratic
ticket and it will be buried with all it entails
of public jobbery and saloon slavery under
an avalanche of condemnation.