The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-09-20
GOvEBNOR HILL AND NEW YORK,

there &fe no more state cOuNtuNlouH
to be held. The last popular verdict
has been rendered and the last party
declaration made. From now on
until Nov. there will be no inter-
ruptiOns to the preparations for the
decisive battle OF that eventful date
The Buffalo convention TenOmi-
mated Governor Hill, IS everybody
who knew anything about the situa-
ton expected IL would do, and with
him the present lieutenant governor,
Jones, and the member OF the Court
Of Appeals whose term Is about to
expire, Judge Gray, an appOintee OF
Hill. Those are the only state offices
to be filed by the election Of this
fall. The relations between Presi-
dent Cleveland and his gubernatOrisl
successor were early strained and
are now far from friendly, but each
in his way was independent Of the
other. The st. Louis convention
showed the futility of the attempt to
defeat the Presidents denomination
by a rally around Hill, and yester-
day was the latter's 'day in court. ="
EX-mayoF Grace and some others in
his own party have tried hard to de-
feat his denomination, but signally
failed 10 make any impression,
backed up though the anti-Hill
movement was by the Mugwump
press. The New York Times is par
ticularly unhappy over the situation.
The Democrats Of the state at large
seemed TO enjoy putting their allies
OF four years ago in an embarrassing
positiOn. At least the frantic pro-
tests made against Governor HITS
denomination had no influence, I'M
less it were to strengthen his chances
and preclude all possibility OF his
being dropped. Behind him are two
forces which, so far as concerned the
nomination, were Irresistible, the
state machine and the liquor inter
est. Hill is a skillful manipulation
of patronage, n born politician, aud
he had succeeded in making the
offices under his control work to-
gether for his interest with a unity
Of DurpOse showing him to be an Bpt
scholar Of the late Samuel J. Tilden.
And his vetoes Of the high license
bills passed at Albany last winter
and the winter before have secured
him the unfaltering support OF the
saloons. He has a far stronger hold
uDon the Democratic part OF New
York State than President Cleve-
land has, or ever did have, even
when that master OF political
methods, Daniel Manning, was run
ming the machine for him. IL does
not follow, however, that he Will be
a strong candidate before the people.
On the contrary, his candidacy has
marked elements Of weakness apart
from the disfavOr of the Mugwumps.
The elements Of weakness referred
to are twO-first, his abject servility
to the liquor interest, aud second,
the aaueduct scandal, which has
smirched his reputation with the
sewage Of corrupt jObbery. New
York Is not q state in which prohibit
ton could be enfoi iced on anything
like a thorough scale, as every tenn
peFance imam very we'll knows out
the saloons could be made 10 pay
higher licenses and, II they dld,
their number would be appreeiably
decreased and the burdens OF gen
eral taxation materially ltghtened-
The Republican platform s9uarely
Endorsed high license, and warner
Miller will make his gubernatorlal
campaign largely on that issue. The
Indications are that it will win back
TO the party a good many Republic
cans who had strayed off into the
Prohibition party. And there must
be some Democrats who will refuse
to vote for Hill, either on account OF
his yetOes or because II has been
shown that he was mixed up Imam
cially with the aqueduct contract IN
a wsv that leaves an ineffaceahle
stain upon his name.
But there, as everywhere in the
United States, the National issue
will Overshadow all others, and the
tariff question will be paramount TO
the others combined. There can be
no lodging It. When Grover Cleve-
land confined his last annual mes
sage to the advocacy OF free trade
and used all the coercion OF MS
patronage 10 crowd the Mills Dill
through the House Of Representa-
tiVes he left no chance for Hill or
any other Democrat to evade that
issue. IL Is immaterial what mis-
personal views may be, or his con-
ception Of expediency; the die was
cast last December and there Is no
escape from the logic Of that mes
sage. This il q piece OF great gOod
fortune for the Republicans. New
York Is hardly more conspicuous ID
manufactures than In commerce ara
finance. It's skilled industries are
diversified, but for the most part
they would be crippled II not de-
stroyed by the Mills bill and the
Cleveland policy. As consequence
the National issue is likely to push
the strictly state issue lar IN the
background.
There was no election for governor
four years ago, the only state officers
elected then being two judges Of the
Court Of Appeals, Andrews and
RaDallO. both Of whom were re-
elected BY q vote almost unanimous.
On the presidency the result stood:
Cleveland, $50 .O4S; Blaine, 562,O0i;
Butler, 1902; st. John, 25,OOl; to-
tai. LII, 3l2. Governor bill might
strain q point in the count, 80 far as
his control Of the machinery OF cleo
ton gives him the power, In favor
Of himself, but be would hardly shed
tears over the defeat OF Cleveland
and, Judging from the election re-
turns Of 1885, when he was elected
governor by a plurality Of lI,I34, he
e about 10, 900 stronger than Cleve-
land, and the Mugwumps were as
hostile to him then as now. IL is
impossible to forecast the changes
Two months may work, but even the
Democrats in New York admit that
the outlook in that state lie not as
encouraging Tor the democracy IS il
was in September, 1854.