New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-31
TIE DEMOCRATIC UILEMNA.

The signs multiply that Mr. Cleveland is not
wanted as candidate by his party. In this
State the opposition is certainly growing
stronger. as the partial success OF Governor
Hill at the recent meeting of the State Com
mittee plainly indicated. The truth is that
Mr.. Cleveland has lost many of the shrewdest
and most capable managers who formerly maze
the efforts on his behalf irresistible. Inc
shrewder men of the party arc perfectly aware
that his position on the tariff makes HIM
weak candidate. They would be glad to get
rid of him, for that and for other reasons.
They know that his message on the tariff ques-
ton would be quoted throughout the country,
in the event of his nomination, and would con-
stitute platform from which it would be i'm
possible for his party to escape. Not even the
passage of moderate tariff bill. If that were
possible, could break the force of this message
in public estimation. 1t has made him candi-
date in whom all radical and extreme Free
Traders delight, and it has also made him a
candidate whose nomination would prove
dangerous to his party in every doubtful State
But the Democrats are. so to speak, bemlred
in their own falschoods. 1t is uncertain
whether they can now afford to nominate any
body else. The trouble is that they have been
putting Mr.. Cleveland for three years. without
the slightest regard for truth. They have
made great many readers, of the innocent
class who conscentiously read only one paper
lest they should get their minds confused,
believe that Mr. Cleveland is the one honest
man in the Democratic party; that his nomina-
ton by so bad a party was scarcely less than
a. l. N1V mud nd
stood the rascally tendencies Of that party,
and that his nomination is now the only way to
prevent terrible calamity That is the preva-
lent Democratic and N1ugwump doctrine, and
there are people so stupid that they believe 1T.
If Mr. Cleveland should now be set aside.
these believers in his superhuman worth would
be offended. To them it would seem triumph
Of the basest elements in his party that he was
not sustained and rewarded by denomination.
If an attempt were made to justify change on
account of his tariff message, the case would
not be improved one whit. Then the radical
Free Traders would boil over To them it
would seem an outrageous thing that COM
petent and upright President should be refused
denomination by his party for no other reason
than because he had frankly expressed the
there arc great many in the doubtful States.
would declare that Mr.. Cleveland had affirmed
in his message nothing more than nine-tcnths
of the Democrats throughout the country
heartily believed. and that it would destroy
confidence in the good faith of the party to
punish President for frankly stating its
traditional beliefs and honest convictions. Be
yond doubt, his defeat in convention under
such circumstances would cost his party thou
sands Of votes in every doubtful State. That
Is the dilemma in which the Democratic mana
gers are just now placed. If they nominate
Mr.. Cleveland they have to face the loss OF
thousands of workingmen. If they do not
nominate him they have to face the loss of
thousands Of radical Free Traders. and also of
the innocents who believe that he is the one
IIeaven-inspired reformer of this generation.