New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-09
A SMALL JOB.

The only duty of the National Democratic
Convention, which meets in st. Louis in four
weeks, will be to choose candidate for Vice
President This seems small matter to bring
several thousand men together from all parts
of the country, but there is, in reality, nothing
else for the Convention to do. Mr.. Cleveands
denomination is a matter of course first, be-
cause everybody else is dead; second, because
he has put more of his men into Government
places than any other President we ever had
thirdly, because, even if the party had any other
leader, it would never do to set aside the first
Democratic President in twenty-four years.
1t would be equivalent 10 admitting that the
country should go back to Republican rule.
These are reasons enough though there are
plenty more. The platform is equally well
marked out. Mr.. Cleveland must be nominated
on his own free-trade message, however little
the Democratic Protectionists of Pennsylvania
and the South may like it. So that, If it were
not for the necessity of nominating some one
for the Office which John Adams declared to
be the most insignificant ever devised by man,
the Convention would not need to meet at all.
There are many candidates for this second
place. One Of the more prominent has been
Governor Gray, of Indiana, whose position IN
a central State seemed to make it something
more than a possibility that the Democratic
ticket would be made up, for the fourth success
sive time. from New-York and Indiana. But
ex-senator Mcdonald has gone so far as to
make fierce public protest, declaring that Gov
ernor Gray could not carry his own State This
must hurt him. cold Saddlebags" has not been
able to get the right Office for himself, but he
must have force enough left to keep some other
people out. This is not noble attitude,but 1t Is
often an effectual one. General Black, the Com
missioner of Pensions, has been pushing himself
forward as a candidate for long time, but his
success in rendering himself ridiculous VIII
hardly recommend him to the Convention. vi
the numerous candidates talked Of, perhaps the
most conspicuous now is Mr. Villas, who is CRED
tied by his friends with the ability to carry WIS
consn Mr. Villas has attained reputation as
nm orator in some parts of the West by the great
length and completely Of his sentences, and the
saccharine quality of his adiectives. He now
holds a powerful place, and, if he would resign
il. in order to become Vice-Presdent, it could
only be in the hope that his eloquence-whlch
he would never have the opportunity to exhibit
in the Senate would make him Mr.. Clevelands
political heir.
Why not nominate Voorhees,? The Indiana
Senator is good deal troubled just now be-
cause his war record is misunderstood. Why
not give him this wide opportunity to explain 1t
WHY not make Voorhees, War Record one OF
the issues of the campaign? No member Of the
Senate has greater affection for those veterans
of the late war who are still able to get to the
polls than the Indiana Senator His speeches
are warm with devotion to them. Why not
nominate him, and let the veterans hear their
friend upon the stump? He can recount his
many services to "a. Lincoln's dogs during the
war; He is from Indiana, the central and
pivotal State of the West, as New York is OF the
East. He is popular with his party, and repre-
SCENTS it fairly in all respects. Many striking
uses could be made during the campaign Of in
cidents of his career. Democrats who fought
in the Union Army could wear pretty campaign
collars marked, "a. Lincoln-his dog" The
clubs could call themselves Knights OF the
Golden Circle 1t would be picturesque. 30
let ii be Cleveland and Voorhees,.