Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-02
AIiyely Contrast.

The difference In the conulllon ol
the Democratic and Republican
parties just at present in the matter
of candidates and measures on which
to conduct campaign, is an agree
able one to contemplate, provided the
view be taken from n Democratic
standpoint. For Republican the
situation contains very few charms,
and tho contrast between the parties
is not an entertaining subject.
As regards the man to be selected
rs leader in the coming campaign,
the Republicans are in a very awk-
ward fix. Excepting the battered
hero Of 1884, they have no man who
possesses especial prominence either in
the party or the country at large.
This is fact which the papers that
are liowling for Blaine make no ques-
ton whatever about admitting. In
the absence of men like Conkling
and Logan and Grant, all Sorts Of
small fry are venturing to put up
their heads. John Sherman, who
was always supposed to be doing well
enough if he got the complimentary
vote OF Ohio, is trying to get up a
Natl onal boom. A certain ingalls,, Of
Kansas, who tried TO gain favor with
the sectional element of the North by
blackguarding Mcclellan and Ham
cock, is talked of; and Depew OF New
York, railroad president, who
makes good after-dinner speeches, has
his name down on the list. 1t is a
singular crowd to gather together as
Presidential candidates, and the worst
feature of the case is that the men
who come nearest to being worthy OF
the nomination, like Edmunds or
Hoar, are the least likely to get it,
But over and above all of these, like
Goliath among the Philistines, towers
the bafIled leader of four ySsrs ago.
He has declared i,,is uuwillingness to
run, but Z is a remarkable fact that
Inc two classes that understand him
best and watch him closest, his worst
enemies and his best friends, take no
stock in the sincerity Of this refusal.
Thus the party is divided into three
classes: Those that are for Blaine,
first, last and always, let the results
to the party be what they may; those
who are little fearful Of consequences
If Blaine is nominated and lean to
other candidates, but who can be
overpowered by the noise of the mob
when the time comes to make a
choice; third, the real leaders OF the
party, and its most intelligent men,
bers, who know perfectly well that
the denomination Of Blaine will be
the utter ruin OF the organization. and
who are making frantic attempts to
head eff this movement. The efforts
of this last class to whistle up courage
in the present emergency are decided
ly amusing.
On the other hand in the Demo
cratic party there has not prevailed
such perfect harmony in the matter OF
a candidate since Andrew jackson
was nominated for a second term.
From the rank and file of the party
up to the principal leaders, tie feel
ing is unanimous for Cleveland.
Even the Republicans who a short
time ago were doing all in their
power to convince the public that the
President was unpopular with his
party have given the case up, and ad-
init that absolute harmony exists in
this regard. There will probably not
appear in the Convention at st. Louis
a single delegate who will raise his
voice against the unanimous nomina-
ton of Grover Cleveland.
As to issues on which TO carry on
the fight the Republican party is most
painfully at loss. The administra-
tion Of President Cleveland has been
soexceptionally successful thatit offers
no coigne OF vantage on which to gain
q foothold. Mere Fictitious opposition
will not take with the public in these
days. In default of something better