The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-15
WEAK IN THE WEST.
WHY Grover Cleveland Cannot
Be Reelected.
STRONG FACTS AND FIGURES
The New York Tribune Gives some Wise
and GrasaItous advice 20 west
ern Democrats.

aEew York Democrat in Chicago Herald, Dem
The Democratic party desires 70 nomi-
nate q man for president in 1892 who can
be elected, and who when elected viii be
worthy exponent CT its doctrines. faithful
TO his party and good executive officer.
Ii has no other ambition than this, and il
has many men from whom 20 choose Bus
the friends OF Mr. Cleveland are advancing
his name with great vehemence, and are
Genouncing thoss who do not share their
views as 70 his popularity and the need OF
his reelection. Herein they commit the
blunder of 1883 where for months before
the holding Of the St Louis convention
they declared that no man besides Mr..
Cleveland could possibly be elected
president Every other element and in-
terest Of the party were sacrificed 10 the
advancement OF Mr.. Cleveland. CFiti-
cisms of his course were looked upon as
party treason. any man who dared TO diff
fer from him upon questions Of policy was
looked upon IS party traitor. All the re-
sotfrces of party discipline were brought
10 bear TO make the real issue of the year
the support OF Mr.. Cleveland
These efforts were successful: no other
man was mentioned in the CONVENTION.
or for weeks in advance of the holding OF
the convention. The Democratic party
entered the convention with no indepen-
dent purpose. INTEL gent discussion dis
appeared. The cut and dried programme
wks carried out which nominated Mr..
Cleveland by acclamation; adopted the
platform which he had caused 70 be writ
ten out in the White house BY reclamation
and without debate; and nominated the
man whom be had chosen for vice.
presidential associate by an overwhelm-
ing majority. TO accomplish this the
whole power of the federal administration
was brought TO bear upon the democratic
organization, and the consequence was the
substitution of the will OF one man for the
intelligent and thoughtful counsel of 3
great party. A more fatal error could not
befall great party aspiring to administer
the affairs of a free government. Nor
would this condition of affairs have been
created bY man who was a great leader.
1t was q condition intolerable TO freemen.
AS much has been said of late about the
fact that Mr. Cleveland had a plurality
over Mr.. Harrison, and as it is sought to
be argued therefrom that he was greatly
and personally popular. an analysis OF
this matter will not be without its value
Mr.. Tilden's popular plurality ia 1876 was
10000, that of Cleveland, after four years
OF power, was only 5000. OF the votes
given 10 Mr.. Cleveland in 1884 6I3. 226 were
mejorities obtained in the Southern states,
showing that in the great Northern COM
monwealths his popular vote was $1,000
less than that of Mr.. Harrison, and it was
in the Northern Democratic states that Mr..
Cleveland needed his majorities and not in
the South. And since this question OF ma
jorities is being used so much by those who
insist upon the denomination of Mr.. Cleve-
land IN 1892. we should give the matter
further and mcre careful consideration.
The state of New York gave him i92, 654
majority for governor IN 1883. In 1854 il
gave him / .047 plurality in lsSS il gave Mr..
| Harrison 10. ia plurality. and az the same
election gave the Democratic candidate for
governor 1911 plurality aud yet the state
| of New York was and is Democratic
state.
The election just past shows q Demo-
| cratic plurality of Is, 600 for Mr. Briue. and
| this In spite of the coalition in New York
| city of the Republican party ard the
| county Democracy, peculiarly Mr.. Cleve-
| land s faction. In 1884 Mr.. Cleveland car
! ried, exclusive of the metropolitan coun-
| ties, eleven country counties by pluralities
| sggregating also; these same counties in
| ISSs only gave him s70--a loss in Demo
| cratic pluralities in Democratic counties of
| 1910 votes. The Democratic state Of Con-
| necticut IN 1854 gave Mr. Cleveland a
! plurality of 100. and only 800 in 1855. The
1 Democratic state Of Indiana gave him q
| plurality In 1884 of 6.5i2, and gave Mr..
| Harrison in isSS a plurality of 23si2, and
/ yet at the same election gained three Demo
| cratic congressman, making total from
| that state of ten Democrats and three Re-
/ publioans in the lower house Of congress
/ The Democratic state of Virginia gave Mr..
/ Cleveland plurality of l6,00o in 1854, but
only | 100 IN less. II has now swung back
| TO -. 600.
| In the state of Illinois, in 1854, fity-one
| counties were Republican aud hity-one
| Democratic; the dffy-one Democratic
/ counties gave a plurality in 1854 10 Mr..
/ Cleveland II IS $50 votes, bat in 1888 the
same counties gave him only q plurality of
| n. SgI, while the whole state gave
/ Palmer 1900 more Democratic votes
I than is gave Mr.. Cleveland
II anything can be demon
/ straled by It's results il would appear that
1 Mr. Csevelands fatal weakness was with
/ the Democracy, whom he did not oslmpre-
| bend, and whom he did not honor one
/ who viii study the elections o. 1854 and
| ISIS carefully and dispassionately, with
4 view TO determining what should be
/ the future action OF the Democratic
/ party. viii rise from that study with the
| convection craven upon has heart that Mr..
4 Cleveland car never be a successful canai-
/ date before that proud and powerful"
[ people whose Political ascendancy has
+ been sun further increased by the ndmis.
/ sion OF new states 90 the Union, thus Civ
| ing them additional control in congress
| and in the electoral college.
/ There Is no doubt bat that doodle. TO use
/ the modern phrase. played an important
/ part IN the election o. lssS but il is fur
/ theTmore trne that Doodle wouid nat have
/ prevailed in = contest against man who
was enshrfned ia the hearts of the Tlennc-
racy. The losses Of Mr.. Cleveland were not
/ generally in the heodle districts. not In the
cities, which are supposed peculiarly 10 he
the home Of toe boodlerS, bat they oosurrea
! In the country regions and 81 the cross
roasis, where mea we're voting their
feelings and where tAey GAVIN ex.
preston - their rsSentEaents. The
heart Of the Democracy was aot ia the
cAFspaign and the result demonstrates that
tie silenf vuss whSch has beea aisenatea IN
the Democratic cuuntssSaf Iisimg8s, was not
swept from is Democratic allegiance by
the use q money, bat by slienaglz,g the
affections Of Democrats voters
ADVICE AoTHERA