St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-26
The Indiana Mans Intimate
Friends Want Him to Have
First Place.
Some Of the Reasons Urged
by Them to Justify His
Nomination.
The All-Pervading Shadow Of
Gov. D. B. Hill Causes
Trouble.

indorsing Cleveland and Gray as the
next presidential ticket, and only last
week Col. Matson, late Democratic can
dldate for governor, in giving utterance
to the same sentiment before the Clay
county Democratic convention, was met
by uproarious applause. Still more re-
Gently a dispatch to Republican paper
from Greencastle indicated a belief
that Henry Watterson. of the Courier
Journal, although invited there to de-
liver an address to the students of De-
Paw university, was really there for
the purpose of meeting prominent Dem
ocrats to discuss ways and means by
which Gov. Gray might be launched as
vice presidential quantity. ssasaa
Gov. Gray was invited to the BAN
quet given to WatterSOn at Greencastle,
but, not being well at the time, did not
attend. The GLOBE correspondent
asked him what there was in the rumor
that he and Watterson were to meet on
a political mission at Greencastle. He
replied: "There is not one word of
truth in it. am not candidate for
the vice presidency or for any other
Office. Mr.. Watterson was simply in
vited by the DePauw university stu
dents to give them talk, and suppose
the boys thought it would be pleasant
to have a few gentlemen of the state
meet him there. l, with some others,
was invited, and should have gone, but
L nave not been we'll for some days and
Was obliged to forego the pleasure"
THE GOVERNOR,
if he has any ambition to fill either
place on the next presidential ticket, is
remarkably modest about it, and goes
no further than to express hope and
belief that the ticket nominated by the
next Democratic national convention
will be composed of reliable and stall
Wart material, and that it will prove
winner. The more pronounced friends
of Gov. Gray have higher ambition
for him than the vice-presdency. One
who is thoroughly posted described the
situation as follows:
Nov look at it; here is New York
split up by the rival admirers of Cleve
land and Hill respectively. l know the
New York Sun recently said that there
were Democrats in that state who pre-
ferred Mr. Cleveland to Mr.. Hill, but
that their number had dwindled lately
until now they had become an inconsid-
cradle minority relatively, and that OH
the other hand HIPS supporters and
followers had become so formidable
that they were the prevailing mass of
the Democratic party in New York.
This is nonsense. Any shrewd observer
of passing events knows that Mr.. CleVe-
land has powerful grip on the
NEW YORK DEMOCRACY.
''The fact is that the Empire state
Democracy will go into the next national
convention badly crippled"
The gentleman was here reminded
that no matter how severely crippled
they might be the unit rule would COM
pei them to check their diSaffection, and
the vote of New Yotk would be cast as
instructed.
"Yes," he replied, shut don't you see
that a delegation divided in sentiment
is not thoroughly equipped for the earn
est work of big national convention?
1t is not prepared to push the claims of
a forced candidate upon the considera-
ton of other delegates"
'Then, assuming that the New York
ers go into the convention in the Grip
pied shape you anticipate, what about
your friend Gray?"
"WelI, l simply say this: That he is
the strongest candidate the convention
can name. Compare his record with
that of any other prominent Democrat.
There is not weak spot in it, And in
one particular be is the most formidable
nominee that can be selected"
what is that?"
"In Indiana and in other states where
there is a balance of power held by the
negroes Gray will carry every state, and
that means Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and
New York"
but will the darkies vote for Demo-
crat?'
"Well, they did vote for Gray the only
three times they had the opportunity,
and then he ran largely
AHEAD OF HIS TICKET.
"Even when Hendricks ran for the
vice-presidency and Gray was the can
didate for governor, the latter led the
presidential ticket largely in Indiana"
An examination of the election re-
turns show the following facts: In 1876
Gray ran for lieutenant governor on the
Jams. Mr.. Harrison, now president of
the United States, headed the Repub
lican ticket. Williams beat Harrison
5,0S4 votes, while Gray led his opponent
$685. votes. In 1880 the full Democratic
ticket was swamped, but while Garfield
had majority of 6,642 over Hancock,
Gray, who was running for lieutenant
governor, was defeated by much less
majority, viz. 4,770, difference of 1.S72
votes in his favor. In 1884 Gray was
the Democratic candidate for governor,
and was voted for on the same day that
Cleveland and Hendricks were being
balloted far. The Democratic presi-
Dental ticket had a majority of 6,512 in
the state. while Gray beat his opponent,
Maj. Calkins. a popular and energetic
Republican, by 1892.
''There you have it," resumed the
Gray advocate. ga record like that,
running through three hotly-contested
presidential campaigns, ought to be
worth something to man."
"Why do the coored folks care for
Gray to the extent you think they do?"
"Well. ! will tell you. He has always
been their friend. He stood by them
valiantly when they were struggling for
the franchise; at time, too, when the
matter was
TREMBLING IN THE BALANCE.
tit is an old story with them. Go and
talk with some of their prominent lead
ers, and you will soon see how deep
rooted the feeling is. Then, when he
patient hearing and full investigation
afterward when their delegations would
appeal to him for some poor darkey
who had been sent to the penitentiary
through injustice OF the prejudice OF
white jurors and communities"
Twill not the negro support hurt him
in all counties where the old-fashioned
Democrats have full swing and heavy
majorities?"
"That was tried by the Republicans
several times. They endeay0red to
prejudice the mossback Democracy
against him, but they utterly tailed.
He ran just as we'll in the strong Dem
ocratic counties as in the others. You
see, Gov. Gray is a Democrat. He is
conservative and has no fool notions on
any question. While favoring tariff re-
form, he is not free-trader, and al
though temperate in his habits, he gives
no room to any prohibition nonsence.
On all questions of the period he keeps
fully posted, and, while making no pre-
tensions to a gigantic intellect or phe
nomenal craftsmanship, think he will
compare favorably with any of the
presidents that know anything about.