Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-31
Cleveland and Hills Presidential
Chances Affected by the
bot NEW YORK CITY CAMPAIGN.
If the Two Democratic Leaders Clash
Faetional Fights May
PERIL THE INTERESTS OF BOTH IN 's2
IrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !


importance of the issue to the national Dem
B. Hill, himself a prospective Presidential
candidate, has been laboring day and night
with the party leaders to secure harmonious
action as to Assemblymen and congressman.
These efforts have not proven satisfactory.
An apparent truce is but the cover Of the
mining and countermining continually 60
ing on between the warning factions.
This bitterness between Tammany Hall
and the County Democracy is one OF the
curious features of New York City govern
ment. The combination Of the latter with
the Republicans and municipal reformers,
styled the tripartite alliance, as against
Tammany, is something in politics abso-
lutely unknown and impossible in any
other city of the union. The so-called
County Democracy is composed of the worst
lot of Democratic spoilsmen that could be
scraped together. In their present COM
pany the Municipal Reform League are all
the swallow-tails, mugwumps, political and
social cranks of every denominatlon-men
who consider themselves above and superior
to both parties, and who are constitutionally
antagonistic to "the state Of things"
SIMON PURE REPUBLICANS.
The third party to this combination is
composed OF simon pure Republicans, who
indorse Ingalls, Pittspurg declaration tnat
any Republican is better than the best Dem
ocrat. The combination presents every ex-
treme in local and national politics. 1t is
bound together by single bond of friend
ship, ''To beat Tammany."
Now the only interest this situation has
for the readers of THE DISPATCH is in Its
bearing on national politics. While this
chiefly concerns the general Democratic
organization, it has not unimportant refer
ence to national Republicans. For it is
possible that the result of the present mu-
nicipal quarrel may remove from the
national political arena one or two prom
inent Presidential candidates - perhaps
eliminate New York as State from consid-
Grafton in that connection.
Governor Hill is personally interested in
the success OF the Tammany candidates, but
he is also more than personally interested
in the defeat of any coalition that embraces
Republicans and Mugwumps as It's princi-
pal elements. Nobody knows better than
David B. Hill the significance of the vic
tory of such a combination. 1t would wipe
him out of national political existence. No
the State of New York has temporarily
moved his Office to the metropolis. He has
need to camp on the field.
There is one other man who is deeply
affected by the present movement; and that
is Mr.. Grover Cleveland, lawyer, Williams
street. Mr.. Cleveland is in rather an
equivocal position. He is just now imitat-
ing "B'r Rabbit" and is lying low in the
high grass. While Hill is working tooth
and nail to secure harmony in the ranks of
his party, his rival is quite as earnestly
doing nothing.
CLEVELAND EMBARRASSED.
It is not wholly difference of character.
Mr.. Cleveland is embarrassed by mugwump-
cry. HIS law partner, Mr.. Stetson, has in
dorsed the Peoples Municipal League and
quite a number of his distinctive friends
have gone the same way. On the other hand
Mr.. Whitney and Colonel Lamont are
stra ght Tammany. There is a considerable
undercurrent of comment on this situation
of the Cleveland wing, and some of these
same comments would doubtless pain the
ex-President's friends to hear.
Mr.. Richard Croaker to smoke B'r
Rabbit out This idea is a cruel one,
but it has practical sound
that reminds us Of practical politics.
Tammany wants to know, you know, where
Mr.. Cleveland stands. Will he vote with
them or will he side with his wicked partner
and support the trIpartite alliance? From
this we are led to infer that Mr.. Cleveland is
not above suspicion. Encouraging this sus-
picion is the favorable opinion OF Mr.. Cleve-
land expressed by the Mugwumps and
County Democracy. But, as I said before,
he is in ticklish position. If he joins with
Hill and Tammany and the latter are sue
cessful he strengthens Hills Presidential
hand. If he should go with the combina-
ton, he bids farewell to Tammany's good
graces. Manifestly it is to B'r Cleve-
lands advantage to ''lay low." And this
sort of diplomacy accords with his political
character and personal disposition.
On tine results of the present New York
municipal campaign, therefore, hang the
hopes and aspirations of two national Dem
ocratic leaders. 1t by no means follows that
the success of Tammany means Hill, or that
the success of the opposition means Cleve-
land. A united Democracy will be neces-
sary to either of them. 1t is hopeless and
bitter division that endangers both. But
the part one or the other takes in the local
fight will 60 long ways to prejudice for or
against.
WAR TO THE KNIFE.
There are strong indications that the
present row will end with the scalps Of the
County Democrats in Tammany's belt. The
war this time is to the knife and the Demo-
Gratis of New York are expert with the knife.
Should Tammany's boast that she will wipe
out the Counties for good and all become
realization the Democratic vote of this city
in the next national election will not be
quite as heavy as it was the last time. There |
will be sneaking back into the Tammany |
ranks of many spoilsmen like John r. |
Fellows, but the cutting and thrusting that |