Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-08
AS PRESIDENTIAL POSSIBILITY.

AS A PRESIDENTIAL POSSIBILITY.
OF course Governor Pattison's second vic
tory has evoked the enthusiasm of Presi.
dental boomers, who have commenced put
ting him in nomination as the Democratic
candidate for 1892. Such action is prema-
ture for two reasons. First, it is still two
years to the Presidential year, and candi-
dates who are doomed two seasons ahead
generally get the bloom taken of their
chances before the decisive season arrives.
Second, Governor Pattison's present duties
do not concern a possible Presidency at the
close of 1892. but certain Goyernorship at
the beginning of 1891.
A Democratic leader who has been four
times a candidate before strongly Repub-
lican constituencies and has been elected
every time; who has gone through two
hotly contested State campaigns and never
made mistake; and whose official record
is marked by the high characteristics that
are shown IN his record as Governor, GER
tainly possesses attractive qualities for
Presidential timber. If personal character
istics were all that were taken into con-
sderation in the nomination OF Presidents,
Governor Pattison would stand near the
head of the list. But the practical poll
ticians among the Democrats will be apt to
point out one consideration which has
arisen to the dignity of canon, and which
is likely to prove decided obstacle to
making him a leading Presidential candi-
date. That is the Democratic principle of
nominating candidate who has at least
fair chance of carrying his own State. That
rule, although it would not be respected in
an ideal condition of politics and is per-
haps based on an imaginary necessity, has
at least the excuse that as far back as the
memory can go no President has been
elected who was unable to secure the
Electoral vote of his own State.
In discussing Governor Pattison as a
Presidential candidate, the first thing that
has to be recognized is that he could not
fulfill that requirement, and if he should
win success, it would be as an exception to
the rule. He has carried PENNSYLVANIA
twice as a candidate for Governor; but he
has only done so because State issues, in his
candidacy, could be and were sharply sep
arated from national ones The best illus
tration of this can be taken from a rough
analysis of his majority The change of
nearly 100, 900 from the Republican major
ity Of 1888, means that some $4,000 Repub-
licans voted for him as a representative of
clean State administration and the mainte-
nance of the State Constitution. But if he
were running for President, to secure the
electoral vote of Pennsylvania would re-
guire that nearly $4,000 of those $4,000
should give their votes to him again. With
the tariff as the leading issue, which it will
certainly De in 1892. it is safe to say that no
such vote would be given to Governor Pat
tison for President. 1t would require a
phenomenaliy bad nomination on the par.
of the Republicans to induce any consider
able number to throw the tariff overheard,
even to vote for such man as Pattison.
One condition of affairs might make Gov
ernor Pattlson a Presidential possibility. II
the contest between Cleveland and Hill in
New York should make that State ques-
tionabl he might be taken as compro-
mise candidate, whose integrity and strong
lCCOlu "oulu W dCCOu plibu III
doubtful States what b.. could not in Penn
sylvania. Even this is very remote con-
tingency, and the best way for him to
strengthen his position in that respect is to
devote himself to carrying out in State adj
ministration the principles on which he as
elected without lying awake ot nights about
the Presidency. If he puts in a year and
half of hard work, maintaining the su-
premacy of the Constitution above the cor
poratIons, insisting upon an upright and
economical administration at Harrisburg,
preventing jobs and upholding the prin-
cirles of free ballot, he will DO the best
thing for himself and the people, whether
considered solely as Governor or partly as
Presidential possibility.
The Governors friends, if they are wise,
will let the Presidential question rest until
1892 has begun. If the conditions make
Pattison factor in that year, he will be
stronger for having attended quietly aud
exclusively to the interests of the State
than if any amount of booming were done
for him by his immediate supporters.