New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-10
WEED SPOKE TOO PROMPTLY
GOVERNOR HILL REFUSES TO KEEP ANY
PROMISE ABOUT THE SENATE.


WILL THE CLEVELAND con-
TrNGENT AID THE GovER-
NoR's AMBITION
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TWBUHE.1
Albany Nov. 9.-The friends of Smith NJ. Weed
are dstrustful Of David b. Hill, and suspicious
that he intends, if possible, to take the United
States Senatorship himself instead Of aiding MI.
Weed to win that prize. They have noticed with
alarm in the last few days that some Of Mr. Hill $
newspaper organs pressing him for Senator,
and that Mr.. Hill apparently has not attempted
TO silence them on this delicate topic. Moreover,
good many Hill Democrats are effusively pro-
claiming their hope that the Governor will be
elected Senator Such men are undoubtedly de-
sirous that their utterances should come under
the Governors eyes, but STILL it is thought, their
declarations in his support would not have been so
strong unless they had been inspired in the Ex-
ecutive Chamber at Albany. Mr.. Weeds friends
say that Mr.. Hill gave pledges to Mr. Weed in
1856 and again in the present year that If the
Democrats controlled the Legislature upon joint
ballot the latter should receive his help to become
United States Senator AS consequence of these
pledges, they say Mr.. Weed, both in 1886 and in
1890. exertcd himself in various close Assembly
49,
Assemblymen- One of Mr.. Hills friends said in
reply to-day
The Governor denies emphatically that he
ever pledged the Senatorshp to Mr.. Weed,
and he is indignant that Mr. Weed
should have sent his letter to The
Plattsburg Republican, week age Saturday,
declaring that me Weed was to he the Senator.
In that letter Mr.. Weed also said that Mr.. Hill
candidate for SpnotOr That of it,
self, was an jnsnt to the Governor, because. in
effect, Mr.. Weed said that no Democratic AS
semblyman could be elected in Clinton County, if
it was known that Mr. Hill was a candidate.
Besides, Mr. Weed really did little either in 1886
or 1890 to bring about the election of Democratic
Assemblymen He could not even elect Demo-
crat in his own county of Clinton this year. Mr..
Weed had no right to print such letter as he
did and he has not improved his chance of being
elected Senator by doing so. l repeat that the
Governor says that Mr.. Weed has no pledge from
him, direct or indirect that he will support him
for Senator"
But, clearly, Mr. Weed thought that he would
have Mr.. Hills support for the Senatorship, or
else he would not have printed his letter. Per-
haps Mr.. Hill did say something to Mr. Weed
which might he interpreted pledge. If so, why
does not Mr.. Hill keep that pledge? Why has he
changed his mind, and why does he now desire
the Senatorship? A leading Democrat made an
interesting reply to these questions to-day. He
said
"The result of the late election of Congressman
has convinced Mr.. Hill that Grover Cleveland
will inevitably be the Democratic candidate for
President in 1892 What was the issue of the
campaign? It was tariff reform. Mr.. Cleveland
was the creator of that issue, and naturally, there
FORE lie will again be the Democratic party's
candidate in S02, when that issue unquestionably
will be the chief one. Mr.. Hell has no support
outside of New-York State, and he sees it. He
might 90 to the National Democratic Convention
tomorrow, backed by the solid delegation of
New-York State, and yet he would not be
nominated, because the Democrats of other States
see by the Congress elections that they can
elect President without New-York. They can
nominate Cleveland and disregard New-York.
Mr.. Ill therefore, is Of the opinion, it is said,
that if he is TO have any political future, he must
take the United States Senatorship. That would
last him six years, and would, perhaps, give him
q chance to become a candidate for President"
Mr.. Hills first step 10 gain possession OF the
Senatorship, in the opinion of his opponents will
he to elect William +. Sheehan Speaker of the
Assembly. Once Mr. Sheehan is Speaker, the
Committees VI Douy cdH NC P''Nh>eh ~ "N-N
trously as greatly to add to Mr.. Hills influence
over the Assemblymen. A Governor naturally is
regarded deferentially by every member of the
legislature, in view of his power to veto Dlils.
Add to this the power 70 name the men who are
to 20 upon the influential committees OF the AS
sembly. and such man, if a candidate for United
States Senator has an almost irresistible influence.
One Governor, Reuben T.. fentOn, whose term ex-
pired on December 81, 1868, used his power so
effectively until the last day Of his term that
he nominated personal friend, Truman G. Young
love for Sneaker Of the Assembly the succeeding
month of January, and Younglove, by delaying the
announcement of his committees, elected Mr. Fen
ton United States Senator. Mr.. Hill probaoly
read long ago this interesting chapter in the State
political history
Smith M. Weed came to Albany last week as
soon rs he saw that the Democrats would eiecc
n Senator in January, but what he heard mere
was so unpleasant that he judged 1t best 10 pro-
ceed to New-York and endeavor to make comolna-
tious there which would elect him Senator de-
spite the fact that he is to have David Is. Hill as
a rival for the Senatorshp. For his interests, Mr..
Weeds friends think it best that some other man
than William F. Sheehan should be elected Speaker
of the Assembly. They are therefore attempting 10
unite the New-York and Brooklyn democratic
Assemblymen in support Of Joseph Blumenthal
of New-York, for Speaker. If the ofiicial canvass
of the vote of Brooklyn shows that Joseph Aspin-
all the Republican candidate in the Nth Assem-
blv District. was defeated and a Democrat was
elected. then there will be twelve Democrats
from Brooklyn and twenty-five Democrats from
New-yorl, or thirty-four Democrats in all 4 h Mr.
Aspiuall iSlefeated there will be siXty-nne Dem
ocrats and ffty-nine Republicans IN the AssemDiy
and thirteen Democrats and nineteen keptioileans
in the Senate making in the joint convention eighty
two Democrats and seventy-eight Repmolicais or
Democratic majority of four votes IL thirly-lour
ont of sixty-nine Democrats in the Assembly agree
to support Mr. Blumenthal he will have formid-
able following. One more vote would give him IN Int .ne
majority in the Speakership caucus, and he GER
tainly would find il an easy matter to procure
that vote in the interior of the State.
There is some curiosity here as to the cause
of the visit Of LieutcnantGOvernor Jones to Brook
lyn at this period. Jones' of Binghamton," u Is
well known. has feverish desire to become Coy
ernor of the State and, therefore, he would gladIy
step into Mr. Hill's shoes If the latter should oe
elected United States Senator and he summoned
TO Washington in December, 1891. TO attend the