Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-24
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER "a, 1890.
Castles IN the Air.

The boasts or the adnerents OF u heM
and promising party are almost always ex-
aggerated predictions of what those adhe-
rents hope 10 achieye-not what they have
achieved. Mr.. CmLTOS. of Texas, for ex-
ample, predicted last week in the Interstate
immigration Convention at Asheville, N.
G.. that If the convention should endorse
the plan and scope of the policy mapped
out in 1888. the body OF men whom 1t en-
braced would be the most powerful ever
banded together. Mr. CHIFFON has az clear
q right to indulge in predictions as any
body else, and we are not disposed to I'M
derrate the strength of the organization he
represents. Nevertheless. we must be per-
mitted TO entertain a doubt or two.
Then here comes the Springfield (Mass.)
ballot, as reported in our issue of yester-
day. Great pains were taken 70 insure the
accuracy of this presidential ballot. But
the promoters and originators of this
mode Of feeling the public pulse seem TO
have been in blissful ignorance OF MIR.
CHuToS's large body OF mon. They tell us
how the popular vote, collected by postal
cards. stood as between CLEVELAND and
HILL on the Democratic side and between
BLAINE and all the rest of the malignant
aspirants on the Republican side. But the
total vote is so small--only q few thou
sand out of the millions to be cast
in 1s92-that we Involuntary think
of "a beggarly account Of empty boxes"
when we see the figures. These Spring
field tables will not command the conf
dence Of the public. They come from a
locality where the great West and the
great South are unknown, and where they
ronsult Boston rather than Chicago, where
they indulge in speculations as to whom
The two parties will nominate for President
IN 1892 The day after the elections of last
month we referred 10 Mr.. BLAINE rs the
only live man in the Republican party, and
therefore the only possible nominee of the
next National Republican Convention.
This forecast was based upon the
assumption that the two old par
ties were the only ones of any
consequence which would strip for the
light in 1892. We did not pretend to pre-
dict the nominees of the Farmers National
Alliance. or of the State alliances of this
new party. We did not have in mind Mr.
Chiffon or the organization which he
thinks is so soon TO command the votes OF
fhe mass of the men of tins land. we
simply assumed that the results OF last
falls elections had killed off HARRISON,
SpyRNAs, and gil the Republican aspirants
fxcept the magnetic man from Maine. We
have seen no reason for changing this fore
cast as yet, although we hope for something
from the western and northwestern Re
publican silverites. mo man can tell what
q day may bring forth"
But how as TO CLEVELAND and HILL? The
Epringfield ballot showed the former to be
no far ahead of the latter in the presiden-
fial race as TO make il amount TO presump-
zion on Huns part to undertake to secure
che nomination. But here the silver ques-
zion comes in again to spoil all our calcu-
lations. We are told that Tammany, with
ats usual sagacity, champions the cause
of the free coinage Of silver. We
are also told every day by men
,rominent in the Democratic party that
its leaders-the men who viii compose
the next Democratic National Convention
~;ll not for a moment dare to nominate
Tor President man who does not sympa-
thize with the people IN their demand fol
the free coinage of silver. MIR. CLEVELAND,
therefore, does not stand upon az sure
ground as Mr.. BLAINE unless he has some
what modified his views as TO the policy OF
putting gold and silver upon an equality
We would be clad to know, as we were
assured a few weeks ago was the fact, thai
MIR. CLEVELAND had found good reason To-
falling into line with the great body OF hi
admirers upon this which many persons
regard as the most important question nov
before the country. Thisis almost the onl,
flaw in Mr.. CLEyKLASD's tltle to the mex
Democratic Convention. He claims tina
his party has come to him on the tarii
question. Let HIM come to his party on tn
silver question.
However, ell those speculationsare" cas-
tlesin the air." There is a condition of un
rest amongst the people which may re
suit in causing the voters 10 divide IN lSy
upon new lines. We would not have Tn
old Democratic party come TO grief; bu
we would rejoice to see the Republiea
party buried forty fathoms deep by any
the new parties which are now Just break
ing the shell Of the egg.