Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-18
HILL AND rHE PRESIDENCY.


nett Hin is a statesman of great force
and significance. We are asked to ac-
cept him as an inferior, small caliber
politician.
And yet this is the man who, with
two exceptions, has filled the Office of
governor of New York longer than any
individual who has sat in the executive
chair at Albany. He could have filled
it longer than any of them save for his
honest Democratic opposition to third
term.
When did New York ever elect an in
ferior man governor? 1t will puzzle the
student OF political history to find an in
stance. On the contrary, the De Witt
Clintons, the Martin Van Burens, the
William H. Marcys, the Silas Wrights,
William IL. Stewards, Horatio A. Sey
mours, the Grover Clevelands and the
David Bennett Hills, of that state, have
been the admiration of the rest OF the
country.
OF course, all really great men are
abused. Ii any one thinks that this
popularity of our politics began with
the career of Governor David Bennett
Hill, or will end with him, he is lamen-
tably ignorant CT American history. As a
case in point we may cite the experience
of Martin Van Buren,, Old Hickory's
favorite, "Matty Van." The Sage OF
kinderhook's mastery of the Democracy
OF the Empire State was something out
OF the common for cleverness and sue
cess. He attained all the honors his
countrymen could confer on him, in.
cluding the presidency of the United
States. But he was, with the exception
of Jackson himself, the best abused man
ever known on the American continent.
One day his wife came to her husband
in tears, and she said to him, "Mr. Van
Buren,, if you do not horsewhip the
writer OF this misunderstanding pa
per at him the while--'I shall apply for
a divorce" "Pooh, pooh, my DEAR"
replied her husband, 81 paid hundred
dollars to have that article written"
We do not know whether or no any
money has been expended to have Gov
ernor Hill vilifed in the unlimited
measure which has characterized the
efforts of his enemies. but we are quite
sure that it has not injured him in the
slightest degree. His popularity has
gone on increasingin geometrical ratio,
if such a simile is allowable. 1t now
ramifies to all portions of the United
States, The New York World sent
corps OF its reporters to Saratoga to poll
the Democratic state convention, and
eight of the delegates put themselves on
record for Governor Hill for president
to one who proclaimed himself for
Grover Cleveland. The sentiment OF
the New York Democracy is undoubt-
edly that the party should have a new
leader in the coming fight, and that
Governor Hill should be that man.
There are circumstances in the history
of the composition OF the Buffalo delega-
tion and in the nomination of William
f. Sheehan, speaker of the New York
assembly, for lieutenant-governor, that
ought to be fully understood. Some
months ago there was quite a struggle
between the several factions OF the Buf-
falo Democracy. OF course every reader
of newspapers is acquainted with Grover
Cleveland's career in Buffalo. He was
first elected mayor of that city, then
sheriff of Erie county, in which Buffalo
is situated, then governor of New York
and finally president of the United
States. William f. Sheehan, the Demo- |
cratic speaker of the assembly, started |
out to take from Erie county to the state
convention a delegation friendly to
Governor Hill and that gentleman's
friends. He also had the hardihood to
announce that he proposed, in addition,
to bring home the nomination for lieu
tenant-governor. Cleveland's friends |
were represented i'll the local struggle |
by his late law partner, Bissell, and by |
Dan Lockwood, formerly one of his law |
partners, and late Mr.. Clevelands dis |
trict attorney Of the United States for the
southern district of New York.
1t was square trial of strength, en-
tirely in consonance with the habitudes |
OF the Democracy, and with the usages |
of America. Hero worship has never |
been formally installed in this country,
and the Democracy of Mr.. Cleveland's |
own city and county did not propose to
start any innovation of good old whole
some Democratic methods. Sheehan
carried his Hill delegation to Saratoga,
and he came back with the nomination
for lieutenant-governor
The Democracy of the Empire state |
have flung their banner on the outward |
walls. They have emblazoned upon it
the inscription, ''No Mugwump need
apply" Their attitude is direct and |
manly. Tney ask no favors and will |
show no quarter. 1t is a Democratic
movement, and it is instinct with the |
conditions of victory.
Should the ticket win there can be no
pretence that Mugwumpery had any
thing to do with its triumph. There
is no snivel about a man on the ticket
civil service or other. They all believe,
with Governor David Bennett Hill, that
there are enough honest and capable
Democrats to fill the offices OF the coun-
try, and that they ought to fl them.
The HERALD thinke that the ticket |