Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-23
pREsIDEYTIAI spEcUDarIoNs.
Cleveland the Strongest Candidate BIZ
fore the People--Jeopard in Abandon


Cleveland the Strongest Candidate Be-
fore the People--Jeopard in Abandon
ing Him.
Harpers Weekly EDITORIAL
The letter to the Tribune from Wash
ington, saying that Mr.. Blaine would
not consent to be the Republican candi-
date next year, was followed by one in
the Times from South Carolina, saying
that the Farmers Alliance, which con
trolls South Carolina, would not accept
Mr.. Cleveland as the Democratic candi-
date. As the Farmers Alliance is largely
recruited from the Democratic party,
this is an important statement, because
the Democrotic convention must take
the Alliance into account. But the
convention also must see that if the
Alliance is strong enough to compel the
abandonment of Mr.. Cleveland, it is
strong enough to defeat tho Democratic
party. The chance of Democratic sue
cess lies in the adoption of tariff reform
as the platform and of Mr.. Cleveland
as the candidate. The Farmers Alli-
ance could be propitiated only by accept
ing its free-silyer issue. If to propitiate
it the Democrats should abandon Mr..
Cleveland and adopt the free-silver
policy, they would, of course, divide
their party and lose independent sup
port There is no doubt that Mr.. Cleve-
lands recent silver letter, although it
seemed to have imperilled the chance
of his nomination, has greatly strength
ened him with the intelligence Of the
country in all parties, and large as his
independent vote has always been, it
would be much larger in 1892
The sentiment in the Republican party
which is unfriendly to the tariff excuses
of the party is very much more friendly
TO Mr. Cleveland than ever. This is due
both to the fact that the last session of
Congress showed that there was no hope
of Republican amelioration of the tariff,
and because Mr.. Gleveland's silver letter
showed the honest courage of the man.
The conviction which is general among
the honest men of all parties is that cor
ruption is the present peril of our poll
| tics. Such men see it in their own
party, whether it be Republican or
Democratic. They see that there is
| great party discomfort Republicans
aIe troubled by the mercenary influence
of the tariff upon politics. Democrats
are alarmed by the wild silver schemes
of their fellow-partisans But all of
| them see in the swaying conflict of
views and tendencies one strong upright
| public man whom they believe to be
honest, and whether the story be true or
not they believe it, that when friend
| demonstrated with Mr.. Cleveland for
having written his silver letter as i'm
| perilling his prospects for the nomina-
ton, Mr.. Cleveland answered, my
| friend, | have said what think, and the
Presidency may go to" let us say, pot
Mr.. Cleveland is evidently the strong
man for the Democratic nomination.
The situation is such that there is no
other strong candidate, because under
! the circumstances to abandon Mr..
Cleveland is to say that he does not rep
resent Democratic views and policy.
But it is because he is supposed to rep
resent them that public confidence has
largely returned to his party. That be-
lief made Republican defeat easier last
autumn. If a vote against a Republi-
can candidate for Congress had been
thought to be ultimately vote for Gov
ernoT Hill, for instance, many Repub-
lican candidate would have been elected
who was defeated. No intelligent
Democrat, it seems to us, can doubt
that Mr.. Cleveland would he TIC strong
candidate. But nominations are moi
logical, and depend upon many things
besides the general desire and expecta.
ton Of party. Indeed, the rule of
important nominations is the selection
of an available candidate, and available
has negative significance. 1t means
less representative leader than can.
didate without record. 1t takes nc.
count of the fact that votes are cast fol
every kind of petty reason, and assumes
that a positive prominent public man
has probably made host of enemies by
the very acts and words which have
given him distinction. This, however
does not change the fact that the aban
donment of Mr., Cleveland as the Demo
cratic candidate would give the creates
possible satisfaction to the supporters O
President Harrison.