New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-11
THE PRESIDENTIAL OUTLOOK.

Four men of prominence in the opposing par
ties have been interviewed since the recent
elections and have expressed their opinions about
the future. Senator Vest and Representative
Mills represent the Democratic party, and all the
better because neither of them comes from the
East, where that party does not dare to avow
what are known to be its zeal convictions and
purposes. Senator sherman and GOvernor-elect
Mckinley represent that Republican conviction
which was controlling in the last Congress, which
has triumphed in Ohio and other Western States
and in Pennsylvania and they are men of great
personal influence in Republican counsels. All
have talked freely of the future OF parties, and
it is exceedingly instructive to notice the points
in which all agree, and not less instructive to
notice the points wherein they differ.
All these leaders agree that the late elections
have made the Presidential contest doubtful.
Messrs. Sherman and Mckinley point out the
lines on which they think the Republicans can
be beaten, and take it for granted that Mr..
Cleveland will be the Democratic candidate.
Messrs. Vest and Mills point out the course
which the Democratic party must pursue, III their
Judgment, in order to secure success, and both
declare that Mr.. Cleveland will be the Demo-
cratic candidate. But the conviction OF Repub-
lican leaders that some things are necessary to
insure Republican victory, and the conviction OF
Democratic leaders that some things are neces-
sary to insure Democratic victory amount to a
unanimous opinion that the result of next years
contest is by no means certain.
These leaders all agree that the tariff will be
the predominant issue in the next campaign, and
all profess to believe that it will turn the scale
in favor of the parties they respectively repre-
sent Messrs. Vest and Mills honestly believe,
no doubt, that the people will sustain opposition
to the Protective Tariff, substantially on the
lines preached by Mr.. Cleveland When President.
Messrs. Sherman and Mckinley believe that the
people will uphold the new Protective Tariff,
and will defeat an attempt to overthrow it..
The latter have on their side victories in the
recent elections. The former count upon tho
elections of last year, and reckon that success
secured in local issues in Massachusetts,, New
York and Iowa really means that the people are
hostile to Protection.
But these leaders differ about the silver ques-
ton. Messrs. Sherman and Mckinley believe
that it will not and cannot be kept out of the
Presidential election, and will prove an impor-
tant element in Republican success. Alessrs.
Vest and Mills both manifest the utmost
anxiety to have this issue kept out of the
Presidential contest avowedly on the ground
that the Democrats can win on the tariff alone,
and afterward can do what they please about
silver. Their anxiety discloses their belief that
on the silver question alone, or if that enters as
an important element into the canvass, the DEM
ocrats will be defeated. They hold that Massa-
chusetts and New-York even with the local
issues which diverted attention, gave Democratic
majorities only because the party there refused
to avow the purposes of the party at the West
and South. 1t is perhaps all the more evident
because they do not say that they believe the
Democrats will be beaten at the West, the Farm
ers' Alliance having proved broken reed, and
can only win in Eastern States by getting rid
of the silver issue entirely.
But how is it to get rid of that issue? Mr.
Vests admission that the party can do what it
sees fit on this question, after it has gained
power by opposing the tariff, tells the whole
story. The opponents of the Democratic party
will see this, as well as its most cunning Dem
ocratc leaders. Strong and shrewd Repub
leans will not fail to press this issue home
throughout the campaign, just as Senator Sher-
man and Mr.. Mckinley did in Ohio. Those
Democrats who know that the free coinage of
silver would bring business disaster will not be
suffered to overlook the fact that the success
of their party would mean the triumph of the
purposes which its Western and Southern men,
bers cherish. There is no possibility of getting
the question settled and out Of the way before
the election comes. The dream of MessIs. Vest
and Mills that it can somehow be thrust aside,
and the people persuaded to intrust to the Dem
ocratc party absolute power to settle it, in the
notion that they are really voting on the tariff
question only, is as foolish as any political cal
culation can be.