New-York tribune., 1891-09-17

of wealthy men in politics and in convention and
Legislatures. This was the attack indirect upon
the millionaire Flower
KNIFE THRUsTs IN. THE CANDIDATE.
Then Mr.. De Witt made a direct attack. He
said he did not desire to make any attack upon
Mr. Flower, but this he was compelled to de-
clare. namely that he did not think Mr.. Flower
e either in his requirements or his personality rep
resents the true favor or spirit of Jelersonian
Democracy" Mr.. Flowers Fffth-ave. mansion
and his handsome dwellings at Washington and at
WatertOwn, as well as his banking Office near
Wall Street obviously in Mr.. De Wits
eye He became more interested in his subject.
/" | tell you my fellow-DemOcrats, he said in an
earnest manner, and say it to you from warm
and patriotic heart if we'love the Republic If we
venerate and esteem the JefTersonian principles
upon which it was founded we of the Democratic
party at least must show our independence OF
plutocracy, our freedom from the domination of the
money power. our independence of famboyant
millOnaires, our sympathy with the common
laboring; toiling masses of the American people.
Obviously Mr. De Witt did not think Mr.. Flower
such q man.
But Mr.. De Witt also had good word to say
for Mr. Chaplin. He cOntrasted him with Mr..
Flower. He said that Mr.. Chaplin was master
of current politics and the equal of Mr.. Fassett
in vigor and activity. Mr.. Chaplin. Mr.. De Witt
said. was competent "to appear upon any
platform from Lake Erie to the sea
and speak the true faith and feeling of the party
But Mr.. De Witt now had gem of description
TO present to his auditors. Contrasting inferen-
tally the aristOcrat Flower with Chaplin, the
representative of the Democratic masses. he said
When George Washington's Cabinet were as
sembled. attired in the robes of the English Court,
with their velvet coats and knee-buckeS and silk
stockings and side swords, keeping up the court
dress of old England there entered in their midst
for the first time a gentleman from Virginia, wear
ing a corduroy suit with a great shock of red
hair falling over his face and cleaning eyes and
that was Thomas Jefferson. Cheers And he be-
gan, following the inspiration which he caught
during his residence in Paris. and those kindling
fires of the French Revolution which filed the
heavens for all time with spirit
Of equality and fraternity, he began laying
the foundation Of the party of the spirit which
should be Independent of aristOcacy and should
prevent the growth and domination OF pu-
tocracy which we humbly follow and adhere TO to-
day.
CRY FOR MAN OF ABILITY.
Mr.. De Witt followed up this attack by declar-
Ing tudJ WN0t tnc DtiHocIdtb eepcClil9 Hetueu
was candidate for Governor competent to speak
upon the platform on the leading political topics
of the day. on the issues between capital and
labor Palpably he thought that Fassett should
be faced by Chaplin and that Mr.. Flower was not
equipped for this task. He could not understand
why Mr.. Flower wished 10 be Governor. when he
was unfit for the place. II cannot understand, >
said Mr. De Witt, why men always want to be
something which they are not and why politicians
should be always seeking the very offices for which
nature has disqualified them. The iackass. when
he got the lions skin. did not thereby become
lion. The bray and the length of ear soon
betrayed bis natural character.
But it was in closing his speech that Mr.. De
Witt betrayed the bitter hostility 10 Mr.. Flowers
nomination felt by the Brooklyn delegates. The
convention was very quiet when he uttered these
memorable words eulogistic OF Chaplin and de-
nunciatory Of Mr.. Flower:
Believing with him (Alr. Chaplin in the plain com
mon principles Of the Democratic party loving him
we do. we close around him with an unbrOken front
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