The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-03-09
THE DEMOCRATIC PRE- IS.
RAV EMMA. wEDN EsDAx. Mar. 8, 1892
The choice of Many Democrats.

In view of the present interesting develop {
lents in the political world, and the universal t
citation of both Democrats and Republicans
ver the action of certain ones of their recog- ,
zed leaders and statesmen, the PRESS here
With presents to its readers the opinions and
hoce' of some of the leading Democrats of
his city, formulated in the main from the
ollowing questions:
I. Leaving the question of availability out
Of thought, who is your first choice for Presi-
Dental candidate on the Democratic ticket?
2. Whom do you regard as the most availa-
BILE candidate to place in nomination, Cleveland
or Hill2
3. In the event of neither of these aspirants |
being chosen, who, then would you regard as
the strongest candidate?
The first gentleman interviewed was
/. H. PHELPS,
Prosecutor of Portage county, who responded
as follows:
1 am Cleveland man for two reasons l
regard him as the best man. and think he would
be elected if nominated. I am confident that
he would carry New York State, even with the
Keystone delegation against him in the chicago
convention next June While Senator Hill is
a of great ability, and made an excellent
Governor for his State, he lacks some OF the
essential elements that would make him for
midable candidate for the Presidency. be-
lieve that the endorsement of Governor Hill Tor
the Presidency by the recent Democratic State
convention in New York, was secured by what
is known in politics as the machine" These
political machines are composed largely OF
men who have no other calling in life than as
workers in politics. The machine always has
favorite but if their favorite does not win, they
are sure to support the nominee In other
words, while the favorite of the Democratic
machine is Gov. Hill, it will support the choice
of the convention at Chicago, whoever he may
be. With Cleveland as candidate, he would
not only receive the Jealous support OF the
Democratic machine of that State, but the vote
of many thousands of conservatives and lnde-
pendents. When Cleveland failed to carry New
York State four years ago, New York City had
municipal election for Mayor and other city
officials and the State chose its Governor on
the same day. This will not be the case next
there will be fair, open contest between tariff
reform and high tariff tax, in which nothing but
the principles involved in such an issue will be
discussed, and in such contest, with Grover
Cleveland, the greatest representative OF tariff
reform, as the standard bearer of his party,
would regard his election as a certainty.
In case our standard bearer should be chosen
o,,4e;Ja of Nav, Vorlr I am in favor of either
Senator Palmer, of Illinois, or John G. Carlisle,
of Kentucky.
HON. D. C. GOLDMAN.
Grover Cleveland is my first choice for Presl-
dent. / regard his administration as one of the
ablest, purest and most business like this coun-
try ever had. would not assume that any of
the eminent men whose names have been men
toned in connection with the Presidency would
not. in the event of their nomination and cleo
ton, give equally satisfactory administrations,
We have tried Cleveland, however, and know
what he is.
In reply to your second interrogatory, that is
matter, as affairs now appear. it is very diff
cult to answer.
Then let me ask you,' said the reporter,
"what you think of Hill?"
Oh, well, that is a much easier question to
answer. Governor Hills administration of the
affairs of New York State places him in the
front ranks as an executive official, and entities
him to the full confidence of the Democratic
party. The fact of his thorough Democracy
has not been and cannot be questioned. AS
said before, to attempt now to settle the ques-
ton of the relative strength and availability be-
tween President Cleveland and Governor Hill,
is a difficult undertaking.
The electoral vote of New York State will in
all probability decide the contest, and as it is
assumed that there is want of harmony between
the friends of Cleveland and Hill in that State,
the nomination of either might imperil the sue
cess OF the party, in which event, it would be
wiser to go outside of New York, and nominate
man acceptable to all the elements of the par
ty. Should this be the case, it would appear to
me, taking everything into consideration, that
Senator Palmer, of Illinois, would have more
of the elements of strength than any of the
gentlemen mentioned outside of Cleveland and
Hill. He would, in my opinion, command
every Democratic vote in the country. In con-
clusion, as a Democrat, shall be fully satisfied
with the choice of the Democratic convention
whoever he may be.
J. H. NICHOLS.
| am for the Democratic nominee. My pref
erences for men are matters that concern my
personal choice merely, and would be cheerfully
subordinated to the action of the national con
vention. For while the standard bearer thus
selected might not be as acceptable as some
others, and indeed might be, in personal sense
extremely Objectionable to me, and the Repub-
lican candidate be personally to my liking, still
would l regard it as the choice between the mi
nor evil of supporting a man not devoid o.
blemish, in a good cause. and a greater one, q
good man in bad cause.
am a Cleveland man, because regard him
while President, as one of the most honest, up
right chief executives this country has seen fol
fifty years. He has been tried, and found true
steadfast and reliable. 1t is true that he is nc
politician, and has estranged that class of gentry
by his very integrity and consistency. That tc
me, is one OF his strongest recommends. l re-
gard him as a stronger candidate than Hill
whose nomination, in my opinion, would be {
very injudcious one. Ny second choice would
be Palmer, of Illinois.
l. T. SIDDALL,
MY first choice is Grover Cleveland. The
issue upon which we must succeed, if we sue
ceed at all, and upon which we OUGHT TO sue
ceed, is tariff reform; and regard CLEVELAND
as the most available man in the country on tina
issue. Hills candidacy would mean partia
abandonment of tariff reform, and would be
confession that we have not the confidence il
the issue that it is entitled to. do not believe
that he could carry single State west of Penn
sylvania. and would most certainly lose US New
York State. His nomination would have the
effect of consolidating and crystalizing the vari
Gus elements that originally sprang from the
Republican party in New York, and restore to
that party every so called Mugwump, as well as
independent voter in the State. Party lines
would be more sharply defined there than for
wears. There are, in my opinion, 10000 to
10000 independent voters in that State who
would support Cleveland and oppose Hill. l
dol think there would be the danger of losing
so large vote with Cleveland. In other words,
.be nomination of Hill would give a much larger