Middletown transcript., 1892-01-21
New York Herald.

We no not say that Mr.. CleVelanu
ought not to be renominated.
He had has, to be sure, two nomin-
ations and one election, but he has
some qualities which, if he alone were
a possible candidate, would make his
nomination not a national misfortune.
What we think unwise for the Demo-
cratic party is the attempt Of his
friends to cry him up to the exclusion
of all other men, or even of due con-
sideration of all the circumstances.
When the Convention meets next
May or June it may turn out to be
the wisest and best course to renomin-
ate Mr.. Cleveland. We do not pretend
to foretell what may then be wisest or
most important for the democratic
success, and democratic success is, of
course, the objective point. If, when
the Convention assemblies, it is plain
and clear that Mr.. Cleveland can
more surely than any other man win
for the democratic party-all right
the Convention will nominate him.
But in the meantime the party
managers would do most imprudently'
to omit considering other names. The
party would make most egregious
blunder to lie itself beforehand to a
single candidate, and he, by the
almost universal admission of expert
enced politicians, unable to carry his
own State, which he lost at the last
election in spite of the fact that he
was then President, with all which
that implies.
Certainly the republicans would not
renominate Mr.. Harrison if they had
reason to believe that he could not
carry his own State. Between now
and next May or June it may be de-.
monstrated that Mr.. Cleveland can
surely carry New York, and if SO one
most serious objection to his renomin-
alton will drop. Meantime the duty
of the party chiefs is to look about
them and see with other names they
can hope to conjure or conquer sue
cess. To do otherwise, to place them
selves and their party supinely in the
hands of the overzealous and not
oyer-modest clique who have con-
stitutsd themselves what, without
offence to the ex.President, we may
call Cleveland Howlers, would be un-
wise to the last degree.
This is so clear that we have some
times wondered that Mr.. Cleveland
himself, free as he is in giving advice
TO his party, has not expressed what
we suppose must be his own opinion
and urged the party not to commit
itself to him completely beforehand,
but look over the whole field and see
if there are not men equally able,
equally high principled, equally
democratic, with whom the party
could win more surely than by taking
him up again.
There is no lack Of conspicuous,
able and popular men. 1t is not com.
plimentary to such men as Gray and
Campbell, as German and Villas, as
Whitney and Morrison, as Russell, Of
Massachusetts, or Wells, of Connecti-
cut, or Phelps, of Vermont, or Wilson,
of West Virginia, or Boies of Iowa,
and others to see Mr.. Cleveland alene
considered.
1t dampens the ardor and enthus-
iasm Of the party to let it see but one
man, and he a defeated candidate
probably unable to carry his own
State next year, as he lost it In 1888
and carried it by mere scratch in
1884.
A one man party has only defeat
and disgrace before it. The republi-
can leaders saw this when they re-
sisted the attempt to make theirs 9
mere Grant party. They forsaw thai
even that great and august name
could not carry them to victory. Tt
make Cleveland party out of thu
democratic party would be still more
surely disastrous.
If the Herald urges these consider
ations strenuously this is not that j
underestimate Mr.. Cleveland's quail
ties, bat because we desire to warn th'
democrats away from the edge of I
dangerous pit. Generals are put il
command to win battles. If Mr.
Cleveland can better and more sure
ly than any other man carry the demo
cratic party to success next year then
he ought to be nominated. But tn
question whether be can deserves. II
be freely, openly, candidly and honest
" discussed by the democrats in tn
meantime.
We have chosen to take such
survey ofthe democratic field, and W
have found number of men any On
of whom has statesmanship ant
character enough to deserve the con
fdence Of his party and Of the peopl