The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-04
HILL AND GoRMAE.

81 hAAC&- tso w quill oA tatOat ehht
neither of them is nominated they can
say who shall be. Both of them are re-
ported as rather repelling the idea that
they wish to be nominated themselves.
Mr.. Hill modestly says that he does not
care to be elected President this year,
that he is young and can wait; while Mr..
German, with equal modesty, suggests
that. having been reelected a third
time as Senator from Maryland, he yves
1t to his State to serve out his term, that
all he wants is to help secure the nomi-
nation of a man who can win, etc. Both
Hill and German are agreed that Cleve-
land will moi do. They arc solid on that.
They say that while he is strong with
the masses of the Democratic party he
is not strong with the workers and the
practical politicians, and, above all, that
he cannot command the support of Tam
many, which, of course. Hill, or Cor
man, or any candidate of their selection
could do. For these reasons, they say,
Cleveland is out of the question. They
do not think it worth while to take any
pains to ascertain the sense of the party
on this point by any other means than
their own convictions. They have de-
cided that Cleveland will not do, and
that settles it. And with Hill in abso-
lutte control of the machine in New York
and German recognized as political die
tatOr in the South, it must be admitted
that their decision is practically final.
Cleveland is out OF the question, for
they themselves ave said it.
1t Is very doubtful if Hill will try to
force his W nomination this year. He
Is reported as saying that he is young
and can wait. There is some truth in
that. bnt there Is another reason why he
may conclude that 1t would not be wise
for him to seek the nomination this
year. Bold, ambitious and daring pol
itician as he Is, he knows that Cleve-
land has a strong hold upon and follow
ing in the Democratic party; he knows,
further that he CMr. Hill has made
himself OdiOus to the Cleveland wing of
the party by his treatment of the ex-
President, and that he is held RESPONSE
BILE for having side-tracked him. He
must have O wholesome fear that. how
yer strong he may be In his control of
the machine In New York and in the
support of Tammany, there is a consid-
cradle element of the Democratic party
in New York and elsewhere that will
hold him responsible for the slaughter
of Cleveland, and who will not support
hin, ~ ha ic nrnoinofaA 1h;o foor NJ
make him pause before trying to force
the game to the point of his own nomi-
nation. He is young and can wait; he
is also a consummate politician, and
will not take the risk of smashing the
machine by crowding it too hard. 1t is
possible, therefore. that Mr.. Hill may
conclude not to take the nomination
this year, though he will be governed by
circumstances and by selfish considera-
tions, without reference to the wishes or
the interests of any other individual, or
even of his own party. Mr.. Hill is a
man who does not consider any inter-
ests but his own.
How about Gorman7 From the Hill
German point of view he Is as available
as Hill. He belongs to the same school
of politics and possesses the same ele-
ments of strength. Hill can, if he
chooses, give him the solid vote of New
York in the convention and the support
of Tammany. The Democratic machine
could be worked for him quite as sue
cessfully as it could be for Hill. He is
four years older than Hill, and, perhaps,
entitled to preference On that score. If
Hill does not want the nomination this
year, and if German does, he can, doubt
less, have it. But very much the same
objection lies against him that lies
against Hill. He is in the conspiracy to
slaughter Cleveland and would be
knitted by Clevelapd's friends just as
Hill would be. For this reason he may
conclude that it would not be advisable
for him to accept the nomination. If
he does it will not be from any sense of
duty to the State of Maryland. it will
simply he because he does not think
this ia his year..
If Hill and German both conclude, for
reasons of their own, not to take the
nomination they will, doubtless, confer
it on some Western man, thereby en-
phasizing their own mOdesty and max
ing a gracious concession to the growing
power of the West. Who will be their
choice7 Who will become the residuary
legatee of the Hill German combined
That remains to be decided. 1t may be
Campbell of Ohio, Palmer or Morrison
of Illinois, Gray of Indiana, Boies of
Iowa, Carlisle of Kentucky, Villas OF
Wisconsin,, or some other second-rate
statesman. Upon whomsoever their
choice may fall he will be their creature
and tool, and will take the nomination
under a mortgage to carry out their
ideas and obey their commands. He
will be o Hill-Gorman man. /.
There is something significant in the
complete ascendency of these two men
in the Democratic party. More than any
other two prominent men in the United
States they represent the worst element.
and tendencies of American politics.
There are many other men in the Dem
ocratic party. perhaps some in the Re.
publican party, as bad as they, but they
are not as prominent. 1t has never hap
pened before that two machine poll
ticians became the joint proprietors of
great political party and dispcnsers of