Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-05-05
iFor the Ellsworth Americana
The Situation, No. s.


There is no doubt that the Democrats
will try to elect their candidate this year,
no matter whom he may be. Mr.. Cleveland
wants the nomination and Mr.. Hill wants
the same honor. and at this time it appears
that the party is about evenly divided be
tween these two men. II seems to be
settled question by the party generally
that the candidate must come from New
York II it expects to carry the State. and
| without 1t there .s no hope of success
! This. 1t will be seen, is narrow margin to
| stand upon. When party Is reduced L,
this extremity, to say nothing of other ad
verse conditions. it is indeed unfortunate,
as all will admit.
! There is no doubt that these two aspir,
| ing politicians have great faith in the pow.
er Of their own personality, and sufficient,
| they think, to overcome the political d,-
formity of their party at this time. And
| the fact of there being two candidate.
| from the same state ordinarily is not neces-
sarily unfortunate, but in this case it is in
evitably fatal. When we remember thar
Mr.. HUI is supported by Tammany Hall,
| not merely as a first choice but avowedly
| 10 opposition to Cleveland, In whom 1t has
no faith, and with whom it is not in sym
| pathy, and when We remember that tn,
Tammsny tiger never lets go its hold.
never backs water never yields a position
when once taken, and when we remember
| that the friends of Mr. Cleveland ar,
equally determined in their opposition t,
Hill, the situation is easily understood
| This disatfection as 1t Is called. will re
suit either in the loss of the state to tht
| Democracy or the nomination of some
| other mau. AT present this matter il
| qnietly sleeping, but whoever fiatters him
| self that it Is dead and buried, will be con
| fronted later on with the presence of a
| very lively ghost.
| Now as TO the prospects of either OF
| these men for the nomination; To begin
| with | will say that to save time and sim
| plily the question to a rational basis, Mr..
Hill may as well be counted out. His
| record is against him, aud the evidence is
sufficient already To satisfy has party lead
ers that he cannot carry his own State.
He is an ideal Democrat to many of his
party, and just such man as the worst
element would like to vote for, but per
| sonal preferences must be sacrificed foi
the good Of the party. They say he is
| ''too smart" but as matter Of fact Mr.
Hill has stopped over" To say nothing
of his rascality in his own State BIZ
stumping tour in the South made him sp
pear ridiculous to the country and | think
some one must have slapped him in tht
mouth and told him to sit down year
ago | believe Mr.. Hill had the lead by =
long lap, and 1t is his own fault that hi,
opportunity is gone.
1t is fact that Mr.. Cleveland will no,
make a desirable candidate for his part,
this year. Even two months ago, tn,
readiness with which the leaders conteu,-
plated throwing him overheard and taking
Hill. and the Increased luster In the eye>
OF the average Democrat, completely be-
trayed the real condition But the pros
pect of losing the Mugwump eemen,
brought the party back to lis senses viii
jerk.
just now IL appears that Mr.. Cleveland
Is the most available man in the party foI
the nomination, and at the national con
ven,ion the question will have TO be set
tied whether they can afford 10 do without
the help Of Tammany Hall. or course tit
advocates OF the Bland silver bill will not
be In favor of Cleveland. but so trinng q
matter as that. ii that ~ all, will hardl
stand In the way. The silver question,
owing TO the peculiar manner in which i,
was smothered In the House, can be used
blow hot where 1t will do the most good
and blow cold where that kind is called
for. BY keeping his mouth shut. Mr.
Cleveland could be misr-presented TO al
vantage till after the election, when both
sides would agree to fight for their poinl
and trust to lnck.
He is in harmony with his party on th
tariff question, but that counts but little
the thought is quite generally enter
tanned that the less said on that subject tn,
better. But Congress has made the tarif
the leading issue in the coming contest
preferriDg for the sake of party harmony
to keep all disturbing elements like the
| silver question out of sight as much a.
possible.
doubt very much, however, that much
interest can be aroused in this country this
| year. The people are educated on that ques-
tion as they have never been before, ard
their minds are made up, The Rhode Island
election shows it. The people are very well
satisfied, as they have good reason to be,
and tariff campaign would be tiresome.
| OF course there will be other things TO
talk about, and the first thing for the Dem
ocrats to do will be to explain why, with
one hundred and fifty majority in the
| House, they have done nothing in this ses-
sion. If there was nothing to do why
were they sent there in such great haste!
Taken all in all, it must be conceded that
the party is in bad shape for Presidential
year. There is not one redeeming feature
in the whole catalogue of conditions. How
to restore hsrmony even to the extent OF
commanding the regular party vote, is
not the least important question.
To assail the existing taliff laws, is
among the worst things 1t can do for it.
self. On this point it will be met with an
array Of facts and figures never before SO
favorable to the Republicans, and never
before so well understood by the people.
OF course no Democrat is going to throw
cold water, and it may be that but few can
see this dark cloud hanging over the par
ty, but still l look in vain to see bright
colors in any picture yet painted by its
most devoted artist.
The only way is to shut their eyes and
trust to luck. But need not advise them
This is exsctly what they are doing, and
also what they generally busy themselves
about in time Of trouble
(The end.)