New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-22
HJLES MID-UINTER CONTENTION.

body of men drawn from every county anu
from every section of every county OF this
State meet in Albany to-day. The business
which takes them to the Capital is business
which has been shaped and cut out for them
by David B. Hill. This Democratic convention
is as distinctively Hill convention as the great
est show on earth was Barnum's convention.
1t will be run at Hills dictation just as it was
called at his dictation. From the moment it
comes to order until the moment it adjourns it
will do nothing except carry out to the letter
the programme which he has prepared for it.
If each ono Of the delegates with few unm-
portant exceptons) woic badge lcttered ID.
scarcely be closer monopoly, could scarcely be
moro absolutely under the thumb-the dirty
thumb-of one man.
Now, if David Il. Hill was a heightened, I'M
selfish leader if it was generally recognized that
his aims were patriotic and his methods open and
honorable, if his public career attested that not
self interest but the common welfare was his
ruling motive, then the fact that this
Democratic state Convention was a
Hill convention would not provoke
criticism. But considering that Hill is
simply greedy, INSCRIPTIONS "boss," that he
represents whatever is most eactionary and de-
moraizing in our politics, that against long-es-
tablished precedent and the earnest protests OF
nearly all the leading Democratic journals OF
the State he called the convention in mid-win-
ter simply for the purpose of getting his own
personal chestnuts out of the fire as early as
possible, and, more than all, considering that
he has been branded at the bar of public opinion
IL, ,oc4ifnroiS enrt of n thinF--1
thief who does not hesitate TO swinde the ma
jority of his fellow-citizens out of the results
which they secured by their ballots-considerng
all this, the idea that the convention is only
Hill convention is most revolving. The ascen-
tency which this vicious politician hes acquired
in tho Democracy of New York must ever remain
a source of disgrace and weakness to that
party. Nowadays, reputable Democrats would
fan blot out from political history the chapter
which records the years when Tweed was the
ruling spirit Of their organization. The time
cannot be far distant when these same men will
be similarly affected by the reflection that
poliician like Hill was once the party's i'm
peri0ls master.
According to present appearances, the con-
vention's attitude toward the intelligent Demo-
Gratis from all parts of the State who will assem-
Bile at Albany to-day to protest against " snap
methods in politics will be one OF cOntemptuous
Indifference. The convention delegates will
show their subserviency to Hill by incontnenty
snubbing their political brethren, whose sole
offence is that they have exercised the night of
private Judgment touching the month when
State convention can best be held 80 as 10 con-
serve the convenience of the greatest number
Hill naturally is opposed to these protestants
since they stand for the element Of his party
for which he has no rSc-that better element
which despises self-secking leader who is in
politics merely for what he can make out of it.
What the convention is going to do, everybody
knows What the anti-snap contingent is going
to do, nobody knows save that its leaders are
talking of organizing q second convention to be
held some time in tho spring. The opponents
of Hill must realize that il they hope to
accomplish anything and escape becoming laugh
ing-stocks they cannot rest from their labors
when they have filed their protests, no matter
how impressive may be the language of these
documents. 1t is vitally necessary that they
should do something.