Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-10
Policies ANp pReslpEN1s.
Practical or Personal Peiitics-rhe Flee
torsI Vote and the Pivot sfste.

WARRINGTON. ID. c., January 0. 1892.
TO G'e Editor Of he Dispafch
Upon the reassembling of Congress two
salient points appear that direct critical
observation on the great political contest
Of this year. The first Is that the election
of Dir. Crisp as Speaker indicates tariff
reform policy concentrated on the aboli-
ton of duties on few articles of neces-
sary use, instead Of long schedule OF re-
auctions according to the Mills bill 4: and
the second il that the State of New York
has been fortified in the Democratic line
beyond the possibility Of q doubt II the
leadership which accomplished the result
is maintained. The alliance between the
forces of Hill and Flower was not new
thing nj the opening OF the gubernatoriai
contest that was so decisive Just before the
speakefship fight in the House was made
to represent the claims and ideas or TWO
presidential aspirants. 1t had long been
known TO oil shrewd politicians that the
opposing elements OF the New York DE.
mocracy were a-rayed under two personal
banners, but it was not known that beyond
the local contest loomed the two rivals Tor
the presidency and that their friends were
setting up Mills and Crisp as the exponepts
respectively OF Cleveland and Hill The
local and national contest involved not
only the control of New York State, but
the policy OF the party. whether the Mills
pan should be the issue with Its thousand
fold schedule on which TO provoke as many
aubbles against what tho masses OF the
people do not vet understand, or demand
for the abolition of q few oppressive duties
that all the people feel. The Republican
Senate might tangle mp one with quibbies.
bat the other means square issue on
- .r,t~A lxo a
publican party in heavy and inevitable
responsibility. IL may be emphaticaily
said that Hill has beaten Cleveland on the
control Of New York and on the choice OF
the policy, but ii 10 equally true that the
victory calls popular attention to other
candidates than the great New York chiefs
who. claiming to hold the pivotal State.
also carry the fatal local quarrel that has
cost the Democracy so dearly on former
occasions.
II has been often enough explained that
we cannot elect President without
New York. and TO risk that State on q
doubtful candidate with the hope of re-
trieyine the loss in the West would be like
rash general with one OF his wings
thrown in the air ~. e., without sup
port and without knowing exactly what 10
do.
By the token of the homely maxim we
cannot afford TO swap horses in midstream
with freshet running, or abandon safe
line to try conclusions on new fields Just
IN Difference 90 sentiment and personal
preference. And as recent events prove
that Mr.. Cleveland could not carry his
own State against the entrencbed forces
of Hill and Flower, the question IS, Gan
the Democratic party afford 10 pay Nr.
Cleveland the compliment OF the nomihao
ton at the cost of losing the presidency
The ex-PresidenBs merits are acknow-
lodged boyond denial. but his claims are
not quite so certain when we recall that
pronunciamento that lost his party the
presidency by precipitating the tarih IS
sue at the wrong time, and thereby DrOuRht
the country under the CHASTITY SHADOW OF
the force bill.
Tbe recent raid into the speakership
contest tho question Of party legislation
IN the House, and the hot discussions IN
some quarters about the Mills policy, all
teud 70 indicate dangerous breaks at the
moment when the peoples party ought TO
10 be united against centralized radlcailsm'
class taxation. and bogus pensions 10 the
tune of a hundred and halt mlllionsa year.
! Concentrating all this 1t looks as IL the
South. at least. TO whom Democratic VIC
tory IS self-preseryation. ought TO keep
| its eve on the objective point regardless
| of personal preferences or doctrinsl
points of tariff.
People do not expect Hill and Flower to
net otherwise than as New YORK poilti-
| clans generally do, ana we cannot see no"
/ Mr.. Cleveland could have chance To
/ corrv that state against the liDl-Flower
/ combination And while II ls posslDle
/ thai the Cleveland faction could beat Hill
ar Flower in the State were either OF them
nominated, it Is absolutely o TACT that
the Hlll and Flower combination would
carry the State Tor any other candidate
except Cleveland. SO we repeat That the
present leadership in New York IS essen
! iial 10 a Democratic victory. ana whether
tins IL acceptable or not IL 10 Iact, anu
as a fact IL an indisputable plea.
One of the most able Democratic chlefs
th1nks that the issue should be simplited
hv hevinp short session. as little as Is ne
cessary about tariff, only necessary appro-
priations, and ringing protest against the
recognized record of the Republicans
viz. the billion Congress, the force BILL
and tariff tor monopoly.
10 catch the Republican party In the
omen field encountered with their plumber,
forced TO act on the defensive aid weakened
NV a puilty conscience, Is what the afore-
sad Statesman thinks would be the surest
rlon of campaign, and another scarcely less
renowned leader thinks the House should
pass q silver bill that the Senate might
possibly pass, but that Harrison would GER
10 ali of this il is certain that Mr.. CTeve-
lond would be opposed, and it is said that
ne is about to illuminate proclamation
mat he will pull out unless his own plan
is adopted. For Grover Is captain who
scorns a council of war though the lesson
of defeat ought to have shaken his sell
confidence. And in vain has 1t been whis-
pered 10 him In the quaint words OF the
maxim;
nTneres a time TO fight and time TO pray,
And there's also a time 10 run away;
Bnf who knows not when To NY or stay
In the end will surely lose the day"
The moral of which is that we should not
rush TO battle with an omnibus tarin bill
and give the Republicans thousand qulo-
bles with which 70 hide tnelr own rotten
record In the last presidential election
a democratic President against the advice
~ the ablest leaders began the tight at the
wrong time with the wrong thing. lie
songht on his own weak point and gave
,he enemy the advantage. He could not
aven bring his own State into line and re-
duced the majorities IN sohd Democratc
States. Virginia can tell her part OF that
nerformance with a drop of about 10000
yotas and vet some people thiuk that MIR.
clevejand could be elected with his
bridges burned between him ard New
York. with the leit-handed prestige OF de
feat with his face printed on the wall
street gold do,llr and long tarih-reform
schedule that the people could not learn IN
The long schedule and the gold dollar
may be good, but it reminds one, OF the
Irish officer who would not order the
scotch Hichlanders into battle because
.hev Aid NOT know the manual of arms.
'Ihev said thew rather thought they could
heat the enemy, as they had done before,
bnt saws the Irishman: "Ye killed black
Snards. the enemy will have 10 wait till
Te,ye learned how to do 1t or take them
So''eS T.. McC.