New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-15
TILE dNTL-MIUVINI ERS.

| II Is q source of much encouragement TO the
friends of honest politics and good government
to know that the great movement against " the
midwinter convention is making progress in the
| interior and that through the efforts OF the COM
mttee appointed at the Albany meeting on
February 90 the opponents OF that iniquitous
proceeding will be thoroughly organized in near
| y if not quite all the counties in The State be-
fore the time appointed for holding The State
| Convention. THE Tines gives daily reports
of the progress Of the movement, frcm which 1t
| derives great satisfaction. According 10 THESE
reports the uprising against the midwnter con-
yention bids fair to be so general and 50 pro
| nounccd that even il the ruling powers Of the
Democratic party in this State refuse it any con-
sdcraton, the National Convention at Chicago
to which it is proposed TO send contcSting dele
CATION will be compelled to give them hear
ing, and possibly seats in the convention, though
we do not understand that the latter is looked
for with any confidence. 1t is said that the
movement has already attained such proportions
as to give serious alarm to the Tammany mag
mates, who, according to "The Times are be-
ginning to wayer in their support of Hill
In this state of affairs it seems proper TO renew
the inquiry, What is the precise purpose of the
demonstration and how is il TO be made eff
fectiye? One would suppose from the manner
in which our contemporary treats the subject that
the purpose was simply a personal one; that ii
was movement against the candidacy of Sen
ator Hill, and incidentally in favor Of the nom
nation Of Cleveland But that was not the
avowed purpose Of lis origina'or. The untme-
lincss of the State Convention which appointed
delegates to Chicago was the reason, and the
only reason, given for the Outburst Of indigna-
ion which found expression in the Cooper Union
meeting and took definite shape in tho appoint
ment Of the Fairchid-Anderson committee.
Neither in the Cooper Union meeting Of Febru-
airy / nor in the Albany meeting OF February
% was there any opposition raised 70 Mr.. Hill
AZ a candidate, or any discussion Of candidates
whatever Tho whole proceeding hinged on the
date at which the Tammany managers had called
the State Convention. Il was an organized pro-
test against "tho midwintcr convention" and
nothing more. No question OF political faith or
doctrine was raised, nor a word said for or against
any particular candidate. The date was the
essence of the whole matter. And apparently
that was all there was in it.
How then shall this movement DO classified
when it finally gets into shape az an organiz1-
ton? It is not d Cleveland demonstration, nor
can it properly be called an anti-liiu affair. II
IS on tho face Of it, simply an anti-midwintcr-
convention protest. lts only reason for being so
far as appears, is that the State Convention
called in February instead Of at a later date. II
is proposed TO make that issue which to
send contcs,ing delegation TO Chicago. I'm
less a new departure is taken anu the scope Of
the movement enlarged, the convention which
meets at Syracuse on May 81 will be confined to
the sole issue of the untmclincss OF the regular
State Convention. On that they will complete
their organization and send a contcsting delega-
ton TO Chicago. With what hope? What ex-
pectatiOn? DO they suppose that the National
Convention will turn out tho regularly elected
delegates, upset the whole party machinery in
the State, and admit a new set of delegates mere
ly on tho pretext that the regular convention
was held a month or two earlier than usual?
A great party does not usually split into fac
tons over difference as to the proper time for
holding convention. Yet that is all the mean
ing there is in this movement, SO far as any
official announcement has been made. What arc
these gentlemen actually driving at? If at any
thing more than demonstration against the
midwnter convention, why don't they say 50 and
let people know definitely what it is =?