New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-30
THE STATE OF PARTIES.

| The anxiety of Democratic politicians and
journals about the Republican nomination for
the Presidency is natural, though not credit
able to their Sagacity. They will hardly
succeed in moulding public opinion to any great
extent. BY this time it ought to be clear to
| them that the President can be re elected If the
| Republican party should renominate him that
| if any other candidate should be preferred as
more certain to succeed, the convention could
hardly make the blundcr of choosing one who
| could not be elected and that the Democrats
| therefore have fine prospect of being beaten
| in any case Probably they indulge dim hope
that they may stir up enough personal jealousy
and strife among Republicans to weaken the
| candidate. But it may be presumed that no
| Republican, who has sense enough to influence
many voters, will be drawn into a trap so
obvious. There would never be day of for
getfulness for the Republican leader who should
suffer his personal likes, dislikes, jealousicS or
rivalrieS to cause the defeat of the party this
year, and Republicans of weight and cOnsdera-
ton are ali aware of the fact.
The Democratic clatter about Republican
prospects is loud enough to suggest that 1t may
be designed to cover up sounds OF different
character. The rawlings and snarngs. the
curses and blows in the Democratic camp have
enlightened Republicans very much already as
to their prospects They have already let out
the fact that it is no mere question of personal
preference which disturbs the Democratic
choice, but a conflict of purpose and principle.
1t is so wide and deep that while Democrats of
some States have openly instructed their dele
gates to vote for Mr.. Cleveland and for nobody
else, other states have instructed delegates to
vote to the end agains' Mr.. Cleveland, or any
other mar who holds his position regarding the
demands of the Alliance. Some conventions de-
nounce him in such terms that he clearly cannot
get the support OF Democrats represented there.
But others declare more or less explicitly. that
he must be nominated or the party will not
deserve support.
1t is true that allowance must always be
made for the superhcated condition of combat
ants just before Presidential nomination. They
arc apt at such times to convince themselves
that the man they dislike cannot be elected |
and that they will never support him and their
predictions and declarations made under such
circumstances frequently cause them some SUBJ
Sequent sorrow Where there exist1 only per-
sOnal differences, active and earnest men in a
party are exceedingly apt to put these aside
after nomination. But where there are an
tagonsmS of conviction and purpose, which go
far enough to divide party in two, and which |
are certain already to cause the nomination OF |
separate ticket, it is a different matter
The Democratic party saw fit in 1890 to join |
with the Alliance i'll some States, and 10 en-
courage it in many others, iii order to defeat |
Republican,. The effort was remarkably sue
cessful but in more ways than one 1t did in |
deed cause defeat of many Republican candi-
dates. But it also caused the conversion of a |
great multitude of Democrats TO the notions |
and purposes of the Alliance. These voters
have come to believe that the financial wrongs |
perpetrated by the Republican party, against |
which Democratic demagogueS have been shrek
ing for many years, can in no other way DO
remedicd than through the medium of third |
party. Many other Democrats, who do not yet |
90 so far are profoundly impressed with tho |
necessity of asserting to the Alliance demands,
and will make it condition of their support for |
any Democratic candidate that he shall commit |
himself to those demands 1t is in this state of |
facts that the Democrats are called upon 10 Sc
lect candidate and they find it impossible TO
choose one who will prevent the threatened dis
lupton of the party at the West and South, and |
at the same time save them chance of success
in the Eastern States. No wonder they arc
anxious just at present to divert attention as
much as possible TO Republican discussions.