The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-03
PEOPLE AND POLITICIANS

The close analogy between the situation
10 the Republican camp and the situation
sn the Democratic camp is curious and in
teTesting. In both cases the rank and file
ale on one side and the officers on the
other
Democrats who are not politicians are
generally in favor Of the nomination of
Cleveland, but most Of the working poll
ticians are for HILL Democrats every
where admit that Cleveland is all they
could wish in regard TO principle, integrity
ard administrative vigoT; but they say he is
no politician, that he could not engineer his
own election. and that il be were elected
be would not esk their advice in the distri
button Of his patronage. IN this State they
point to his last administration when the
Federal patronage was divided among per-
sons who had no claim on, and no standing
ID, the party; when the respectful ad-
vice Of those who had borne the heat aud
burden Of the fight was CONTEMPORARY
scorned, and when the only eounselors upon
whom the President leaned were outcasts
from the party. They say that if be were
reelected there is no reason to suppose that
he would abate his pretensioIs to omnis-
ciencp, and thus they would rather take
their chances with HilL who. whatever bis
faults, has always been mindful of party
obligations, and would probably assent to
their dictaEion in tie matter Of appoint
ments.
On the other hand, the masses OF the
Democracy, who do not want Office. and
merely seek the success Of Democratic pTin-
ciples. are all for Cleveland. because, in
their opinion, he typifes Democratic doc
trine, and is unquestionably upright They
love him for the enemies he has made, as
the delegate SAID at Chicago.
In the other party the same division is
conspicuous, and for the same reason. The
active politicians in the Republican party
the men who pursue politics as a trade, for
AL there is in 1.-THE QHars. and The Clark
sons, aud the PIatts, and Boutelles-are all
for Blaine. because they believe that with
him IN the White House they would consti-
tute the power behind the throne. They
regard Blaine as the type Of the machine
politician. who knows how to carry cleo
tions and to gather round him the leaders of
the clans by the cohesive power of public
plumber. It's quite likely that they are a
little previous in their calculations, and
that if Blaine were nominated and elected
be would not prove the plastic dummy
which practical politicians expect. But
operators of the type of Plat do not realize
that the possession of power revelation ICES
mems minds. They are satisfied that if
they can nominate and elect Blaine they
viii own him.
On the other hand. the Republican masses
are Overwhelmingly for Harrison, simply
because they have tried him and they know
be is safe. What they want OF a chief ex-
eeutiTe is prudence, caution, discretion and
answering integrity All these they have
found in Harrison. They might find them
IN others, but it would be a chance, and
they are not taking chances. They do not
want snowy President who shall electrify
audiences with dazzling flashes of eloquence
or who shall startle the world with amazing
flights of policy. They want plain, hon.
est, quiet official who will conduct the Gov
ernmeut so that it shall divert no mans
attention from his private calling, and who
shall not try to make history during his
Presidential term. That they believe they
lave discovered in the present executive.
The danger of the hour is that the con-
ventiOns which meet this month may be
dominated by the politicians and not by the
people. Delegates are almost universally
politicians in active training. Their afilia-
lions are Tather Win the members OF the
rings to which they belong than with the
people at large. They do not propose to
make President for the public good OF for
glory They want to use him after they
have made him. They want TO have some
say in the distribution Of offices. They
propose to enjoy influence enough to re-
ward their friends and punish their ene-
mics. Hence it is that, in one party as in
another, there Is danger that the man NOM
mated may be their favorte rather than the
favorite Of the people Luckily for the
nation this danger is limited by the consid-
Grafton that nomination Is not always
equivalent to an election; that if the con
ventiOns nominate it is the people who
elect. and that if the former do not pay
some heed 10 the wishes Of the latter their
party may suffer on election day.