Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-09
PRESIDENTIAL STOCK
Fluctuating FuriOusly in the
New York Market
Now, With
HILL SECURITIES LEADING.
In Spite Of His Bad Breaks and
Loose Tongue His
METHODS ARE QUOTED VERY HIGH.
The Decline Of Harrison and the Booming
of Blaine Also
FTRNTSU PTT7IES FOR FUE PEOPLE
HILL SECURITIES LEADING.
ARE QUOTED yERYHIGH.
The Decline Of Harrison and the Booming
Of Blaine Also
FURNISH PUZZLES FOR fHE PEOPLE
rrKoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT,


tions within the last two weeks. Hill
stock has been on the jump one way or
another almost every dav of the fortnight.
Clevelands are weak. Plat securities fut-
tered, rose and fell, and finally tumbled to
the Democratic situation at Albany. The
bottom seems to have fallen out of the en-
tire Platt-H system. This brings
about a strong reaction in Harrison first
mortgage presidentals and sends Blaine con-
soils to the front booming.
The wild fluctuations in Hill stock are
due to the success of that distinguished
gentleman's friends in getting control of
the State Legislature, TO his Elmirs free
coinage speech, to its subsequent modif-
cation, to his peculiar declaration of princi-
pies and the resultant tangle among his
admirers Not even Senator Hills worst
political enemies in this State deny him the
credit of having obtained the key to the
situation at Albany by his own superb
political sagacitv, legal astuteness
and a pcrtinacity of purpose verg-
ing upon obstinacy, and of hav-
ing applied that key with success.
Hills strength seems TO lie in the
direction which indicated the greatest need
cf q master mind. These complications
arising ont Of the new ballot law muddled
the entire judiciary of the State. Laws Of
any kind are in a comparatively crude state
until settled by repeated and uniform con-
structlon OF the proper courts. When it is
ballot law and'the result of these judicial
decisions involves the political power, the
excitement and unrest during their pen
dancy may be considered quite natural
While both parties hung breathlessly upon
the viii o! the Court of Appeals, neither
party left any loophole that could be
stopped against failure. The entire Democ-
racy of the State leaned upon Governor
Hill. They accorded him the personal di-
rection OF every detail and seconded everv
move Of their willy leader with confidence
and enthusiasm. They now cheerfully
credit him with the successful outcome
EiH Winner From the Start.
Pitted against the solId Hill formation
stood Boss Platt and his broken machine.
In every respect the contest was an un-
equal one. The deep-seated disgust felt by
Republicans generally tor the Plat domina-
tion made it impossible 10 bring the Re-
publican forces under control. With fac
JiOual enmity permeating every election
district in the State ii is not surprising that
the preliminary steps 10 the adjudication of
the election eases lacked thoroughness, and
tlllt itltst " taN l4dAA NiitlE were
wanting la the unity Of purpose which
characterized the Democratic side. But
the most conspicuous example of the
consequences OF Republican misruie in
New York is to be found in the novel pc
3 sition OF State Senator Edwards, 1t is most
conspicuous now from the practical conse-
puences to the party. Edwards is a Repub-
Hcan. He has always been a Republican,
But he was elected 10 the State Senate on
ia. .lTa .y,F,, -.
so happened that even with favorable de-
cisions Of tie CanvasSing Board and Court
of Appeals 10 the Democracy, Edwards be-
came a most important quantity. With
Edwards the Republicans could in measure
dictate terms if they could not control en-
tirely-without Edwards they were to lose
the government they had continuously con-
Jrolled through the Senate for ten years in
spite of the Democratic majority of the
State Of New York. The Democrats did
not necessarily require Edwards vote
they only needed his presence.
BY siding with the Republicans even
10 that extent the anti-Platt Senator must
have placed himself under the Platt thumb
and done exactly what his Republican con-
stituency elected him not to do. He bravelv
refused to stultify himself He resisted ap~
peals and threats and temptations from the
boss, that might have reasonably moved |
He wasH9 his seat and did his duty. And |
in doing il he knocked the already broken |
Platt machine into smithereens.
a Prestige That Is Formidable.
The favorable prestige of this victory to |
Governor Hill, so far as New York is con- |
cerned, cannot be over-estimated. For the |
time being he rises above even his own |
foolish utterances. Had he been satisfied |
TO abide for the present by the results of |
his political ceverness instead of plung- |
ing into the national arena before he got |
his Senatorial coat on and essaying to map |
out the work Of the National Congress and |
lay down the complete platform for the |
national Democracy Mr.. Hill would now be |
enjoying some rosy national prospects The |
greatest Of lost opportunities in politi-
cal life are opportunities for keeping the |
mouth shut. Senator Hill has lost Just |
such a golden opportunity. His most ar
dent friends here on every hand lament it.
Not a few OF them are surprised to discover
how weak a strong man can be-in spots
The fact that they will probably not ad-
nit Is that Hill is strong only as far as to
\ ew York political affairs. He is fully |
learned in State methods and splendidly |
equipped for local political management.
In national politics he is new, crude and
wanting in the intellectual breadth that
comes only of national experience Moth
ing could more forcibly illustrate this than
his queer jugglery with the silver question
and his platform upon which he would
have the Democratic House of Representa-
1ives go BEFORE the country The idea of
setting the tariff back where it was before
the passage Of the Mckinley act as a ma
Jional Democratic campaign issue is un-
worthy of Texas cross-road politician.
The scheme OF simply tearing down what
the Republican party has built up without
attempting practical relief for the evils and
accepting the unquestionable benefits that
exist from former legislation is a scheme so |
stupid and narrow of conception that the
wonder is that any manswould have courage
10 acknowledge his belief in il. From
one whose name rises TO every lip
wherever the question of the Presidential
succession is discussed it seems Incredible
Nor is the proposition Of "Repeal-Repeal''
made any stronger by the reasoning of its
distinguished author, namely: that the
House cant rep-sl-it can only put the
other side in hole These breaks of our
Iewly ieagei Senator indicate that Mr.
Charles A. Dana knew what he was talking
about when he declared that Hills Presi-
dental strength lay in the Gubernatorial
caaIr q New fork-when ne stepped down
rom .hat into TIE Senate OF the United
States be was 3 dead duck.
Ba:rison's Decline Queer Feature.
Another Interesting feature of the recent
contest is he decline OF President Harrison |
and the advancement OF Blaine in public
opinion. i can scarcely account for this
except on the general hypothesis that the