, 1892-02-21
The People Are With Him in
the New York Contest.
John Boyd Thatcher, Who is
Cleveland's Warm Friend,
Opposes the Cooper Union Meet
ing and Favors the Senator.
The Early Convention Endorsed
on Strong Grounds.
That ..snapv Convention.


New York. Feb. 2O.-The Albany
correspondent of the World teleRraphs
his paper as follows: mo man is better
known throughout the state than John
Boyd Thacher OF Albany. He is not a
politician, although he has been senator
from the district and mayor of Albany,
serving in those positions with great
credit to himself and universal s~atlsfac
ton to the people. He is a man of large
private fortune, an extensive maniac
turer of this city. is we'll educated. and
has travelled all over the world. He is at
present one of the worlds fair commits
sioners from this state. holding this COM
mission from President Harrison. Mr..
Thatcher is best known 10 the state per-
haps as one of the original tariff reform
ers. He Is now president of the New
York State League of Democratic clubs.
and In the campaign for Mr.. Cleveland in
1888 he organized and carried, largely
from his " means, the famous canal
boat campaign" which created 30 much
enthusiasm during the last few weeks of
that contest. He is a personal friend of
ex-President Cleveland and Col. d. S.
Lamont. He is a literary fellow" and
spends much of bis time in his library.
When the movement against Senator
Hill was started in New York it was
thought at once that he would be one of
those who would take a foremost part in
the agitation, but he has no sympathy
with the Cooper Union people.
lift was not for their decided want OF
candor L should not object to any number
of protesters or to any number of protest
ing meetings" he said to the World
correspondent today. Every citizen has
a right to express his views. He can
can join his neighbors in getting up a
mass meeting, or can 90 off like Lord
Dundreary's brother and flock by him
self. But | like to see people honest
and straightforward. and these words do
not characterize the signers of the cail to
protest against the so-called snap convcn-
ton. There has been a snap call if
you like; but the length OF time between
the issuing OF the call for and the
holding of the state convention
does not differ by fifteen minutes
from the usual period. If there is
time to protest, there is time to act by
attending prims aries and influencing dele
gates. There has been enough time ex
pended, vitality consumed and money
spent in working up the protest to carry a
dozen doubtful districts"
Then what is the purpose of the
movement"
The whole movement is only a pretext
to work up public sentiment against one
man. Behind this one man are the peo-
pie, the rank and file, the workers, the
great armv of Democracy. Behind the
movement there are three sorts of men:
First, a few crafty politicians who do not
appear prominently, but who are trying
to work out mysterious plans; second, a
few natural born mischief makers, who
turn uD whenever there is a contest of
any kind and who are Just as likely to be
on one side as on the other; third, a re
spectacle but not over formidable number
OF honest enthusiasts. who, having been
but recently baptized into tariff reform.
look upon themselves as the only anointed
ones. l know a great tariff reformer
one OF the names which would by COM
mon consent be called on the roll of the
first dozen tariff reformers of the day, who
only a few years ago would not listen in
patience to me as | argued in favor Of
tariff reform. | sat at the feet of Prof.
Perry and learned OF him the principles
of political economy. l have never
abated anything of my zeal in his faith.
but somehow without nv knowing how
oS~1 W hio mfoCll AWAY UdCh III bIt DTO-
cession with a lot of strange figures away
on in front bearing big banners-so big
that the bearers cannot see the road they
ara travelling. L want tariff reform to
come and when it does come to stay.
How are the great reforms brought
about? Look into history and find one,
IT you can, which does not owe its being
to the advocacv of a political party. In
dividuals and lotteries agitate a reform tor
years. The political party thoroughly or
ganlzed carries it along a hard and stony
road, through the temple of legislation
and deposits it before the people on the
altar of enacted laws. Without a party,
without a vehicle strong and powerful no
reform is carried u Now comes the
question with regard to this particular re-
form-tarif reform: Is there any other
party than the Democratic to which we
look to sustain the reform and to carry it
on2 There is none other. Then shall we
not do what we can to build up the Dem
ocratic party and make it serviceable for
its great work? Shall we not desire the
party in the nation to be what it Is in
this state-a strong political organization?
Then comes the question. Who can best
build up this national organization2 Is it
not the mar who has utterly routed and
destroyed the Republican party in this
state? It is bis confidence which has led
us here in Albany to give him our allegi-
apce.
with regard to his personal ambition
for the presidency, l know nothing and
care nothing. If he has it not, his party
has it for him. If he has it, no one will
pretend that it is q dishonorable or unrea-
sonable ambition. II he wins he wins for
the party.
There is no doubt that at the time the
call for the convention was issued there
was developing a secret movement to
secure delegates inimical to Hill. He
found 1t out, fired the first gan himself
and put to fight and discomforture his
enemies Hence these tears. 1t is re-