The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-23

sulen opposition to Cleveland AS Hill seems to
DESIRE Tammany isa for Tammany and the
candidate, and if the candidate is not against
Tammany the organization will be for him
every man of them.
Boss" Croker, St&tes Chairman Murphy,
Lieut.-Gov. Sheehan, and other Tammany
leaders, after a consultations at the Hill head
quarters at Chicago, gave out, on Thursday, a
declaration in the shape Of an interview stat
ing that Cleveland isa mugwnmp and the
creature Of mugwumps, and that he cannot
carry New York State"
Tie Indiana delegation Is for Grag now, in
spite of what the Cleveland men say. How
ever, the latter has been looked upon as the
probable choice of the Clevelandites for Vice
President, and with the Viee-Presidency to
trade on the 80 Indiana delegates can easily go
over to Cleveland, and give their own can
didate a nomination into the bargain.
Unless the indications change, the battles OF
1914 and 1913 are likely to be repeated in the
efforts to repeal the twothirds' rule, which has
become almost cardinal principle in the party.
No effort has been made for years to set it
aside, but it is apt to be the case in the
interest of the candidate who is most likely
to have majority on the first ballot. Only
two attempts since 1914 have been made to
abrogate this rule. In 1s4S the "Barn-burn-
ers" of New York tried to have it repealed,
and, failing, withdrew from the Convention.
In 1860 the rule was abrogated by the two Con-
ventions which grew out of the split on the
slavery plank in the platform.
The situation assumed significant phase on
Monday. 1t became apparent, in the face OF
the seemingly overwhelming Cleveland senti-
ment, that Senator German stood in n position
to block the nomination. of the ex-President IL
he chose. The men who have been working
for German all along had received such posi-
tive assurances from the Southern States and
from some of the Western States, that they
would 60 over to the Maryland Senator, that
they were fain to work the boom for all it was
worth, and only waited for the word from Cor
man to proclaim his candidacy. But he had
not given the word. He was waiting for black
white pledges The anti-Cleveland confer
ence, which sought to throw German into the
fight, attracted considerable attention. When
the anti Cleveland people met on Monday they
found that they had something like 300 votes
which they could throw into pool for German.
This number was gathered together by adding in
New York'ssolid delegation with every vote that
dould be expected to be cast by the anything
to beat Cleveland delegates. Now, all that
these people wanted to SEQ was Cleveland 90
down in the dust. They did not care who
should 60 down with him. If German had but
whispered the word and asked that the 397
votes which the anti Cleveland people asserted
they had control of be given to him, Cleveland
could not possibly have been nominated.
Enough votes would have been drawn away
from the ex- President to accomplish just what
these people desired. But after that the Conven-
ton seeing that neither the Maryland Senator
nor the ex-President could be nominated, would
have selected another man, leaving both Cleve-
land and German out. German at this juncture
showed his cleverness He foresaw all the
consequences of his announcement of candi
dacy under such circumstances and refused to
In thrnvr f,,k1 h. hoo - Infn
Cleveland, and thereby commit political sui
eide. So German will not run.
Hill is now little spoken of. The indica-
tions are that Cleveland will be nominated on
first ballot, but the two-thirds rule is bothering
his friends. While not breaking through any
part of his defense, there was weakening
in several places made by the anti Cleveland
men, particularly in the Southern delegation.
In brief, the arguments that caused many an
enthusiastic Clevelandite to pause and consider
were, that Cleveland could not carry New York !;
that even if he had in that State certain votes
which no other Democrat could lay claim to,
it was unimportant in view of the fact that
he was opposed by the regular Democratic or
ganization, upon which, after all, the party
must depend for its campaign work. 1t was
urged that the South could not afford to
run any risks, and that any reasonable
doubt Of Cleveland's ability to carry the State
ought to prompt all Southern delegates to
at once take up some one of the
many prominent Democrats who are not in
volved In the factional fight in New York.
They were warned that the defeat of the
Democratic candidate in November would
probably carry with it the defeat of the party
in Congress- and that that would mean the
enactment Of Federal election law. This
line of argument, being followed up all day
long had an evident effect upon the Southern
delegates.
The Cleveland men control the Convention,
elect the presiding officers, appoint the COM
mittees and in every detail, except that Of
giving their candidate two. thirds vote, do as
they please. The Cleveland men are we'll
organized, under competent leadership, and
know just what they want. And yet at the
first sign of failure half dozen dark horses are
ready to break out each with his State delega-
ton, to try on his own account for the first
place OH the ticket. Lacking the nucleus of q
home delegation, there seems to be no rallying
point in the Cleveland column if the nomina-
ton does not 20 to him on the first ballot. No
other candidate has ever carried National
Convention without the material support of q
delegation from his own State. Can he do it
in the face Of the opposition of those important
72 votes?
Strike Troubles In Minnesota.
A strike occurred the latter mart of last week