Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-10
places of the saving qualities of the true
Democratic faith"

OF the Democratic party in 1880, our
mistake during that year and our conse-
quent defeat. Our present condition is
curiously similar to what it was then.
The impending danger may be made
actual by a similar mistake"
Senator Vest wrote in part:
"You refer to an interview with me
published last November, in which de-
clared my preference for Mr.. Cleveland
as the candidate. There has recently
appeared statement that / favored
Hill, and without disposition to thrust
my opinions upon the public as to mat
ters not within the immediate sphere of
my official duties, justice to the Demo-
cratic party and myself demand frank
expression of my views. In private
conversation have often said and now
state publicly, that never sympathized
with those who denounced David B.
Hill as traitor, and who
have been unable to see any good in his
character or achievements. l have also
said that recent events satisfied me that
Mr.. Cleveland could not carry the New
York delegation to the next Democratic
national convention, and Hill could do
with it as he pleased. From this has
originated the report. l never wavered
Mr.. Cleveland, although recent events
have satisfied me that the chance of his
nomination is greatly diminished. When
in New York last fall was impressed by
what [ saw and heard-that the Tam
many leaders would abandon their op-
position to Cleveland and support him
for the presidential nomination. That
impression was entirely removed by the
speakership contest, in which the deter
mination OF Tammany and other east
ern Democratic managers fully developed
to defeat Cleveland at all hazards. The
same reasons which caused me to earn
estly hope that Mills would be elected
speaker-the keeping of tariff reform as
the campaign issue-lead me to support
Cleveland. .rA
Nor do agree with Governor Hill that
the tariff act of 1883 should be re-enacted.
1t seems to me the ways and means
committee of the house should report
general tariff bill representing the
true position of the Democratic party.
Raw material should be put on the free
list, and the duties reduced upon all the
necessaries of life to the lowest rates by
which the amount can be collected that
is necessary to carry on the government.
At the same time bills should be re-
ported attacking in detail the most fla
grant and oppressive features of the Nc
Kinley act; 80 the fight should rage on
right, left and center, and the Republi-
can senate be compelled TO meet the
issues squarely."
Vest continues: "Our party is now
practically united on tariff but hopelessly
divided on the silver question. The only
difference between Cleveland and Hill as
to silver is that the former leaves no
doubt as to his position, while the lat
ter's friends even are unable to under
stand him."
Vest added that notwithstanding the
clamor which will be raised that this Is
base surrender to the eastern money
power and a cowardly betrayal of west
ern interests, he (Vest) declares delib-
erately that if free coinage is made an
issue by the action of the Democrats in
congress, or by the national Democratic
convention, it means division.
In conclusion Vest said; "The
nomination of Mr.. Cleveland
seems to be the just and logical result
of the present political conditions, but
the life Of the Democratic party depends
on the fortunes of no one man. The
managers and tacticans, of whom l am
not one, have determined that he shall
not be nominated, and | know enough
of them and of conventions to be GER
tain they will achieve their purpose.
New York is necessary to success in the
presidential election, and nothing will
be more disastrous than the nomination
of Hill over Cleveland, followed by a
bitter factional fight in the Empire
state and widespread disappointment
among the Democrats throughout the
country"
Vest says if the nominee is to come
from New York, Roswell p. Flower is
the strongest candidate. II, however,
the controlling element of the New York
Democracy persists in forcing Hill upon
the party, the candidate should come
from the west In that event, his
(Vest's) personal preference would be
William r.. Morrison of Illinois; but
Palmer, Carlisle, Gray or Boies would
command the full Democratic vote.
President Mckinley of the Greystone
club said in part: "The conception of
this annual dinner upon the plan Of to-
night grew out of the belief that the in
terests of the Democrats OF these western
states are largely identical; that the re-
lation of the citizens of these states to
the nation at large and other countries
affecting the prosperity and well
fare and political interests of
our citizens, are largely the
same; that the same political forces and
ideas which so steadily and irresistibly
cut down the tremendous Republican
majorities in Iowa and Nebraska, are,
or ought to be, at work ceaselessly in
all these western states and territories
that an interchange of opinions and
views, not only this year but in follow
ingsyears, will be mutual advantage;
and, Furthermore, that to some degree,
at least, the attention of the east should
be called to the fact that the west has
not built great cities, peopled new states
and advanced in all material ways with
such wonderful strides, without at the
same time producing at least some great
men, fully equipped and capable in
every way to direct the affairs
of the government quite as well
as their eastern brethren, and here
after it must not be alone what says the
money-lending, commercial, manufac
turing and sometimes politically schem-
ing New York, but also what says the
great agricultural and mining west"
. Letters were also read from Governor
Boyd of Nebraska, Elk Mayor Grace of
New York and others. The banquet
was a great success.