The Penn's Grove record., 1892-06-17
Washington Letter.
Washington, June 10, lo9:

the very noisy and determined orposi-
ton to him shows once more that IL
is not the fellow with the most brass
bands who always succeeds. Enthu-
siasm is always a good thing to have i'll
politics, if it be genuine, but even then
it cannot win, in ID convention or pe'
fore the people, unless it lie backed 10y
Il majority of the votes to be east. AS
TO the wisdom of tie republican con-
ventiom, in Recommending President
Harrison, there is a wide and honest
difference of opinion i'll Washington,
which is confined to no single political
party.
There is no semblance Of enthusiasm
here over the denomination OF Presi-
dent Harrison, nor is there Any OF the
bitter talk against him which has
invariably followed every republican
| Presidential nomination since 1872.
| The nomination is received as a matter
of course by the republicans, who pre-
dict the election of the ticket; il great
ly pleases the democrats, at least that
is what they all say, and they profess
confidence in their ability to naule Il
ticket at Chicago that will defeat him,
and the peoples party men say they
like it. ard that if the democrats will
now put up MI. Cleveland they ale cer-
tain that they can carry IA large num-
Der Of States Oh a free coinage platform,
as against both Harrison and Cleveland,
who are both OH record as opponents of
free coinage.
The nomination Of Whitelaw Reid
for vice, President was unQuestionably
a great surprise here; his mame had
been mentioned, but no one appeared
to think of it in any other way than as
complimentary. Mr.. Reid is well
known here and is personally All able
and estimable gentleman, and well lik-
ed; but he las one OF those very trOu-
blesome things i'll pUlitlcs-a record.
He WAS one of the ablest and bitterest
of the coterie of republican editors who
boiled Grant and supported Greedy in
1872, and besides, in his long fight with
the New York Typographical union he
made his paper known everywhere rs
an opponent of organized labor. True,
these things mc all Of the past; for
years Mr.. Reid has been in thorough
accord with his party, and his paper is
now i'll the hands of union printers;
but that they will be again raked up is
certain. Thai is why his nomination
was surprising here.
The sudden death Of Col. l.. l.. Polk,
president of the National Farmers
Alliance is IL severe and unexpected
blow to the third party movement, as
his influence with the Alliance in the
Southern States was relied upon to
bring the bulk of that organization in
to the new peoples party, ard it was
regarded as almost a certainty that lie
would have had a place upon the ma
tional ticket of that party, to be NOM
mated at Omaha, July 4, had lie lived.
Who will the den ocrats nominate:
Has now become the question of the
hour. The democratic national con-
yention will meet at ~ChicagoneXt week,
and from the best information obtain
able here Mr.. Cleveland will occupy
almost the identical position before
that body that President Harrison did
at Minneapolis. lie will start in with
more instructed delegates for him than
for any other candidate, and he will
have to stand the assaults of the field,
which premise to be quite as bitter as
those made upon Mr.. Harrison, and i'll
order to obtain the nomination he will
have to get two-lhiTds OF The conyen-
tion. Whether he will he as fortunate
as his old opponent is a question, al
though there is no denying that from a
Washington point of view he appears
to have the best of it. The tactics of
the opposition, as far as they can be
learned, will he to spring as many
''favorite sons as possible on the con-
ventiOn in the first ballot, in order to
weaken Cleveland. Senator Hill will.
if the Cleveland men know what they
are talking about, develop his full
strength Oh the first ballot, indeed some
OF them are predicting that his name
will not be presented at all. and that
Mr.. Cleveland Wil! lie nominated hy
reclamation; but the result Of interest
ed predictions of the work of the Mime
apOlis convention was not of such A
nature as 10 increase public creduli.y
in such statements. As Josh Billings
once said ''polilic- is mighty uncertain
business "
Senator Quay, has never been known
as Il very ardent friend of reform in the
civil service, but his experience at
Minneapolis has, it Is said, convinced
him OF tie necessity Of a law to keen
Federal officials from participating in
nominating conventions, and 1t is hint
ed that lie proposes introducing a,
amendment to the civil service law that
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