Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-24
WEDNESDAY. MAY "A. 1893.


In Georgia there are mischief makers
who. though they CLAIM 20 be Democrats
are always ready 10 cast q slur upon the
President. Not that they avow it TO bt
their purpose 10 thus mlstreat the Presi.
dent, but because when they represent
him as thus trying 10 punish his persona
enemies and reward his personal friends
they do him great injustice. since IL would
be most unreasonable to expect him &c
choose oil his officials from the ranks OF
the Democrats who were not original
CLEVELAND men in 1892, and since. also. II
Is well known that he has given nc
undue preference to Democrats of any
name. He has proved himself 10 be above
the pettiness OF overlooking the claims Of
men who preferred some other aspirant
than himself up 10 the time when the
Chicago convention named tho man who
was to lead the Democratic hosts TO VIC
tory. If the Mugwumps ana clvil-service
reiormers were interrogated upon this
point they would ,eply at once that Mr..
CLEVELAND had been entirely too liberal III
dividing his appointments between the
two factions Of tho Democratic party of
1892.
In Georgia the Democrats have been
moro unfortunate than they have been
in Virginia. There seems TO be still
"a feud in that State. Tho HOWELL men and
the lIogE SMITH men do not seem 10 be in
u good humor with one another. But
surely they ought not TO encourage such
misunderstanding as is likely TO result from
publishing paragraphs like the following
from the Savannah Ne,cs. We quote:
There are reports floating about the state 70
the eject that n movement Is contemplated
having for It's object the dividing Of tho Demo
cratic party Of this State into two factions 10 the
next State campaign, one fayoring Mr. Glove
Iands Administration and the other opposing H..
the former 20 he Tod by Mr.. lloSe Smith. Secre-
tary Of the Interior and tho other by ex.speak-
,r Crisp. According 10 the reports one OF the
Atlanta papers will champion the cause Of Sec
Ictsry smith and another the cause Of Judge
Srlsp. Il Is not difficult matter 70 determine
which paper Will be Mr.. Smiths organ and
which Judge Crispsi II the alleged movement
tlouli rlafcrislixe."
This sort Of tdk is grossly unjust TO
Speaker Calsp. who. as We understand It,
CLEVELAND. Judge CRISP ought 10 DO re-
elected speaker by a unanimous vote, and
VIII be, we dGubt not, If this Georgia
trouble does not leave him without the
unanimous vote of his own State.
The Atlanta Constitution ia one Of the pa
Ycrs alluded 60 in the paragraph above
quoted. The Atlanta Journal Is the other.
There Is no good feeling between the edi-
tors of tho two papers. The Democratic
party Of Georgia would have been in much
better condition than II is If 1t had not
encouraged last year contest between the
two. But we must say that TO us II seems
that this personal controversy has been
carried to extremes. Both papers appear
80 be- determined 10 assert their right to
claim exclusive leadership. But we do not
wish TO be understood as censurIng either.
The matter IS such a one as .he stranger
ought not to NEEDLE with. The Constitution,
however. says that such reports as the one
we have quoted from the Savannah Netcs
do injustice to every person they name
and to every interest they touch. 1T Is
folly to talk about personal chques in the
Democratic party IN Georgia and rank in
justice to link tie name of any Georgia
Democrat with such rumor." The Con-
siitutaOn adds
There will be no division OF tho Democratic
party In this State. There Will be no break In
tho lines and no fainting by the wayside. They
were not driven into tho party by any man and
they will not DO driven out by any man or set OF
men"
Even in this last apparently harmless ex-
tract bad feeling Is indicated. We trust
and believe that the Democrats of Georgia
will not divide into two factions; but
there would seem to be some room for
doubt as to whether the HoKE SMITH fac
ton and the HOWELL faction can be
"bound over to keep the peace" But tho
Democrats of Virginia ought to congratu-
late themselves upon the happy state of
feeling which obtains in this State between
the two factions that were in no good
humor with each other last year. "Old
Virginia never tires"
We would fain hope that Mr.. Speaker
CRisP will not be forced TO side with either
the Novelties or the HoKE SMITH men. No
man more competent and deserving could
BE- found in the House Of Representatives.
lie reflects honor upon his State. Let his
State recognize that fact and reflect back
honor upon him.