New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-23
4, ScrFERER.


friends propose To engage in the coming cam
| paicn Ia distract the attention OF voters from
IN. condition into which the business interests
of the country have been thrown by the inca
n,citv and folly of 4 Democratic Administration
| and Congress. not The least engaging Is me one
in process of preparation in Conl'c'l'n': the
pan being 10 ignore the tariff. TN" currency, the
foreign and domestic policy OF The Admihlstra-
tion and the whole record Of Congress. ana RAISE
| q hulabaloo over the general drcadfulnesS OF
| the constitution Of ISIS In this effort 10 divert
| attention from the conditions that stare the
vorkincmen in the face To The expressions and
incoualitics of the organic law under which they
have been living for thrcequnrtcrs Of n century
without being aware how gricvorSly they were
suffering. our Democratic contemporary, The
| \owYork Times" has been lending a helping
hand with considerable industry, though not yet
with any marked effect upon public opinion
II has lately obtained interviews win prom
incnt Connecticut Democrats, who. without pe-
traying either excitement or enthusiasm on the
subject express themselves rs in favor OF a
new Constitution.
one Of these. the Hon Edward Spccr Cleve-
land Of Hartford. who was the Democratic can
didare for Governor in 1856. and defeated De
cause Of the iniq'IItous Constitution. was qui'e
in earnest about the rank injustice or that
instrument which not unnatural III in'
circumstances though he was not prepared 10
say that the way 10 bring about revision was
bv means Of Constitutional Convention. i
have suffered" said Edward Spicer. "beca'is"
Of the inequalities Of the Constitution ana then
he proceeded 10 describe AT some length just no"
ne had suffered. II seems that there was no el'c
ton by the people the year he ran for Governor
and his opponent was chosen by the Legislature
which was Republican, He maintains that II
the rcprcscn-aiior in the Legislature had been
based on population instead Of municipal cor
norations the Democratic towns Of Hartford ana
Ncw.Uavcn would have had n sufficient number
az Democrats in the Legislature 10 change the
result Therefore. he says. the provisions OF the
Constitution with reference TO representation
are In every way objectionable" And they un-
douhtodlv seem So 10 him. When he said h.
ras personally a sufferer from The inequalities
81 ,he Constitution he was undoubtedly in ear
nest And we are not disposed to take excep
lions To his statement. lie did sun"r.
But what most taxes our admiration is the
conservatism Of his position and the fine dis
elimination shown. There have been times dur
ing Edwards rather checkered political career,
we suspect. when he would have dwcit more
NJ length and more eloqucntly upon what the
STATE suffered by his unjust defeat under m
iniouitous Constitution than upon the personal
iniurv 10 himself He sees now that, important
a. II seemed 10 him NJ the time that he should
wear a cockade ride In a procession ana sign
Notarics Public commissions, II was not or such
vast importance to the State and Its people, ana
that his iniqutOus defeat was not AFTER al
great public calamity. The State survived H.
and the people were not specially distressed
Years have brought him the phlosophc mind.
We congratulate him upon his growth In grace
AS we'll as upon the cheerful serenity with which
he saunters into a mellow age. Still We do not
forget that he has suffered because OF The Inc
qualities Of the Constitution" And, as he ap-
pears TO be the only citizen OF the State who
has personally suffered. we take leave 10 slg-
gest 10 the Democratic State Committee In case
the party decides to drop everything else ana
make the fight on the inequalities OF the Con
sttution," that they make Edward Spicer Cleve-
land the chief objece lesson OF the campaign.
The only drawback would be that he really
doesn't look It," There's nothing In his APP
pearance manner or address TO Indicate that
he ever suffered from the Inequalities OF any
Constitution his own the states.