The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-10-02
LED BY THE BLIND.
New York Tribune.


New York Tribune
The Pharisees who worship at the feet
OF Cleveland have had great deal to
say about bosses. II never seems to occur
to them that Mr.. Cleveland himself is one
OF the most domineering dictatorfal and
| irresponsible bosses this country has ever
produced Their anxiety OF mind and
holy indignation are all regarding the
Republican bosses. And the same is true
Of other Democrats. having other party
ido.s. There are leaders whose strength
lies in their thorough and sure under
standing OF the popular win. Sometimes
they have also rare faculties of manipu-
lation and organization, and sometimes
they have not, but the true leaders are
rarely resisted in matters OF public pol
icy. whether they have much or little
power Of the machine kind, because the
practical men OF their party have learned
thar their instincts are sure, and that
defeat invariably foAows departure from
the policy they judge to be demanded
by the people. Such men are called
leaders, but are ih a better sense fol-
lowers and executives OF the public viii.
That Hil, for example. that Is managing
the Democratic convention at Syracuse,
is not a leader OF this sort his dismal
distinction that he has known 50 little
Of pubic feeling and opinion that he
has contrlved 20 ne the worst beaten
Democrat In the history OF the state
Even Mynard his agent in the theft OF
a legislature, had only about 100000 ma
jortiy against him.
Yet II Is presumably because the Demo-
Gratis think Hill understands public opin-
ion that they obey his leadership even
after his phenomenal defat. This is
quite Characteristic. Your genuine Bour-
bon. who never learns anything, cannot
be shaken from his rock-ribbed frmness
by such a tribe as an adverse majority
OF $4,000 in a Democratic state. Besides
the average Democratic managers In
counties fancy that they do know some-
thing OF public opinion. having carefully
gathered It In the saloons. or from work.
Ing liedtenaEts. who have explored the
saloons In order to advise them accurate
ly. 1t strikes the average Democratic
delegate that this time, II never before,
Hill has hit the nail on the head, and
marked out the one path that is safe.
II Is the sure sign OF decay and COM
ing destruction when party loses its
I touch with the plain people who seek
no office, who attend to their industries
| constantly and to the adjacent saloons
rarely. and who fear God and not any
political boss. The bulk OF the voters
IN both the great parties Is composed OF
such men. for while the proportion Is
larger In one party than In the other,
u Is large enough In either to take con-
troll II il only knew how to handle the
ropes. The local bosses know how to run
the primaries. and have the art OF calling
/ Up from near by quarters enough voters
to do their bidding. and thon reckon upon
tne submissive support Of the great mass
OF silent workers. But when they start
In the wrong direction. and too flagrantly
address themselves TO alliance with vices
and crimes. as Hf1 did. they get buried
under an avalanche. because many silent
votens OF their own party either do not
vote. or vote against them. When HUI
set out to run the state Of New York by
fraud ana crime, In lofty contempt Tor