New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-21
FLASHED IN THE PAN.

Another Democratic Presidential candidate
has come to grief We say another" advisedly
There were othcrs-before November last. Pos-
sibly there are othcrs-now. There are many
curious things in the world, even outside Of
dime museums. Al any rate, there was this
one. over in Philadelphia. until Tuesday night.
Since that date he has. in the chaste vcrnacular
~ Manayunk. not been in it--f0r more than
sixty thousand efficient reasons. Doubtless he
is somewhat surprised He was SO very cock
sure. And he always took himself SO seriously.
He was, perhaps, even serious in considering
himself rcformer. while as n Presidential can
didate and American Man Of Destiny Number
Two his seriousness was comparable with that
of the provcrbial parboiled owl. On Tuesday
the final gun Of the first cnga cement of the cam
pagn Of 1896 was TO be fired. for another shot
heard round the world" II was loaded. primed
and trained, and the lanyard was duly yanked.
But it only flashed in the pan. There wasn't
enough explosion even 10 make The thing Kick.
lin fact. IL didn't need 10 kick. Its gunner re-
qured no such vigorous treatment To retire him
from the scene He just went out with the
flash.
Ii was great scheme. however, while IT last
ed. well worthy OF Mr.. Harritys own fertile
brain. That eminent statesman, 1t will be remem-
bercd. was somewhat intimately connected with
the ways and means by which the Hon. Grover
Cleveland sought 10 secure second term In
the White House lie has fine turn for Prcsl-
Dental plannings. has Mr. Harrty. And see
ing that a candidate for the succession to Mr.
Cleveland must be in the field little more than
a year hence it seemed high time to have one in
training. And who could be more fitting than
one who had acquired no matter how-the
reputation Of reform functionary. and who
had been elected rs n Democrat in Il strong Re
publican State? Only one or two things were
needed. Mr. Cleveland had been Sheriff. Mayor
and Governor. Mr.. Pattson had been Gov
crnor So it was rcckoned well 10 have him
elected Mayor. perhaps with the intention of
having him resign that Office after awhile and
be elected Sheriff That would carry him
through the Cleveland programme In inverse
order, it is true; but it Is poor rule that does
not work both ways
Undoubtedly the serious minded Mr.. Pattison
expected TO be elected He has long been in the
habit Of expecting such things. "Creduty"
said DIR. johnson. lis the common failing OF in
experienced virtue" Whether or not his back
ers and bosses expected IL Is another matter
II is not impossible that they did. Hardly any
thing is impossible. in politics. But IL they did,
they had an audaciy which would have been
magnificent. II it had not been SO irredeemably
idioIc To look for the election OF Democrat
as Mayor OF Philadelphia in even the most
favorable circumstances. with good candidate,
and only local issues involved. would be little
removed from madness. But 10 expect 1t when
the candidate was callow and shallow pseudo
reformcr put up as the stalking-horse of des
pcrate boss. and when. by deliberate intention.
the campaign WAS crowded To replction with
National issues. that a vote for Pattison
meant vote to approve Ill the imbeclty and
Impotence all the policy Of infamy.' all the
''pcrldy and diShonor" of the last two years ut
Washington really. such expectation should not
stop short of the extraction Of sunbeams from
cucumbcrs There Is nothing more amazing in
recent political history. unless it be the fatuous
folly Of those misguided souls who are lament
Ing the terrible setback the cause Of good gov
eminent has received in Philadelphia because
forsooth Il thoroughly admirable man has been
elected Mayor. and particularly tresome speci-
men Of overrated mediocrity has been dismissed
to the obscurty from which he never should
have emerged.