New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-23
CALLS FOR RETIREMENT.

Poor Thatcher! After all his sacrifices. after
all his attempts to trim his sails to the pre-
vailing wind and twist his opinions 10 III 'he
occasion without actually repudiating them IN
terms. Tammany wants him to retire from 'he
Stote ticket The righteous indignation OF
Sheehan. the Buffalo defaulter. is stirred up az
the notion of mans having obtained noml-
nation through the assurance or MS Irlehus
that he would reverse his solemnly declared
convictions and refusing afterward to DO more
than hedge as TO the Importance OF issues which
he had said involved the cOuntry's honor Such
qualification is too much for Sheehan, ana lie
wants Thacher to retire.
Now this is unreasonable. 1t Is all very well
for Sheehan to talk about the promises made
nv yhacher's representatives and hint that no
man with that high sense of honor which gives
claim to Sheehan's respect would seek noini-
nation from a convention if he was not pre-
pared to stand on Its PLATFORM even at the cost
of innumerable somersaults for himself. 1t is
well enough for Sheehan to take that high view
of the situation. But what was Thacher going
to do, even If he had been willing 10 stump
the whole State standing OH his head! NO
longer ago than June he had talked about the
silverites touching with coarse hands the Ma
tional honor" Sheehan and the rest or the
Convention knew this when they nominated
him. No matter how willing Thacher might be
to swallow his principles, the record OF them
would remain to make trouble. 1t was bad
matter at best, and Thatcher doubtless judged
it was better politics to stick by his record
and say that more important issues demanded
Bryans election than TO say silver was the
one great and only issue, while his opponents
quoted his own words to prove the danger from
silver. OF course he made himself ridiculous
in saving he still believed that no consld-
Grafton of eXpediency should lead the party TO
swallow silver and then swallowing 1t for the
sake of party regularity, the Tightening OF
liquor dealers burdens and other minor con-
sjderations. But he would have been just as
ridiculous and not less contemplate. IT, as Shee-
han suggests, he had resolved his doubts as
to the expediency Of free silver with noml-
nation for fapjack-turner. Sheehan does not
do justice to TEACHERS difficulties. 1t was
choice of expedients, and. as Mr.. Bryan has
doubtless learned while gathering ideas from
hogs and hens, there is small choice among
stale eggs.
Thatcher need not be disturbed because he Is
ridiculous He is in good company, so far as
that goes and fitting representative OF his
party both in State and in Nation The or
ganizaton that met at Saratoga and declared
against free silver, went TO Chicago sworn
TO defend the interests of this State remained
unconquered and unyeldng as a protest
against the silver whrlwind. came back say
ing that the Populsts had stolen the Demo
cratic party and then turned in to help those
Populists get off with their booty. cannot be
made more ridiculous even by Thacher. Then
there, is Sewall getting mixed up as 10 what
party he wants to succeed for the sake Of the
shipping interests, and lending his mouth TO
the preaching Of silver and his hand to the
clutching of gold. There is Bryan saying at
one moment that he causes gold imports and
the next that his opponents wickedly cause
them There is Jones, telling half of Bryan's
followers to go to the negroes where they
belong" and Butler trying to break up com
binations which might promote his canddates
cause Why, Thatcher hardly serves for a
sideshow In this three-ring circus. Sheehan
would certainly see this IL he had not fallen a
victim to the fever of demands for retirement
which has infected his party. Bryan goes
about calling on ali men who do not believe
as he does to retire from the Democratic party.
"Old-line" Democrats call on the Populists TO
retire from the goods they have stolen Wat
son shouts to Sewal 10 retire, and Sewall
wants Watson to retire State committees by
the handful are calling on groups of their men,
beers to retire and Democratic voters de-
handing that those who msled them into
the hands of the Populists shall retire. Now
Sheehan wants 1hacher TO retire, and n good
part of Tammany wants Sheehan to retire.
There is no Popocrat in the whole country on
record who does moi want some other POpOcrat
10 retire The only way out of the difficulty Is
for everybody connected with the show to re-
tire. but there need he no hurry about that.
The party passion for retirement will be graft
fed to the full ia November.