New-York tribune., 1896-04-08
DEMOCRATIC NECESSITIES.

Presidential candidates are usually chosen on
the ground Of personal preference or popularity
But at rare intervals a party Is forced 10 make
particular selection because any other would
antagoniZr necessary elements of strength Or In
other ways involve certain defeat The Rcpub-
lican party this wear II free 10 choose between
several competent and worthy candidates who
represent It's principles though II Is para
mount necessity that those principles should be
represented. in the opinion of many million
wagccarncrs, by man whose position on the
tariff question cannot be doubted by anybody.
But the Democratic party Is in n much less
fortunate position. and the rising shadow of
stern and imperative necessity is beginning 10
darken the hopes OF nearly all possible can
didatcs As 1t Is important for Republicans. in
making their own selection. To understand what
their opponents are likely To do at their conven-
ton little later. survey Of the Democratic
position may be of service
Secretary Carlisle starts his campaign 10y
withdrawing. He has not forgotten that Caesar
thrice refused the kingy crown In order 10 take
it more securely. Coy unwngncss and mod
csty are Indications not wholly unknown, even
in this later century. The Secretary Is placed
| in the field as the choice Of the Administration
and will doubtless be pushed forward AZ far as
possible in order TO break the strength of other
candidates But II Mr.. Cleveland himself thinks
| that the nomination Of Mr.. Carlisle l. ncycrth"-
! less impossible and that he could not be- elect
| ed If nominated. le has much reason on his side.
A candidate who vas once for free silver coin
age but has now cast his lot lrrcvocably against
| ii. VIII provoke more anger and hostility among
! frcc-silvcr Democrats than one who has from
the first opposed them.
Democratic possibilities are shaped by the fact
that Il large proportion Of Democratic voters and
politicians are passionaely for free coinage. The
demand for candidate who would represent
that feeling and thus prevent the complete
disintcgration Of the party In many Western
and Southern States by descrtlon to the POpu-
| lists will be exceedingly strong 1t will prob
! ably be strong enough 10 defeat I'm convention
any new candidate who Is hostile to free coin
age. and certainly strong enough to defeat any
such candidate at the polls. In that fact lies
the main hope Of the men who want President
Cleveland rcnominatcd. The Western and South
ern Democrats have supported him twice, and
many Of them might be brought to support him
again who would reject any new man Of the
same opinions
The nomination Of any candidate distinctly
representing the silver interest would throw
away the last chance Of carrying any State north
Of the Potomac and Ohio and east of the Mis-
sissippi. which would mean certain defeat
There are so many sound-money Democrats IN
States south and west of those lines who would
in that event vote straight for a Republican that
the defeat would be not only certain, but over
whcmng. 1t Is an old Democratic trick tC
make platform and candidate pair off with each
other; to appeal in the platform to the extrem,
views on one side, and then to Place on 1t 4 can
didate who means just the contrary. Mr.. Clcve
land consented four years ago to run ON q plat