Evening star., 1904-03-12
Cleveland in New York.

Controller Grout of New York, who. al
though elected to Office by Tamrnany last
fall, is not now in full sympathy with the
organization, makes a distinction between
instructing for presidential candidate ana
expressing a preference for him. He Is
Parker man, and replies to the objection
about instructions by saying that an ex-
preston of preference would do. Reminded
that such action might prevent the possible
selection of Mr.. Cleveland by the national
convention, Mr.. Grout says:
'It seems to me that we are not justified
in assuming that when Mr.. Cleveland said
that he was not candidate in his letter TO
Mr.. Mckelway he was descending. II
seems to me he meant what he said. Put
yourself in his place. He has twice been
President and three times the candidate
of his party. He is about sixtyseven years
old, and of settled habits. There is nothing
new in the presidency to him, and IL is
doubtful If he has reserve of energy that
would make the campaign a welcome pros
pect to him in case he were nominated.
Doubtless If the convention should tender
the nomination to him unanimously he
would take it, but there is no chance of his
getting the nomination unanimously. He
could get 1T only after fight, if at all. 1t
strikes me that the democrats of this state
are justified in assuming that Mr.. Cleve-
land is not in the race
If we turn then to, Boss Murphy's camp
proper we find sentiment very different
from this. Tax Commissioner O'Donnell
who is one of the Boss right-hand men,
argues against either instructions or an
expression of preference for anybody. and
predicts that Tammany will control the
state convention and carry that point. He
says: '.''-
'Murphy's position is endorsed by demo-
Gratis all
should send delegation that will be in a
position to vote for the man who is most
likely to win, instead of being tied down to
Judge Parker. 1t is becoming clearer every
day that Cleveland is the choice of the
democracy. and we want to be in position
to vote for him if It appears at St Louis
that he is the man to lead the party to
victory"
Surprising as the general political situa-
tion is today. there is no feature of it more
surprising than this booming Of Mr. CIeve-
land by Tammany Hall. 1t is systematic
and apparently sincere. Mr.. Murphy who
used to share to the full Mr. Croker's dis
like of the man. leads off Bourke Cock
ran, who in the Chicago convention Of 1892
thundered against Mr.. Cleveland, is now
anxious to go to St Louis and thunder for
him. He thinks the democratic party will
play thunder If it doesn't nominate HIM
Big 11m sullivan, whom few, on the
face of things, would assign to the Cleve-
land column said in Chicago the other day
that Mr. Cleveland should and would be
the candidate.
What does it all mean? Why this pros
tratfon of such a gang as Tammany at the
feet of man whose admirers have long
held him up as the flower of political re-
form? The Parker people declare that Mr.
MnrnbV iS using the of
a mask for Mcclellan. But this does not
seem likely. There must be some other
explanation of it, though what 1t may be
bids defiance to all the ordinary rules Of
reasoning. Time alone will solve the prob
lem.