Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-08-14

3ti iditt SbN Cl hoiSiilp pbN'ipiitliGn at'
MAYOR Mcclellan of the big city and
cA-Secrctary OF War Dan lamont.
Either would be an excellent candt.
date; either would certainly be elect.
ed over any of the Republican ma.
chine or small try. All things consid-
cred Mayor Mcclellan would prob.
ably be stronger candidate for this
particular campaign. for the splendid
success he has made OF his admins
tration has won for him the admira-
ton of the solid people Of the entire
state There is none of the Old up
state animosity toward him. On the
contrary. his selection has been urged
by many of the upstate leaders
whose attitude in the past has been
anything but friendly toward Tam
many
Mayor Mcclellan would like to be
nominated. for he is confident he
could be elected. Mr.. Murphy and
the other city leaders would like to
see him nominated for they are con-
tident they could roll up bigger ma
jcrity for him than for any other can
didatc in the city. But there is Pc
cular complication hedging about the
Mcclellan situation Were he to re-
sign to accept the nomination he would
be succeeded by Charles v Fornes,
the president of the board of alder
men. and that might prove disastrous
The city. Mr.. ltornes Is something
very like an amiabie and easy-going
nobody whose nomination by Tam
many was considered a good political
stroke when 1t was made. but in whom
the Democrats leaders have 40 con-
fldence to any great extent. They
recognize that he is good man, but
they are afraid he would be weak as
q mayor and that the fruits of victory
would be thrown away.
The retention OF control of the city
is of interest, OF course. to the organ
ization. There might be official and
political mistakes which would throw
the Fat in the FIRE Not Intentional,
perhaps, but blnnders are as wicked
as sins are in politics. The head
of the administration in the city OF
New York must be man OF strength
and power and nerve; Mcclellan has
these qualities. and has been highly
successful. But everybody is dubious
about Fornes.
The nomination of Mayor McClA-
Ian might, under the circumstances.
prove serious blow to the party in
the big city and that is why the men
who would like most to elevate him
tc the governorship are afraid it
would involve too great a sacrifice.
IT. is possible that the situation ma
be clarified in some way, but at pres.
ent that does not seem probable.
Dan Lamont would undoubtedly
prove very strong nominee Sey-
eral times in the past be has been
urged To take the nomination, but
each time his reply has been that,
while it is his ambition to be COVER
nor Of New York. he did not see his
way clear at that time to accept At
each of those times Democratic pros
poets did not look particularly bright.
Perhaps this year he will feel that the
time hac ;oh
10 make the race. II he does so de-
eide, the indications are he will be-
made the nominee, Bird Colar. who
lost the state for Tammany had rolled
UP the biggest majority in the history
o1 the city for him, would like to
be nominated for vindication. and
SO would Eliot Danforth, who also
made losing race; but Tammany
Leader Murphy sized the situation
correctly when he declared that this
Is not to be a vindication year."
What all the Democratic leaders want
IS a nominee of positive strength.
The goyernorship, therefore. NAV
be the pivot upon which the result In
New York will depend this year.
While the Democratic outlook seems
particularly bright just now, it will. as
nave said, be just as well to post
pone predictions and bets until after
the state tickets have been made up.
Joe Oil, in Atlanta Constitution.