Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1912-11-06
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
David B. HIPS Great Weak
ness as a Politician
By Holland.

The late David B. Hill, who, from
1884 till 1892, was governor of New
York and then served a single term
as United States Senator from New
York was commonly thought in his
day TO be a politician of unusual skill,
adroitness, subtlety and power Of dis
cipline, He built up so powerful an
organization in New York state that
he was able to secure the unanimous
support Of the state delegation to the
Democratic national convention Of
1892 70 rthe presidential nomination.
His political skill was emphatically
revealed in the presidential election
Of 1883. General Benjamin Harrison,
the Republican candidate in that year,
carried New York state Governor
Hill was a candidate for reelection
on the Democratic state ticket at the
same election. He was triumphant
Eiis success was due to his skill in
handling a certain element in the Re-
publican party which, while favoring
the election Of General Harrison, did
not favor the election of the Republic
can candidate for governor, ex-United
States Senator Warner Miller.
But there was one characteristic Of
Governor Hill which frequently caus-
ed his most intimate friends anxiety,
and which, since his death, has been
spoken Of as an inexplicable weak
ness in his qualifications as a politi-
clan. He was always a very bad fore
caster of elections He seemed to
have no ability for judging the trend
OF public sentiment in New York
state.
One OF the best illustrations of this
weakness came under the notice OF
the late General Joseph Wheeler OF
Alabama, the famous old Confederate
cavalry leader, who gained universal
tribute for the promptness and energy
which characterized his association
with the war with Spain in 1898.
Just before the Democratic national
convention of 1892 which nominated
Grover Cleveland a third time for the
presidency, William c. Whitney, OF
New York, who was managing Cleve-
lands campaign, visited Washington.
He expected TO start from Washing
ton upon a special train for Chicago.
With him we're to go a number of
Democrats of national distinction who
favored the nomination of Grover
Cleveland
EARLY in the evening of the day Mr..
Whitney started for Chicago, General
Wheeler took two or three friends
into Senator Hills apartment at the
Arlington Hotel After the introduce
ton to the Senator, who was very
cordial one of the party said to him:
Senator, you OF course remember
Mr.. William +. Harrity, one of the
leading Democrats of Pennsylvania,
and warm friends of Grover Cleve-
land?7
yes. 7 remember him very WE'LL"
Senator Hin replied as he here"
mo he is not here, but he is 90
ing to be a guest of William G. Whit
ney upon Mr.. Whitney's special train
from Washington and New York to
the Chicago convention"
Mr. Hin seemed to be somewhat
disturbed by this statement With
drawing to a remote part of the room
and shaking his fist and his head with
great emphasis. he said:
Whatever else they do. they
mustn't nominate Cleveland. ! can
ioresee what the result will be IL he
is nominated. He will be ingloriously
defeated. He is very unpopular with
great masses of Democrats. I make
this prediction to you--that if Cleve-
land is nominated, of which I see but
little chance, he will not only be de-
feated, but in his defeat the Demo-
cratic party Will collapse completely"
year later, just after Cleveland's
inauguration as president General
Wheeler ventured to remind Senator
Hill that his prediction was very
bad one
Copyright, ie12. by e. J. Edwards.
All rights reserveoJ
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards Will tell
81 81