The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-04-23

possessed of the idea that you are a
favorite son. In the first place. you
are generally wrong, and in the sec
ond place. if you are right. you are
not favorite with anybody else, and
fathers mind may change.
Having offered these few moral
observations, we will pass nov to the
sad case of David B. Hill. who fame
led he was New York's favorite son
and who tried on that account to
knife another of the Empire States
sons. Grover Cleveland. And Incl
dentally you shall learn how David
broke the blade of his jack knife and
dislocated his fighting arm and did
not injure Grover in the least.
just 20 Years Ago
All this happened twenty years
ago. in 1892, when Hill was governor
of New York and Cleveland was an
ex- president, practicing law in New
York, and the Democratic party was
looking around for candidate for
President who could carry the coun-
try against Benjamin Harrison. This
did not look like a very formidable
assignment. as the Republican party
had just finished passing the worst
tariff bill in the history of the coun-
try always excepting, of course,
the Payne-Aldrich masterpiece.
Also, Harrison, the Republican
President, who was practically GER
tain of the nomination, had all the
personal magnetism of a healthy
clam and wore whiskers. There was
very little doubt as to whom the
rank and file of the Democratic party
over the country would have picked
had presidential primaries been
heard of at that time. Their choice
was the ex-President who was prac-
i tlNlIlS law III 1NCW H.
Hopeless Without New York
But Governor Hill of New York
did not belong to the rank and file.
and the name of Grover Cleveland
caused him to shudder and grow sick
at heart whenever he heard it. He
shuddered pretty often. He was
quite sure that Mr.. Cleveland was
not New York's favorite son, and if
he wasn't New York's favorite son,
why, goodness gracious sakes alive,
it was absurd to talk of him for the
presidency. es
For everybody in New York knows
that the world revolves around Man.
haitian Island, and its opinions are
all important. Therefore, the thing
to do was to discover as soon as pos
sfble who was New York's favorite
son. and pass the word along to the
rest of the country so that he might
be nominated for the presidency.
Found The Favorite Son
Mr.. Hill had heard that if you
walked downstairs backward with
candle and looking glass Hallow-
cen you could see in the mirror the
face of your own true love. So, be-
ing governor. he determined to find
out for New York who its favorite
son was. Carefully excluding all
other human beings as we'll as mem
bers of the legislature from the cap
itol at Albany, he started down the
dark stairs on the appointed night. |
To his establishment, when he looked
in the mirror he saw his own face.
Hastily calling in the neighbors he
announced who New York s favorite
son was.
Hastily Called Convention
Then state convention was called
and the glad tidings were made
known and the delegates, acting on
the advice of the governor, pledged
the state to support the common
wealth's favorite son, David B. Hill, |
for the presidency. Everybody
that is everybody in New York state
said that Cleveland might just as
well withdraw his name and save
embarrassment before the national
convention met in Chicago. For no.
body could be nominated who did /
not have the support of New York, |
and even if by any chance such a |
person were nominated, he could not
possibly be elected.
Rest of Nation Unreasonable
Now. the rest of the United States
NH al y