Evening journal., 1914-02-14
NEM NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Political Puzzle Which Is
Still UnSOIved
By Holland.

, Il am convinced that the true history
Of the manner in which Grover Cleve-
land was nominated for Governor at
New York in 1882 can never be told"
said the late Mayor William r.. Grace
to me shortly after Mr.. CieVeiand's third
nomination for the Presidency in 1890.
Il could tell much of the history of
the politics which triumphed when
Cleveland was nominated for the third
time, for / was in the thick Of that po-
litical battle Mayor Grace continued,
but in 1882 | was mayor of New York
and was 50 occupied with my duties that
did not have any opportunity to learn
what the politics was which preceded tho
gubematorial nomination. / have asked
everybody who did have hand in that
game and had that by piecing the var
ious stories together there still remains
a missing link.
Il am iiow satisfied that nobody
knows exactly how or why Cleveland
was nominated and that it was by the
queerest sort Of destiny that the nomin-
alton did come 70 him with his silbse-
quent election, whereby he was pre-em-
inently indicated as the Democratic can
1AAAlo lNI llt1lOtlL ia ltn44
DO you remember Waldo Hutchins
He WIS member Of Congress from
Westchester county, which adjoins New
York county on the north. He was Il
big burly man and sometimes when
1 looked at him or talked to him /
could not help being reminded Of Will
liam AZ. Tweed, for fIutchins figure and
the shape Of his head were very much
like those which distinguished Tweed.
The expression OF his face. however, ewas
entirely different. for he was q man of
excellent character. He had hosts OF
friends. He was about the only man
upon whom the .wo factions OF New
York city would unite for the guborna-
torial nomination
Hubert q. Thompson, who at that
time was the leader OF the county Dem
ocracy, the great rival OF Tammany,
told me that day or two before the
convention met very thorough canvass
showed that Hutchins would have
majority over all the other candidates
in the field and would be nominated
on the first ballot, certainly on the see
ond
Thompson told me that Cleveland,
who was then mayor OF Buffalo was
persuaded to 90 10 Syracuse where
the convention was held day before
the convention met. He was there only
a few hours and then went back to But
Ialo. because lac was satisfied that hcl
could not get the nomination.
NOW comes the queer part OF the
whole business, to my thinking. Dan
Manning, who afterward became Cleve- |
lands secretary OF the treasury. and
who was the head OF the Democratic or
ganization, was thought BY Hutohins !
friends to be friendly to his nomination. ,
~ year or two later Dan Lamont told !
me that Manning had privately decided /
that Cleveland was the most available I
man 20 nominate.
"WhuteVcr other man he had in his /
mind he went to Hutchns' friends and +
said to them that they had better scat
ter their vote upon the first ballot be- /
cause if they made their support oil /
Hutchins strong the friends of various
other candidates, Roswell r. Flower
Perry Belmont. General Slocum alG /
Grover Cleveland might concentrate
upon some one OF these and so beat their |
candidate.
'Manning's Suggestion was thought
to be a good one. Ia accordance with |
it, John Kelley, who WAS then the lead |
er OF Tammany Hall voted on the !
first ballot for Cleveland SO /
many OF Hutchins' real friends /
scattered their vote that he made poor
showing, and as Kelly had voted for
Cleveland the assumption was strong
that Tammany Hall would warmly sup |
port him. The result WAS that Cleve-
land unexpectedly got very large vote
and was nominated, much 90 his own
surprise.
II have often thought about this and
for the life OF me 1 cannot think ont !
whether Dan Manning was playing
shrewd politics in an attempt To nomin- J
ate Cleveland. or whether destiny had 4
brought about the result which two
years and a half later carried Cleveland |
into the White House"
Copyright, 1913, by +. J. Edwards All
rights reservedl.