Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1884 — “The Old Ticket.” [ARTICLE]

“The Old Ticket.”

The drift of the Democratic party seems to be more and more toward the nomination of “the old ticket.” Nobody ie talked of seriously except Tilden, and Hendricks goes along as the tail goes with the hide. The theory is advanced that Tilden and his bar! can carry New York against anybody the Republicans may nominate, and that is "Cited as the principal reason for “forcing” the nomination upon him. It would be more honest if the Democratic managers would admit that the available Presidential material in their party is so scarce, and the factional dissensions over living issues are so serious, that they are compelled to fall back on a reminiscence. The project is to ride into power upon Tilden’s old* time reputation for vigor and “reform,” and then use Hendricks’ pliable nature to secure a partisan distribution of the spoils. Tilden’s ghost is to be paraded through the campaign, and, in case of success, a big funeral will be given him when he drops from decrepitude, and Hendricks will be installe 1 m the President’s chair so fill out the term.

Is this a shrewd programme ? Is it likely to win ? In trying to discover the answer to these questions it must first be ascertained what Tilden’s candidature would represent. It cannot be assumed that American people will elect a mere dummy as President. And yet Tilden as a candidate for President, if he shall live till next November, will represent nothing. When he ran eight years ago it was as a professional reformer. The reform issue appealed to the people at that time. Many abuses and corruptions had crept into Grant’s second administration, and there was a widespread impression through the country that defeat was necessary to chasten the Republican leaders. Tilden had some claim to the reform pretenses he put forward in the prosecution of the Tweed ring, which the New York Times had exposed and ruined. He had vast experience as a politician and election manipulator, and would undoubtedly know how to proceed if he were in good health. His administration as Governor of New*York had attracted the attention of the country by its pretenses of quasi-independence. He had taken an active part in prosecuting the old Tweed ring for the purpose of improving the reputation of the New York Democracy. It was insisted by his henchmen that be was the very man to clean out the abuses in Government circles, and he developed considerable strength in his State. ' But since that time all the conditions have changed. During the eight years which have intervened the Republican administration of national affairs has been always clean and generally satisfactory. The cry of “reform” has lost its force, and does not now affect the people as it did then, as there are no great evils to reform. Even if this were not so —even if there were the same necessity for administrative reform that was impressed upon the people eight years ago—Tilden would not command the same confidence in his fitness for the work which he gained at that time. He is a mere wreck of his former self. He is a chronic and hopeless invalid requiring the constant and most assiduous care of his attendants. He is almost bed-rid-den. His paralytic stroke has disabled one-half of his body. It is doubtful whether ho could survive the journey to Washington. His mutterings and whisperings are inarticulate, and intelligent consultation with him is nearly out of the question. It is absurd to expect from such decrepitude a vigorous direction of the nation’s affairs. If the sitution required any real vigor and personal effort his helplessness would be pitiful. If his reappearance as a Presidential candidate would fail to revive the conditions of 1376 it would likewise fail to arouse public sentiment on the “fraud” issue. The Democrats have forfeited whatever capital they might have hoped at one time to make out of that question. The time to try that before the people was four years ago. Tilden was then stll in a condition to stand as a candidate. If he was entitled to any vindication or indemnification on' account of personal , grievances the Presidential election of 1880 offered the opportunity. But the Democrats were not then anxious to pit Tilden against Garfield. They refused to nominate him. It i§ now too late to make his personal grievances, if he have any, the burning issue of a Presidential campaign. What the Democrats might have been willing to do for Tilden in 1880, when he was still in tolerable possession of his faculties, cannot now be determined, but there : s certainly no reason to think they will be ready to induct the Democratic party into power next foil under the shadow of Tilden’s former greatness, when he was repudiated by his own party at the time he had a lively claim for recognition. The “fraud” issue is as feeble and attenuated as Tilden himself. , „ • Is it likely Tilden, under those conditions, can secure the Republican votes which enabled him to carry New York in 1876 ? There is a difference of 55, 0110 votes between the majority -Tiitlen secured in 1876 in the State of New York and that of Garfield in 1880, It is a wide breach for him to cover.

The Independent Republicans in New York and throughout the country will understand that, in voting for “the old ticket,” they will be voting for Hendricks for President in preference to the Republican candidate. Is there anything about Hendricks to encourage them to do that ? It will not be a tyial of Til den’s' former strength in New York, but of Hendricks’ present strength in that State, if the Democrats dhall nominate “the old ticket.” Notice will be clearly served upon the country of the Democratic purpose to ■ obtain possession of Ihe Government and to tfSe their most pliable politician to Becure a reai -tribution of the spoils. That wilt be the issue of the campaign, and Tilden’s shadow will not obscure it. Tilden is a forlorn hope, but it is the only opening for Democratic assault; and the Democrat situation, seems to be more des-

1 •- > B ,' perate than ever before. Chicago iTribime.