repels public confidence, the old vague fear will no longer stand in the way of Democratic success.
But aside from that, the Democratic party, as a party, has not grown in the popular confidence since 1884. It has rather lost ground. It has, as represented in Congress, shown a singular incapacity in dealing with public problems, and the demonstrative efforts of its politicians to defeat a consistent reform policy have offered a somewhat repulsive spectacle generally. It might make some local gains by a statesmanlike treatment of the tariff question; but there is scarcely any hope of that, especially with its diminished majority in the next Congress. The Democratic party, as such, will therefore not be able to draw the necessary number of votes from the Republicans.
It has only one chance of salvation, and that is by renominating you. I do not know, and do not inquire, whether you desire to be nominated or not. I only mean to say that, whatever your personal wishes may be, a failure to renominate you would be understood as a distinct rebuke by your party of the attempted reform policy with which your name is identified, and that then any Republican candidate will easily defeat his Democratic competitor.
But your renomination will save the Democratic party only if your name remains strong enough to draw a large number of Republican votes—not only the old Independent force, but much more; and you will be renominated only if the Democratic politicians know that you can draw them and that nobody else can. You were nominated in 1884 not on account of the strength you had within your party, but on account of that strength which you were believed to possess outside of it. A renomination in 1888 will come to you only if, for the same reason, you are looked upon as a necessity—for you have already displeased the spoils politicians in your party, so much so
