The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-12-30
Correspondence New York Tribune. I
THE PRESIDENCY.
Only Two Republican Candidates.

There are two names now in all
mems mouths in connection with the
Republican nomination for the Presi-
deney. The other candidates, whose
claims have been pressed before the
public for two or three years past, are
now scarcely mentioned and il the
talk among Congressman and other
politicians here represents the feeling
throughout the country, the chances
of these candidates are yery small.
Senator Morton has still a few adyo-
Gates in the west, but they are dimiu-
ishing in number every day, and he
can scarcely lead the delegation from
his own State into the Convention
with an unbroken front. Senator
| Conkling is in even a worse plight.
In fact, his only resource, aside from
his own ambition. Is band of Office
holders in New York, who have no
popular support behind them. Gov
ernOr Hayes has respectable follow
| ing in Ohio, but the tide of feeling in
his favor, raised by his brilliant cam
paign last fall, is rapidly subsiding,
aud he is not ia position to do any,
thing to turn the ebbing current. As
an expediency candidate he has still
good deal of negative strength, and in
case the two strong competitors for
the prize prove so evenly matched
that neither can win, be may be
brought forward as a compromise can
didate- The other whilOm candidates
are no longer worthy of seriOas men,
ton.
sThe recent irresOlnte, undecided
condition of the public mind on the
Presidential question was taken by
shallow observers as an indication OF
scarcity of able public leaders and
OF general decay in politics. In
reality it only showed that the people
have become unusually cautious and
critical. They are determined that
the next President shall have intel
lectual ability, moral worth, and ex-
perience in public affairs, and among
the men who have these essential
qualifications they mean to "get the
best" Perhaps the sitting process to
which they have been subjecting am
bilious craftsmanship will go on still
further, with new materials for them
to work upon, but just now the only
candidates are the ex-Speaker and the
Secretary of the Treasury.
Mr.. Blaine has one important ad-
vantage, but it is attended with great
peril. Any day he chooses he can
speak to the whole country. What
ever he may say in his place in the
House is certain to be printed ana
read the next morning throughout
the country. During the entire per-
iOd which intervenes before the Ma
tional Convention assemblies he will
command public attention. If he
uses his opportunity wisely he will
greatly improve his prospects, but il
he makes mistakes they will be like |
lv, in the present temper of the peo-
pie, TO prove fatal. Mr.. Blaine's er.
Tors are always those of omission |
rather than Of commission. From |
excess Of caution he has often let op-
portunities pass by that bolder man |
would have grasped, but be has nev-
er made any serious blunders. From |
the the time he entered the House in |
1858 and was assigned to a place al |
most at the foot Of second-rate COM |
mittee, his growth has been rapid and |
uninterrupted, until he is now the
recognized chief of the Republican
party in Congress. He is a strict |
party man. All his successes have |
been won within the party lines.
He il, however, capable of bold and
Independent thought, is free to criti-
else the errors of his party in circles
where there is no newspaper man
present to take notes, and, although
by no word spoken in public, has be
ever condemned even the most gIsr-
ing faults of the Administration, his
influence has always been exerted to
prevent their repetition and to Sc
cure their correction, and to lift the
Republican organization above the
level where the President has placed
it. II he had not been hampered
by his ambition to be President
| Grants successor he might have
stood beside Senators Sumner and
SehuTz IN the struggle for reform.
The ex-Speaher has never dOns any
thing notably original in politics,
with the single exception OF the Con-
stitutioEal amendment on the school
question. He has exhibited great
shrewdness in fOrestalling those who
were trying to make a lever Of the
question to lift General Grant into a
third term, and he must be credited
also with statesmanlike fOrethOught
in seeking TO take the question out of
politics before il could become a dis
turbing and perhaps dangerous ele-
ment. Mr.. Blaine has strong per-
sonal magnetism, and natural quali-
ties of leadership. HE strength in
the nominating Convention will
come from California as we'll as from
Maine.
Secretary BristOw, although talked
I of as q Presidential candidate ever
since he brought order out of the
chaos left by Mr.. Richardson in the
Treasury Department, owes his pres
ent prominence to his battle with the
Whisky Ring. It is plain that he has
J the stuff Of a refOrmer in him, and
that is the kind Of man for whom
: thousands OF Republicans have been
t looking for the past two or three
years. There are only two important
Issues now before the public-admin-
istrative reform and specie payments.
Nr. BristoW stands in the attitude OF q
representative Of both these ideas-a
position that he has fairly earned.
Furthermore, to have plueked laurels
from President Grants Administra-
! ton is distinction which argues an
D uncommon degree Of merit. People
= may we'll say that since the Secretary
:, has accomplished so much in the
: midst of so many embarrassments, he
], would, were the crest powers OF the
q Executive Office placed in his hands,
= reform the Government in all it
9 branches. 1t would not be fair to Mr.
d Blaine to say that all the Republicans
g who desire reform are supporting th'
8. Secretary. 1t is true, however, tha
n the reform element throughout th'
j. country as body is turning its eye
re toward Mr.. BristOw as the comm,
Ie man, not from any distrust of his ri
0, val, but from admiration of the Seere
re tary's efforts to bring thieves to jus
Atice. Mr.. Bristow's way to the goa