Omaha daily bee., 1880-05-07


Mr.. Conklipg in a recent interview
enlarges beautifully on the popolar
strength which Grant has developed.
Without literary bureau and with.
out organized effort, we are told, he
has thus far led all other candidates.
What Ii the truth of the matterl
The truth is that since the New
York and Pennsylvania conventions,
hurriedly ct.lled in midwinter to take
advantage of the artificial enthusiasm
for Grant excited by his theatrical
progress through the country, not a
single northern state, not q single
state which al cast a republican vote
for president, has declared for Grant.
Even in Pennsylvania and in New
York it required all the power of the
machines, controlled by Gambling and
Cameron, to secure a majority for
Grant, while a powerful minority are
In open revolt against the rule they
attempted to impose. But since this
snap judgment was taken upon q
transient popular effervescence, every
northern state which has held con.
ventiops has declared sgainst the
third term, and among those which
are vet to speak there is not one in
which Grant can hope to get more
than a scattering vote here and there
except in his own State of Illinois.
But even in Illinois his friends are
engaged in a desperate struggle to get
an expression from the state conven-
ton favorable to Grant, with no hope
of securing anything more than a
divided delegation. Where then is
that spontaneous popular strength
which Conkling tells US has been OK
hibited by Grant2 1t is visible no.
where in the north. No one can
doubt that if the New York and Penn.
~sylvania conventions had not been
precipitated with indecent haste, that
IL they were to be held at any time
before the meeting of the national
convention and the deliberate voice
of the republicans of those states was
allowed free expression, it would
be overwhelmingly against the
nomination of Grant. But at
any rate, outside of those states
all the northern states, all the
republican states, are practicallya unit
against Grant. Such popular strength
as he has comes from southern states
which cannot cast an electoral vote for
a republican candidate for president.
1t is the impotent, ignorant and su-
perstitious negro constituencies of the
south, which alone sustain Conkling
and Cameron and their servile ma
chimes in the demand for a third term
Wherever the power and the intelli-
gence of the republican party lies, it
is arrayed in a nearly solid phalanx
against the candidacy of the e1-presi-
dent. Mr.. Conkling is strong and
picturesque in tho boldness of his IS
sertions. But above his assertions
towers the patent fact that the repub-
lican parto Of the north is manifestly
opposed to a third term-and that out
side the machine delegations from
New York and Pennsylvania, he will
have far fewer supporters than any
candidate who has been prominently
named.
Conkling's further assertion that
nothing has been done for Grant and
that no organized effort has been made
to secure his nomination, is too alb.
surd. What if he has no literary
bureau to distribute documents and
circulars very imbecile perform
ance by the way for any candidate2
He has what is a thousand times more
effective in securing political results.
He has the senatorial cabal-the dis
pensers of patronage-at his back, with
all the tens of thousands of their Of
iceholding retainers whom they ap.
pointed when Grant was president,
and who know no will but that of their
senatorial masters. Though Grant is
out of office, the Grant machine is
still in full and effective operation,
though less demonstrative than before
the civil service order was issued.
No organized effort for Grant! What
was Mr.. Conkling doing in the New
York ~conventionI What was Gamer.
on doing at Harrisburg2 No organ
lied effort when these men exertsd
their utmost power to secure delega-
lions for Grant, and were So afraid of
that spontaneous republican senti-
ment which they pretend is SO strong
for Grant, that they resorted to the
desperate e1pedient of trying to over.
ride the minority by a unit rule and
force the district delegates sgainst
their will to vote for Grant, No or
gsnized effort when, ever since Grant
landed on the coast of California, he
has been sent all over the country and
kept everywhere on exhibition as the
centre of popular demonstrations in
tended, as 1t now turns out, for politi.
cal effectl Was there no organized
effort in his recent journeys through.
out the south2 None in his coming
back to Illinois Just in time to in.
fuence the county coventionl None
In the recent visit of Logan to the
state, and in the organised demon.
stration in his behalf at Chicago7
None in the tremendous exertions
which are being made by his friends in
Illinois to secure delegations favor
able to himl No organized effort in
deed There was never . republican
candidate for a presidential nomina-
ton in whose behalf there has been
for years such elaborate, studied and
imposing preparation. If his three
years round of ovations through
Europe and Asia were not designed
by himself for political effect, they
were diligently turned to a political
purpose by his friends at home. Since
his return to America all his move.
ments have been carefully planned to
stimulate popular demonstrations
which could be turned to the advant-
age of the movement to nominate him
at Chicago. And the men who con.
trived this theatrical campaign 80 skill.
fully that the newspapers have been
kept day tsfter day, for the seven
months since his return, and, indeed,
for three years before, in q cousts mt
shower bath of Grant receptions, of
speeches and popular
ovations in honor of Grant, are now
Dragging of their abstemious.
ness in advertising Grant In contrast
with the e~ffuaiveness of the obscure
and solitary literary bureaus at Wash
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