Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-22
The Chances for Thurman.

The saying Its an Ill wind that blows nobody
good" is as applicable to politics as to any
thing else. While democrats generally are con-
demning in unmeasured terms the proposition
to change the method of choosing presidential
electors in New York, there are members of the
party who can regard 1t with complacency and
even extract satisfaction from it. These are
the friends of Senator Thurman who desire his
nomination for the presidency, despite the late
democratic defeat Ia Ohio. Among the sup
porters of the Senator Sergeant-at-Arms Thomp-
son, OF the National House Of Representatives.
ranks highest. He Is for Thurman for President
" first. last and all the time" In the first place
he does not regard the recent defeat of democ-
racy in Ohio as a defeat for Thurman at all. He
said, In conversation with a STAR representa-
tive: Thurman can carry Ohio for the pres
1dency, against Grant, Sherman, Blaine, or any
man the republicans might nominate and Ohio
must be our battle-ground. The republicans
OF New York are determined to pass
the bill to choose electors by Congressional
districts. 1t is absurd to talk about their being
afraid to deprive the people of their right to
choose electors. They believe they can settle
the presidential election beforehand, in their
favor by that act and they mean to do it. There
fore we uhe democratSl may as well give up
New York and turn to a state we can carry, and
by carrying 1t elect our President. That state
is Ohio, and Thurman is the man who can carry
1t. Then Thurman can carry the Pacific states,
too, and he is the only democrat who can. The
people or those states will support him upon a
great principle. He carried through Congress
the bill to compel the Pacific railroads to meet
their just obligations to the government and
that gives him strength in those states no
other man could command" Besides showing
that there is still Thurman boom in existence
hon IL
Thompson. who is an influential man in his
party, indicate that the democrats mean to con-
test every inch Of the presidential ground no
matter how many disadvantages they may
labor under.
The republican leaders in Maine, apparently,
realize now that they committed blunder In
refusing to permit legally elected opposition
members to take their seats in the legislature
after ii had been organized. At that time a
number OF fusionists, who recognized the bind
ing force OF the Supreme Court opinions. were
willing to take their seats in the legitimately
organized legislature. The number of this class
was, perhaps. large enough TO have caused, by
their withdrawal, the final disruption of the
fusion Legislature" The action of the republi-
cans in giving opposition members good places,
andin a few instances chairmanshIns, upon the
legislative committees, shows that they have
Seen their mistake and intend to invite a re-
storation OF harmony in state affairs by dealing
literally with their opponents. Several fusion
list members have already taken their seats in
the legislature, feeling, they say, that their
duty TO their constituents demands that course
and within very few days it is quite probable
that many Others will do so.
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The anti Grant republicans OF Massachusetts.
led by the Boston Herald and Springfield Re-
publican, are doing their very best to break
down the boom In that state. The REPUBLICAN,
IS publishing letters from conscientious. indie
pendent and influential Massachusetts, republic
cans who oppose the third-term movement
It's issue OF yesterday contains letters from
lanes Freeman Clarke, Profs Seelye and Chad
bourne, ex-Gov. W. B. WaShburn, F. II. Capen
and Thomas Wentworth Higglnson member
of the legislature, all speaking out in the most
positive terms against the nomination of Gen.
Grant. and some OF them intimating quite
plainly that they would refuse to support him.
There is fine prospect for a lively contest for
control OF the delegation to the national conyen-
ton between the Grant and anti-Grant elements
ofthe party.