Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-02
PRESIDENTIAL POSSIBILITIES.

A Number of Senatorial Orators who
Are i'm Training for the NOmi-
nation.
A correspondent of The Springfield
Reput lean, writing from Washington,
says that it has relieved the tediousness
of the debates in the senate on the tariff
to watch the presidential candidates.
the more pronounced, open, self-con-
fsssed candidates. The distinction is
| necessary because there are two classes
of candidates there. 1t is suspicion
| with senators that every one of them,
excepting those who are barred by in
surmountAble. obstacles, has a secret
conviction, a hope That fortunes tide
may carry him into the White House.
1t is believed that the only senators who
are not thus hoping secretly are those
born on foreign coil, and those who
| fought in the Confederate army. But
while all the others presumptively re-
gard themselves as possibilities. there
are half dozen who are paying The
penalty of being considered possibill
ties by other people. Notably Ben
| Harrison is such a man. If the repu-
tation he brought with him was just
one, then he better have stayed away
from the Senate. He hasn't justified
it here, and those who know him say
that it is because the bee is always
singing its song in his bonnet. He has
been a senator nearly two years.
He as yet hasn't made a speech
of any great length except one,
and that, like Audibras, "petered out"
before it was finished. He may show
his m etal in the committee room, but
if he does the senate never knows it.
He sits in his chair that once upheld
the great f'little giant" and dreams,
dreams, dreams. He will elevate his
eyebrows, strain his eyes upward, ald
sit staring at the gaudy glass ceiling
overhead by the hour, almost. Life is
very serious business with him SEEM
ingly. If a senator jokes, Harrison's
smile is very dry; if a senator pumps
him, the we'll proves dry; if you ask
him what time It is, he is apt to forget
what you said, or else reply, you will
have 10 excuse me from answering, that
Is, that is his manner. He PAGES back
and forth. like q philosopher, with a
meditative step, aud he writes formal
and carefully worded letters that are
written for future possibilities, for he
intends to have no careless word of his
brought against him. So the result is
Dan Voorhees, is bearing the burden of
Indiana on his own shoulders, and Har-
rison's only influence in the senate is
to tally one. Friends of Harrison say
that he is fully impressed with the con-
viction that the next national conven-
vention must put its laurels on his brow.
He thinks, il is to be one of his old
fights with Mcdonald over again, and
he most heartily wishes that this session
would close or that he could retire to 8
privacy where so much studied man
nerism is not necessary. Macdonald
is here too. Never did the cancer of
ambition change man as it seems to
have changed "Old joe" He is man
with the head of George Washington
set on the shoulders, body and legs of a
railroad engineer who has seen thirty
years service.
His physical frame seems to have
reached that peculiar appearance O
being jolted out of shape that engin-
GERS of long service sometimes show .
10 to the election last fall he was the
jolliest, most good-natured, easy.going
man in public life. 1t is ten to one
that a nomination brings out hun
dred careless, of-hand sayings of his
that can be used against him. But
now, the mantle of silence has fallen
on HIM, He is as grave az though con-
templating death. He looks appeal
ingly and sorrowfully at his old news
paper friends and shakes his head, as
much as to say "You know the fix ], m
in, be gracious to me-" You may see
him with his handsome wife in the
galleries watching debates on the floor
of the senate. posing with frigidity
that doesn't become him because it is
assumed. Sometimes he shows his re-
straint and Dan VOORHEES,, who knows
that it requires all of MacDonald's pow
ers Of will ~ keep up the new man
nerism, says that he cannot stand it
for year and q half longer. He says
Macdonald will either die or burst
away from his self imposed bonds, say
ing 81 won't be slave TO myself any
longer. The presidency may go to the
dogs. If | can't have it and be Joe
Mac Donald, I'm COMPOUNDED if I'll
have it at ALL" But Macdonald and
Harrison watch each other furtively,
slyly out of the corners of their eyes,
and many is che sly smile that has pass
ed among the senators as they have
caught them at it.
Edmunds of course knows he is talked
| about, but he dosent change bit.
| How many senators envy Fimunds,
his opportunities as well as his talents,
it would be hard to cay. The presiden.
| cy seems to have no charms nor ter
rors for him, he seemingly looks at it
as the old North Carolinian did 60
years ago, as an Office neither to be
sought nor declined. If an honest
opinion of the senate could be had as
to the fittest republican for the place
he would get every vote, and the demo-
Gratis do not hesitate to say SO openly.
But Eimunds will not lift one finger,
write one letter, make one speech or
change Geo. f. Edmnnds one single
jot or hair breadth to get that nomina-
ton. He believes that the presidency
cannot be conquered. If man lives
up to his opportunities, shows himself
competent for the place, in Edmuud's
opinion, circumstances accident per-
haps, must accomplish the rest. He
lhllAS IL "dotC vi Gll6TSy,
and denial of all that makes life
worth living for, for any man to set out
to capture The presi iepcy.
Window as q possibility mas expired.
He has just returned from his unfortu-
nate canvass, and he cannot conceal
his disappointment. At blow down
go all his castles. But some of those |
who commiserate with him do so with |
mental reservation. Where were
the secret thoughts of each as Allison |
grasped his hand to-day? Allison has !
hope, big, strong hope, and some reas-
on for it too. But Allison will not
have to change his manners and meth |
DDS at all. Always cautious, secretive,
trustworthy, he is alyays frank. friend
ly, big-hearted, and PROFESSIONALLY |
honest. Some of the senators thinks |
he is Blaine's.. heir st-law. He certain
~ has fair interest in Blaine's politi-
cal legacy. He is regarded as likely to |
capture the northwest. But, like Ell
munds, he shows no signs of his reali-
cation of the possibilities, though IN
like Edmunds he is now 4tting no OPP
portunity go unused. Next to Ed |
munds Allison wouli have the conf |
dence of his side of the senate.