The Portland daily press., 1884-01-18
NOTES PROM WASHINGTON.
Gossip about Presidentisl al B Boons-Loean,
Arthur, Sherman, MeDonald, Bayard,
Butler and Tilden.
Special to Press.)


Special to Press.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. II, 1884.
AS the days pass and the average politician
realizes that the presidential conventions are
approaching, the stir in president mi'king
circles becomes more clearly visible. Tbs is
perhaps more perceptible on the Republican
side, because of the fact that the date and loca-
tioD OF the convention are fixed in that case,
while with the Democrats the stir will not
come until after the meeting of the executive
committee, and the fixing of date for holding
the convention, and selection of place there
for. On the Republican side the Logan people
seem to have suddenly become aware of the
fact that it is too early to start boomi and
matters have quieted down very much in re-
gard to that gentleman. Yet he has by no
means forgotten that there is q convention in
the near future, and he is seeing that the lines
are properly laid. He considers his chances OF
nomination quite good, on the whole. The
West and South are strongly in his support,
and they are able, il they pull together, to con-
troll the convention.
'The Southern Republicans are very tired Of
the sway of the East" said prominent West
ern Congressman to your correspondent IN
talking of the situation "and they are anxi-
GUS TO unite with the Western men in the con-
veniion, and to select presidential nominee
to suit themselves"
why are they SO much dissatisfied with the
Western men2n
"Wel, they think that the Eastern Repub-
licans have ignored them in almost every
thing and refused to give them the proper
recognition in party affairs. And L don't know
but they may be right in that. At any rate
they are with US of the West. They have clear
ly indicated that
Does that mean that Logan will be the
nominee?"
"Don't know about that. The West is
strongly for Logan, and SO is the South. But
we have got to determine whether he can carry
New York. II he cannot, we of course must
not nominate him. We need New York, and
must have it."
This last remark seems to be key to the
Republican situation. The party leaders seem
to realize very clearly that they must have
New York if they are to win. There seems to
be.a general disposition on all hands to permit
the State of New York to name candidate
''If New York will come to us united upon
man, and tell us that they can carry the State
with him, that is the man we will nominate"
said another Western Republican. "We are
strong for Logan in the West, bat it is not yet
certain that he could carry New York, and un-
How about Arthur; can't he carry his own
State?"
That's what we are waiting to find out; and
that cannot be told for some weeks yet.
Arthur has made a capital president, and /
should be entirely satisfied to see him nomin-
s.esi for second saraa hut unless he can carry
him."
They say he is very stout with John Kelly
aud could engineer John about so as to make
grlIf int fIaon na-n .O9g
Il know they say that, but do want that
sort of uncertain chance of success? 1t seemsI
to me that Kelly's support OF Arthur, secret or
open, it it gas even SO much as suspected
would injure us in other States, and per.
haps lose US the race, even if it carried New
York"
"Sherman's presence here adds something to
the talk of his chances for a nomination. A
good many people are saying IN quiet way
that Sherman is the man of all men on whom
the party can rely to carry the next election.
Oh course the old men say he is not candi-
date but nobody doubts that he wonld take it
if nominated To be sure he is little queer,
but if he can be relied on to win the fight in q
critical time as he did quarter of a century
ago marching through Georgia. he viii be
very likely the man."
On the other side Democrats are as much un-
determined as are the Republicans. They
have more aspirants, and that is perhaps where
their danger lies Several ambitious gentle
men in the party are just now very industri-
ously engaged in working up booms for them
selves. The report that Payne was about to
start literary bureau for his own benefit,
with agencies here and in New York and else.
where, and daily paper in Cleveland, is said
by those who ought to know to be well found
ed. Among the Southern men here there is q
strong feeling in favor of Mcdonald, and this
feeling is said to exist all over the South, and
to a considerable degree in the West. In the
East there is as much indeeision in Democratic
ranks as among the Republicans. Bayard is
industriously nursing an attenuated boom by
the aid of small daily paper in Baltimore,
and stands about as much show of the DEM
ocratic nomination as does the king of the
Sandwich Islands. Ben Butler, when here
the other day, put an extinguisher on Lee
Crandall's Greenback boom in his behalf by
saying that he had no authority to boom him,
and that he (Butler) would consider Gram
dall's advocacy of his cause as equivalent to de-
feat.
There are many Who believe that Tilden is
yet desirous of nomination, and that, il the
old man wants a vindcation, the party will
give it to him. If the Sly Samuel really de-
sires denomination he will probably be re-
nominated.