Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-01-02
LELAND srANFORD's AMBITION.
The California Senator Said to Hav
the Presindetial Bee.

Stanferd's friends-and the trumpet q
his praise has been blown with no un
certain sound-that there are man,
good reasons why the new senator Nigh
come boldly forward as an aspirant TO
the republican succession to Grove
Cleveland.
Among these reasons are the follow
ing: That he is to-day the most prom
inent man of the far west, and that tn,
far west has never yet contributed to tn
it is about time it did, that he is one o
the very few remaining war governors
and that his record during that trying
time was quite satisfactory; that by hi
recent action in endowing the, Palo Att
university he has put himself in thu
front rank of philanthrop SITS, and lastly
that the old antagonistic spirit between
the railroads and the people of Californ-
ia ha very largely died out, and the
corporation magnate would receive the
support of the whole Pacific coast should
| he enter the field.
1t will be apropos here to lay before
readers 6 scrap of unwritten history
which has been studiously kept secret
among the two or three to whom it has
! been known. The story, as told to your
correspondent-andi its truth can easily
be proven nv few inquiries in New
York and Washington as follows:
In the fall of 1882, probably in DC.
tober, Leland Stanford moved to New
York for the purpose, it was said at the
time, of taking up his residence there
He passed the winter in New York, at
any rate, and was one day, in the early
spring of 1888, driving homeward
through Central Park, when he was met
by Gen. Grant, who was just driving in.
The two stopped at once, for they were
too close friends to pass with an ordin-
airy salutation, and Grant asked Stanford
to turn and drive back to one Of the re-
freshment.houses, as he wanted to talk
with, him. How great the friend
the public never knew, but-since the
telling of secrets is the fashion of this
dispatch-the public may judge of how
close their intimacy was when it learns
thet the last letter Grant wrote (penned
the day before he died) was to Stanford,
asking him to "do something" for that
confederate rough-rider, Col. John s.
Mosby.
When the two friends reached the
place of entertainment Grant at once
preached the subject by telling Stanford
he wanted him to go before the people
as q candidate for president. Grant said
that he did not speak by authority, but
that he knew enough of his party to
know the candidate would be acceptable
to it. He said further that he foresaw
divisions in the party, and that he be-
lieve Stanford was the man to heal them.
The conversation lasted some two or three
hours, Stanford's share in it consisting
principally in disposition not to say
anything the way or the other until he
had had time to think more shout
it, but that as sick man he felt most
like refusing to entertain the idea at all.
Stanford went to Europe that summer,
and while there constant correspond
ence was carried on between hmi and
Grant, the letters sometimes being as
fire quent as twice. week each way. It
is understood that what Grant wrote was
given at last with authority, and It is
known that Stanford gradually yielded
to the arguments used. Grant wrote
that he had seen, or had met, the leaders
of the party, and that all was fair sailing
for Stanford's name to be presented to
the Chicago convention. 1t is under
stood that Grant guaranteed that Conk-
ling and the other stalwarts were will
ing to uphold him; ,and it is further
understood that Grant also went 80 far
as to assure Stanford that Blaine would
be willing to step down in order man
might be brought forward upon whom
there could be coalition of factions.
This much is certain, that Grants
heart was wholly set on having Stanford
nominated for the presidency, and that
nothing but ill-health kept him from go
ing personally into the campaign for
his friend. Your correspondents infor.
mant even limited that affairs had made
such progress that Blaine had determin-
ed to formally withdraw. But Stanford's
ill.health continued to stand in the way;
then his son died March, 1884, and
that, of course, completely disposed of
the matter for the time.
Now, however, that the ex-governor
of and present senator from California
has 80 far mastered his grief for his son
as to take up politics once more, it is
proable. that Leland Stanford will re-
member the occurrences of 1884, and
that now, instead of passively acqHies-
cling, he may actively come forward as q
candidate for the republican nomination
for president of the United States.