The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-11

L
gregation of Republican politicians from all
over the United States has been present in
the metropolis this week, and the earnest
topic of conversation among them all has
been: Vino shall be the Republican nomi-
nee for Presidents
SHERMAN.
His nomination is not looked upon as one
OF the contingencies, even by men who
admit that lie is likely, as matters now stand,
10 present the most formidable front in the
earlier ballotings of the convention. His
friends claim in the neighborhood of 300
votes, and those most pronounced against
his selection concede him 200 But it is
impossible to indicate whence any growth is
to come from, be his original strength more
or less. Senator Sherman commands, in a
remarkable degree, the respect and the con
tdence of Republicans, but he does not pos
sess the personal qualities which are deemed
essential in campaign like the one before
us, and the absence of any pronounced SEN
timent III favor of his nomination in the
State of New York is considered fatal to
him at Chicago
DEPEw.
Mr.. Depew's prominence in connection
with the canvass is looked upon as one OF
the phenomena of politics. Mr.. Dope W
as lullJ DIS any one, UllaD MS
nomination would be blunder if it should
be necessary, to effect it, to antagonize
pronounced and widespread opposition on
the part of the northwestern states The
best information | get justities the cOnclu-
sion that this opposition will be present at
Chicago, and to a degree which is not at all
anticipated or comprehended in the East.
Ii will come from the states of Iowa, Min
nesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska,
X Iiltra.1s Ir,,ls o,,I
without saying that the national convention
cannot make nomination that meets with
the united and the determined opposition
of all these states. do not think | over
state the case in saying that among the
shrewdest politicians who have gathered
here this week, the name of Chauncey NJ.
Depew is already eliminated from the list
of Presidential probabilities.
GRESHAM
We now come to Walter O. Gresham,
who has become, in some indescribable way,
a central figure in every calculation now
made of the Chicago outcome No one any
longer attempts to deny that Judge Gresham
is a formidable candidate. But there is an
element of weakness in his candidacy which
has grown as perceptibly as his strength has
grown, and which need no longer be con
cealed even if concealment were possible
Judge Gresham is to be the target of the con-
centrated opposition of the distinctively
Blaine influences in the convention. Some say
that this is due to the super-zealous alacrity
with which his advocates insisted upon the
finality of Mr.. Blaine's Florence letter
But that is all nonsense. 1t has its source
in causes far ante-dating this year; and it
is the sIugle evidence of the present eXis-
tence of TIE old factional divisions in the
republican party. Judge Gresham held
two portfolios in President Arthur's cabi
net and is to-day a federal judge by Arthur's
appointment. He is regarded as the natural
residuary of the strong organization which
appeared in Chicago four years ago to urge
the nomination of President Arthur, and for
that reason, If for no other, he is looked
upon askance by the original Blaine men.
They insist that to push Gresham is to
attempt to renew and to perpetuate fac
tional differences in the party which cir
cumstances have tended to destroy. They
criticise Greshams attitude In the last
Presidential campaign; they refer du-
biously to his record on the protection issue;
and they make much of tho fact that
although Judge Gresham is a citizen of
Indiana, the delegates from that state favor
another candidate, who was, four years
ago, a Blaine man when Gresham was for
Arthur.
HARRISON.
Harrison has the great advantage over
Gresham that the Indiana delegates are for
him, and very strongly for him. But Harri-
sons nomination would have to be- effected
in the face of strenuous opposition from the
Gresham men; and a feeling may easily be
engendered that would endanger the state
of Indiana, even with an Indiana man at
the head of the ticket. But for this com
plication it would seem to many Shrewd OBJ
servers that Sena or Harrison occupied the
most favorable position Of any of the can
didates. Even with this in full view,
have found not few who have made up
their minds that Benjamin Harrison-a
great name to conjure with-will be the
next nominee of the party and the next
President of the country.
ALLISON.
Senator Allison's friends have become
very aggressive since Mr. Blaine's letter
aud their confidence rests upon the basis of
the friendly relations that have always ey-
listed between the Iowa Senator and Mr..
Blaine and his friends. But there are con
siderations initiating against his nomina-
ton which possess an influence not TO be
gainsaid One of them is the fact TINT
there is no strategic justification for Ali
sons selection. He comes from the state of
Iowa, as certain as Pennsylvania or Ver-
mont to cast her electoral votes for the
republican candidate. Another is tho fact
that his own personality, unohi ectionable as
it is, affords no reason for his nomination,
in spite of the absence of any strategic rea-
son therefor A third objection to Allison
is found III the fact--it it be a fact which
neither assume nor deny-that his record
on the tariff question is not of that ironrad
character which the logic of the situation
requires in the republican candidate for
presidency. Unless Senator Alison's friends
can eliminate this criticism from tine can
vass, his success at Chicago is out of the
, question.
ALGER.
There remains ex-Gov. Alger of Michi-
gan; and Of him it is suggestive fact that
not one of the objections suggested in the case
of the other candidates seems to obtain. lie
comes from state which the administra-
ton has been hopeful of carrying on the
revenue reform issue. He is antagonized
by no one, and encounters direct opposition
in no quarter On the contrary, the friends
of all the other candidates speak of him in
the highest and most friendly terms; and IL