The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-03-28
As to Candidates.

results of canvass of republican
opinion in five great states recently
made by the Philadelphia Times, an in
dependent democratic journal. Intends
to show that, leaving Mr.. Blaine out of
the calculation, there is no concentra-
ton as yet upon any candidate which
can not be overcome by some other
candidate. There is strong feeling in
New York in favor of the nomination
of Mr.. Blaine by reclamation, in spite
of his withdrawal. With Mr.. Blaine
out of the way Depew has a decided
lead. The feeling in Pennsylvania
since Mr.. Blaine's withdrawal is wholly
unsettled. Ohio is reported "out-
wardly solid for Sherman" Harrison
is the first choice of the Indiana repub-
licans and Gresham has no chance in
that state. The leading favorites in
Minnesota with Mr.. Blaine out of the
field) are Lincoln and Gresham. 1t is
a significant fact that while the canvass
shows that Mr.. Blaine would be a strong
candidate in the doubtful states, no one
of the others named in connection with
the republican nomination has particu-
lar strength outside of certain state or
section.
The names prominently before the
country as candidates for the repub-
lican nomination (omitting those of
Blaine and Sheridan) are Depew of
New York, Sherman of Ohio, Harrison
and Gresham of Indiana, Allison of
Iowa, Hawley OF Connecticut and Lin
coin and Cullom of Illinois. Other
names are occasionally mentioned -
Phelps of New Jersey, Rusk of Wis
consin, Alger of Michigan and Foraker
of Ohio-but it seems hardly worth
while at this time to give these names
serious consideration. Whatever man
is to be selected, it must be with refer
ence to his general standing as well as
to his strength in his own state. A
man who can not command a strong
support in his own state can not be ex-
pected to secure the nomination. This
is evidently the trouble with both
Gresham and Lincoln, and their pros
poets have also been greatly injured by
the extraordinary zeal of mugwump
journals in their behalf. Certain obiec-
tions have been raised to nearly every
prospective candidate in the above list.
Some of these objections are relics of
the past " and ought not to be regarded
as of present Importance, but for all
this the opposition may be expected to
make the most of them. Even if the
republicans should select candidate
against whom nothing discreditable
could be alleged in truth this would not
confound and silence the opposition,
for they would go right to work and in
vent charges and calumnies against
the candidate and proceed to "prove "
them by manufactured evidence to the
satisfaction of thousands of credulous
people who will swallow stupid false
hood with greater avidity than choice
morsel of truth. If any person thinks
that the nomination of a man with a
personal and public record that is COM
paratively colorless or fawless is to in
sure the candidate immunity from the
attacks of mud-slingers that person has
something yet to learn.
But it may not be wise to wholly dis
regard the objections that have been
urged against the men named in this
article. 1t is urged against Sherman
that he has few popular qualities, that
he incurred the displeasure of the old
Arthur element in New York to such
an extent that he could not get the full
republican vote of that state, and that
he offended the Pacific coast people by
opposing the restriction of Chinese i'm
migration. This last objection is also
urged against General Harrison's avail
ability as a candidate for the Pacific
States. Allison's record on the silver
question is said to be unsound, and this
would hurt him in the East 1t is also
charged that he has needlessly pro-
voked the hostility of the railroads.
Depew is objected to because he has
been long and intimately identified with
corporations, which would prejudice
his chances in the West. Hawley voted
against the bill to restrict Chinese i'm
migration and has fought the Blair ma
tional educational bill with all his might.
In addition to Gresham's lack of sup
port in his own state, it is stated that
he rendered decision in well-auger
case that cost the Indiana farmers a
million dollars. Among the objections
to Lincoln it is urged that he would
never be thought of as a candidate but
for the fact that he is the son of the
great Lincoln. 1t is objected to Gull
lom that his championship of the inter-