Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-23
HARRISON VS.. GRESHAM.
To the Editor of the Eagle.

To the Editor of the Eagle.
|, With your permission desire to cor
rect some inaccuracies in the commune
cation Of s'Hoosier" in your issue of
today.
Ii ''Hoosier" is informed as to the con-
dltlon of affairs in Indiana he knows
that General Harrison though defeated
in 1876 by '.Blue Jeans" Williams he
was two thousand votes ahead of the
ticket, and that the manner IN which he
was placed on the ticket operated
against him and alleniated the friends of
the candidate who had been forced to
retire from the ticket. General Harri-
son was not responsible for the result of
that campaign, and success was not
deemed possible under the circum-
stances.
In 1880 he was the recognized candi-
date for the United States senate, in
case of Republican success, and made
the fight in the legislative districts &C
cordingly, the results was q legislative
majority twice that received by the safe
ticket. He was elected and served in
the senate with great credit to himself
and his constituency. Knowing his
great popularity the Democrats i'll the
legislature of 1885 so districted the state
that on the face of vote of 1884 the Dem
ocratic majority on joint ballot. should
have been at least fifty. In face of all
this General Harrison entered the field in
1886 as the universally conceded candi-
date for the senate, and the fight was
again made in the legislative districts.
The Democrats had carried the state in
hrvo Iof
jority of the Republicans OF the state
thought success impossible, and 1t was
deemed the height of folly to presume
for an instant that the majority In the
legislature could be overcome The re-
suit showed the majority in the legisla-
ture reduced to claimed one of two.
when as matter of fact had it not been
for the outrageous frauds for
which Coy and Bernhamer are
now serving a term in the peniten-
tiary there would have been a Re
publican majority of two on joint
ballot. The Republican state ticket had
an average plurality of 1880, while the
legislative vote showed plurality OF
$3.50, the difference showing the COM
parative strength of Gen. Harrison over
the state ticket.
As to the statement that Gen. Harrison
could not carry the Pacific slope, l have
only to refer "Hoosier" to Senator Mich
ell of Oregon, who has the reputation of
being the most radical man on the Chi
nese restriction question, and in his de-
GbeIate Judgment INSERTS that Gen. Har-
rison's record on the Chinese question is
entirely satisfactory to the people of the
Pacific states and that he would COM
mand as strong support there as any
gentleman mentioned in connection with
the presidential nomination.
/ have no word to say derogatory to
the claims set up by the friends of Gen.
Gresham, but do not believe him to be
the choice of the Republicans of Indi-
ana. If an Indianian is placed on the
ticket it should be one who has demon
strated his ability to carry the slate.
This has been done by Gen. Harrison al
ways running ahead of his ticket, while
Gen Gresham has never had an oppor-
tunity to show his ability to do so.
Gresham was twice a candidate for con-
gress and once ran few votes ahead of
his ticket, the next time several hundred
behind.
From personal acquaintance and
of both the distinguished
Hoosiers can cheerfully give either of
them my best support, but my deliberate
Judgment is that Gen. Harrison is the
most available man for the presidency
and the choice of an overwhelming ma
jority of the Republican voters of the
state of Indiana. He is also the second |
choice of many of the best informed Re
publicans of the country.
Indiana Republicans will not stand in
the way of Gen. Gresham if it is demon
strated that he is the most available man,
but will cheerfully give him the support |
Of the state. However, Gen. Harrison |
will, beyond any reasonable doubt, have
the united support of the Republicans of
the state when the convention assem-
bles. w.
WELLINGTON. March 81. 1893.