Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-15
THE GRESHAM BOOM.
What Representative PaysOn Thinks
of His Chances for Nomination for the
Presidency.

A STAR reporter had long talk this morning
with Representative Payson, who was chair
man OF the Illinois state republican convention
that indorscd Mr.. Gresham for the presidency.
Mr.. PaySon returned only the other day from the
West, where he has been interesting himself in
political matters. He says he thinks there Is noth-
ing more certain than that Judge Gresham will
receive the nomination at Chicago In June.
The Gresham movement is developing in the
West just as the Lincoln movement did in so. 1t
is steady and positive growth. There Is no ma
chinery in it, and when the Chicago convention
meets the movement will be irresistible. All
through the West the sentiment is felt. II is
powerful In Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Michi-
gan Kansas and all through the West, as well as
In Illinois, where the convention declared for him
where they have indorsed him from their
own state. Gresham is very strong
second choice. All the favorite sons cannot be
nominated, and the Endorsements are generally
complimentary. The idea OF renominating Mr..
Blaine is not tolerated anywhere in our section.
Judge Gresham is the choice Of the West. There
can be no stampeding OF the convention for Mr..
Blaine. Illinois is good state to judge by. There
has always been strong Blaine sentiment In the
state You remember how hard Gen. Logan had
to fight for the Endorsement or Grant. The peo-
pie were wild about Blaine There is no more OF
this now. In the convention were many OF the
men who had been f)r Blaine heretofore talked
with many OF these. They won't have any more
or 1t. About twenty or twenty-five OF the dele
gates were formerly Blaine men. l have talked
with them, and know how they feel Forty-four
strong and earnest men go to The convention from
Illinois for Judge Gresham. They will not allow
any suampeding talked with seventy-five or a
hundred Blaine men in the state convention, and
They all agreed that 1t could not be Mr.. Blaine this
time.'
sPEAKING OF THE STATE CONVENTION,
he said: "When that part Of the resolutions was
reached where the name OF Judge Gresham was re-
commended to the national convention every hat
In the hall was waved in the air, and there was
cheering and tumult such as l never saw before.
DO not believe the reading OF the resolutions ever
was finished. There was nothing forced about 1t.
The action was guided by the feeling-and 1t is a
leelng that is strong throughout the West. be-
lleve, he added emphat1cally, "that Judge Gresn-
am VIII be the next President OF the United
StateSn
The reporter asked how Judge Gresham would
De aHected by the failure or Indiana to indOrse
him instead or Mr.. Harrison.
"Tnat will not hurt him in the least. II Mr..
harrison cannot get the nomination the delegation
Will all go to Judge Gresham. Most CT the dele
gates, while In way bound to vote for Mr.. Harri-
son, are very friendly TO Judge Gresham He will
nave strong following In New York and else
where, where other candidates are looking for
support. There Is an element OF the party-that
Is not the machine, but stronger than the machine
the blood and bone and muscle OF the party
all over the country who want the party to win
this fall and think Judge Gresham Is the man.
You cannot describe too strongly the enthusiasm
Tor Judge Gresham with the people l have just
come from among"