Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1888-07-19
Somc Interesting Suggestions.

Stcphen Il. Elkins recently SAID 'h"t I
the most significant impression when I
the great Republican convention gave f
him and others who looked INTO the
philosophy OF the affair was that the
West was bound to boss. The West
intended to have the candidate Tor
president Theapparent Inconsistency
between this purposeand th, fact that
blaine lives 80 near the northeas, cor
ner that he could almost throw
stone into the British possessions Is
reconciled when it is remembered that
Blaine was IN no SENSE n scctionalc can
didate. lie had mounted IN emlnence
that had overlooked all sections.
This is quite correct. and IT has
ALWAYS been true OF the Republican
marty. Its first candidate, Fremont,
hailed from California. Lincoln was
born in the valley OF the OHIO and at
tanned hi. intellectual and political
stature almos. within sight oil the
Mississippi. Grant was n western
man. though, like Blaine, he had cone
beyond the confines OF section when
he VAS nominated. In 1876 tbewe,t-
.rn men combined to nominate the
Ohio HAYES. Garfield was true
flower OF the western reserve. The
only time that Republicans failed 20
seat their candidate since 500 was
when Blaine, who is by accident cii +
izrn of Maine instead of the OHIO val
ley, was the candidate.
On the other hand, the Democracy
for nearly forty years has, with two
fApni ,I,ir fniUll.ltp
the East. Pierce was nurturcd under
the shadows of the White mountains,
buchanan was reared amid the grain
fields of PENNSYLVANIA. In 1850 the
Democrats. however, went West ana
Southwest for their candidates, one
wing taking Douglass and the other
breckenridge. Mcclellan was "A Penn
sylyanian. seymour n New Yorker,
Greeley. Tilden, Hancock and Cleve'
land ali of the East. Greeley, as n
Democratic candidate. was II mer,
mnkeshift. not to he considered. The
Democracy. therefore, met its first
conspicuous defeat since 1878 when II
went west for its candidate.
IL has been theciisi ON, though there
have been exceptions, to nominate
men of stalwart stature for the presi
utIltN. w WI "'' "
commanding presence. and Jefferson
was a six-footpr. Madison and Mon
roe were tall. though Monroe was I
slightly built man. Jackson was bi
fellow, who seemed bigger nj time
than he really was. Aaron Burr wa
n little man, and So was Alexande
Hamilton. who was talked OF as I
presidential candidate. Three OF TIL
presidents have been little men. so IN
as cubts OF height went. John Adam
and his son John Quincy were belo'
medium height, and Grant barely at
tanned the average stature. Mcclellan
was n short man, and so WAS Marti
Van Buren,. No man has ever been
presidential candidate who was n
short rs Stephen A. Douglass, who's
height would barely have allowed I'm
to pass muster as common soldie
Lincoln was the tallest Of the pres
dents, being u fee, 4. Buchanan
Pierce, Hayes, Garfield and Arthur
Blaine and Cleveland were, when cal
didates, men of striking physical pre-
ence, some of them being magnliicei
specimens of American manhood.
The lesson of previous convention
seems to be that it is not impossib
for a little man TO become candida
or even to he chosen president, but
enters the race heavily han:iicapp'
and with the odds against him.