The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-05-26
REPUBLICAN. LEADERSHIP.

knights Retirement.
We have already expressed the opin-
ion that Mr.. Blaine's letter is to be
taken with several grams of salt 1t
is feat of political craftsmanship
which seems intended. like the famous
shot of the farmers boy. to :" hit if it's
deer and miss if it's calf" Should
any thing turn up between now and
the middle of June to convince the
famous letter-writer that he has good
fighting chance to be elected. he will
doubtless ccntrive to make his letter
miss the maxi. 49,. es-rs--s So
But should the political situation re-
main unchanged, it is easy to believe
that Mr.. Blaine is sincere. The
strength Of President Cleveland before
the country is 50 great the popularity
of his policy 20 undeniable, that the
Plumed Knight may well and wisely
decline to enter the lists against him.
Mr.. Blame has something to lose and
nothing to gain by encountcring Q
second defeat We see no reason to
change our opinion, expressed immedi-
ately after the November election, that
Blaine can have the nomination if he
chooses but that it is by no means
certain that he will desire it.
It becomes. therefore. very inter-
esting question who will be the Repub-
lican candidate in case Mr.. Blaine
keeps out of the fight And it is
striking fact that among all the poll
ticians who have been mentioned for
this distinction. not one arouses any
warm enthusiasm. sY Is &
John Sherman Is now in the lead.
because he has been expertly pulling
the wires, but his following comprises
but a small fraction of his party. His
long and intimate connection with
banks and bankers, SPECTATORS and
corporation magnates. has secured him
q certain sfollowing among the 'sbusi-
ness interests" But nowhere does
his candidacy arouse any thing like
popular enthusiasm. Much is said of
his record ~ . financier. but this.
while it includes some fortunate incl
dents, is SO full Of contradictions, in
:consistencies and blunders that under
the fierce light of q Presidential cam
paign it would prove . great disad-
vantage to. him rather than . help
= Assuming that Blaine is out of the
field, New England can not be said to
possess any formidable candidate.
Hawley, Of Connecticut, and Ed
minds. Of Vermont, have until lately
monopolized the Favorable mention;"
but quite recently our own Hoar. Of
Massachusetts. has had puff or two.
The istter need hardly be considered.
1t is enough to say OF Senator Ed
mupds that he is scarcely as strong
now as he was when he was rejected
by the conventionsnof 1880 and 1884
Senator Rawley may turn out to be a
strong candidate, but he comes from
a small State and even il he could
save the Republicans it would not
avail unless he could carry other States
which his party failed to carry in 1884.
New York presents Depew and Ev-
arts with Hiscock in the background.
Depew would be very strong candi-
date in some circles, but his intimate
relations with the Vanderbilt monopo-
lies would tell heavily against him with
the people. Senator Evarts, though
great lawyer. has proved too insigniff-
cant quantity in his brief career a. =
statesman TO have gained any strength
whatever with the masses. =
Pennsylvanis, in suggesting George
w. Childs. has probably named .
stronger man than any yet mentioned
Universally respected, his popularity
among the laboring men would proba-
bly, draw to him many Democratic
iyotes, especially in his own State. He
labors under the disadvantage. how
ever. of coming from State certainly
and overwhelmingly Republican; and.
besides Mr.. Childs is said to be
strongly disinclined to public life.
Allison, of Iowa, is believed by many
to be Mr.. Rlaine's legatee. He is little
known and has no personal strength
in the East. whilo his prohibition views
would hurt him badly among the Ger
mans of the West
Robert Lincoln seems to regard the
Presidency with some disdain, and
while his name would arouse some
sentimental enthusiasm. there is just
~ very strong objection to the
principle Of hereditary succession in
American politics. and it could scarce
ly be pretended by Republicans that
he would ever have been thought Of
had he not been the son Of Abraham
Lincoln.
The gallant soldier, Phil Sheridan,
would arouse all the military cnthusi-
asm there Is leftin the Republican party,
and drnw mt q faw T)ov,, oor a ito vote.