Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-12
THE COMING sTRUGGLE-AN EPIC COM
BAT


ent. We use the word present for
the reason that we are already fairly in
the midst oft. The contest in Ohiois
really nothing more nor less than the
opening skirmish, and it is unique in /
the fact that two Republicans OF
note, who are actually presidential can
didates, have started in on opposite and
parallel lines-John Sherman and Will
liam Mckinley. 1t is said that the
former has surrendered his hope to be
president. This is nonsense. A man
who once gets that bee in his bonnet |
never ceases to hear its buzzing until he
drops into the grave. With Gladstone, |
an octogenarian, still the leader of the
Liberal party OF England, and liable to /
be its premier if Salisbury shall dis
solve parliament short of the septennial
period, and with Won Moltke the gener-
alissimo of the German army up to his
ninety-first year, why should John
Sherman, cheerful youth short of sew
enty, surrender ambition? There is
scarcely doubt but that Mckinley
would have received the Repub-
lican nomination instead of Harri-
son, but for his fidelity to ''honest'
John. Politicians know no gratitude,
and today Sherman is as fully presl-
dental plunger as he was in 1883 or
1884.
The struggle for the next presidency
begaa in the Republican party with the
departure of Mr.. Harrison on his trip
to the Pacific coast. That was politi-
cal raree show on the dwarfed, Marion
ette principle. II had in it much OF the
burlesque form of the Italian fantoccini.
Little Benjamin did not know that he
was merely the fly on the chariot wheel,
and that the popular ovations he re-
ceived were extended to the Office and
not to the man. His candy-pulling and
taffy dispensing campaign will not soon
pass from the memory OF those who
care to make note OF bizarre political
performances.
OF course the Democratic party, find
ing that the contest was projected
to a date far earlier than usual,
could scarcely afford to be behind hand,
and iEome attention was given to the
business by the admirers of Mr.. Jeffer-
son and General Jackson. Banquets
were held here and there at WHICH
Mr.. Cleveland, OF illustrious memory,
was billed to speak. Democratic journals
/ would receive the speeches weeks in ad-
vance, with the note, "Mr. Cleveland
will deliver this, speech at such and
such time. Use as much of it as you
like, but do not publish in advance of
date" Now this is all right enough,
and Mr.. Cleveland knew nothing of it.
He was Gin the hands of his friends"
The speeches, besides, on all subjects
except the free coinage of silver, con-
tanned excellent doctrine. That Mr..
Cleveland's energetic friends have es-
tablishe6 "bureau" for him, after the
manner OF the illustrious Samuel j..
Tilden, with the material exception
that the matchless Tilden bureau was
started at;er that gentleman's nomina
ton, is unquestionable. ALPS we'll that
ends we'll.
But, strange to say, there are three or
four other eminent Democrats in the
United States who do not spell their
names with big, big @, and as to
whose full style and title there are other
yariances from those OF the name OF the
really noble ex-president, and who seem
to have as many friends as he has.
First amongst these is David Bennett
Hill, who has turned out to be one of
the greatest governors the Empire
state has ever had, and who,
as acknowledgements on the ticket
with Cleveland, raised that gentleman Is
plurality of 1913, 900 by 4OOO-going into
the second Office with the monumental
majority Of 1917 900. In every election
since he raised Clevelsnd's plurality
very considerably when Cleveland had
/ plurality, and he carried New York by
r 1900 for governor when Cleveland lost
! it by $4,000 for president. That there
| was sell-out in this election was unde
niable. But it consisted in the fact that
t Mr.. Cleveland's special Democratic
friends sold out Hill, aided by all theil
Mugwump allies in the conspiracy
while Hill and his friends chivalrously
supported Cleveland. This is really the
! law and the prophets Of the matter. L
4 the Democrats wish to win hands dowI
e they will nominate Hill. Nobody
r knows better than the Republicans tina
D he can't be beaten. A ticket that woulC
e make political earthquake would be
/ Hill, OF New York, for president, anC
g Gray, of Indiana, for vice-president.
j On the Democratic side there ar,
j many other available candidates. Cor
Y man, OF MARYLAND, is altogethe
d one of the most available ant
It magnetic. Should the Democrat
: carry Pennsylvania this year, Pattison
n of the Keystone state, who has twic
# wrested his own commonwealth iron
y the Republicans, would be a presiden
# tial crackerjack, if the language of tn
d turf can be indulged in in such connec
: ton. Then the western elections ma,
: disclose one or more available men.
a A great many people fail to know VIII,
/ the name of James G. Blaine crops VI