Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-12

The election of Mr.. Palmer to the United
States Senate may, under certain circumstances,
make him candidate before the next demo-
cratic convention. But for his age his boom
would probably start now in the process Of ex-
pansion, and would certainly assume large pro-
portions before the time for the meeting of the
convention. His old age will be cited as an
argument against his candidacy and will proba-
bly, prevent his making a hard fight for the
nomination. but it is regarded by politicians as
not improbable that the situation in 1892 will
be such as to make him the most avail
able man whose name will be before the
convention. The best informed politicians
at the capital believe that there is a possibility
that, while Gov. Hill cannot get the nomina-
ton IN 1892 himself, he may be able to SO di-
vide the party in New York as to make the NOM
nation of Mr.. Cleveland not advisable. Not
withstanding the vindication Mr.. watterson
gives Mr.. Hill in his letter, declaring that Hill
was true to the party at the last democratic
presidential election, there Is q belief that the
venge himself for defeat at the nomination
convention in 1892 by secretly working for the
defeat of Cleveland il nominated. The friends
OF Mr.. Hill are undoubtedly now doing
all In their power to excite antagonism to
Mr.. Cleveland, and tits, of course, possible that
this feeling may be worked up to such pitch
In certain quarters as to make it practically
certain that there would be treachery at the
polls in New York and make the nominal
ton OF Mr.. Cleveland impracticable, though he
could get it for a certainty if he determined to
have it at any cost. Just ct present Mr..
Cleveland's silver letter is regarded
| as apt to injure him in the west
and south, and this causes other candidates to
have hopes such as they never dared to indulge
before, but the chances are that before 1892
the cry for free silver will have lost its sonorous
vibration, and the fact of a mans not believ-
ing in fiat money will not be an argument
against his availability as q candidate.
WHY CLEVELAND MAY FAIL.
So that if Mr.. Cleveland fails to get the
nomination it will probably be, not because of
his views on silver, but because the situation in
New York state will be such as to make him in
| disposed to run. In that event there is no
doubt that the Cleveland folks would name the
candidate. and he would probably be western
man. With New York rendered peculiarly
doubtful to the democracy by reason of fac
t1onal differences, it would be particularly desir-
able that the nominee should be strong
in Illinois, for that is state the
democrats might carry with the proper man
and the right issues brought to the front If
Mr.. Cleveland should be laid aside or should be
led to retire it would be a serious thing for the
democrats il they could not make it appear
that this did not result from his being opposed
i w VIC AiCC SoAAn6C VI bllNtT. II IL So
appear the silver question would at once be-
come the issue and the tariff might be lost
sight of.
| PALMER MAY BE NOMINATED.
This situation might develop and make Mr..
Palmer's nomination probable, in spite Of his
age. He is seventy-three years old, but is
vigorous, and the way he has held on in this
| fight for the senatorship shows that he has a
cool head and fine staying qualities. He has
n N oil e Id L.
| the farmers, though he is solid on finance, and
his popularity in the state Of Illinois has been
strongly attested. Democrats say that he could
certainly carry that state. The fact that he
was acceptable enough to the Farmers Alliance
members OF the legislature for them to vote
| for him indicates that he possesses a drawing
| power in direction where the democrats gen
erallJ think it is needed. II he should develop
| into candidate for the presidency it would
probably be with Cleveland's influence at his
back and because Cleveland decides not to be q
| candidate. II Cleveland goes before the con-
| vention it is possible that Palmer may figure
conspicuously at the tail Of the ticket as Mr..
Thurman did.
"REMINISCENCES OF AN ILLINOIS MAN
"Gen. John W. Palmer, who was yesterday
elected United States Senator from Illinois. was
| poor boy" remarked an old nlinoisan to q
| STAR reporter today. ''He worked as a cooper
| at Upper Alton. earning his living in that way
while he attended the school which later be-
came Shurtliff College. After leaving this
| school he went to Carlinville, a little town of
Macoupin county. where he found work in
Mr.. Greenhouses law Office. sweeping it out
every morning for the privilege of reading his
law books, and by diligent application he be-
came able to practice within year. Being a
poor country boy with strong anti-slavery SEN
timents the arfstocratic prO-slavery people OF
the town tried to turn him under. They did
everything possible to discourage him, but he
persevered and finally succeeded so well that Q
lawyer OF one OF these aristocratic families who
| began to practice about the time he did gave
| up in despair. Gen. Palmer lived to see these
| people who abused him and fought him in
every way far beneath him in the social scale
after they had for years kept him out of their
| set
"when he left Carlinville to go to Springfield
at the close of the war he left thousands Of
dollars there in small fees which he had not
collected from poor clients. Even though he
knew he would get no fee he would plead the
case Of the poor, down-trodden man to be sure
he should have Justice. Gen. Palmer has been
for more than fifty years a constant student
first and foremost Of the law, and he has de-
voured books on every subject.
He has been running a long time for the
United States Senate and has run SO long and
hard that he deserved to reach the goal.
GREAT vEroER.
"When Gen. Palmer was governor of Illinois
he exercised the veto power to about as great
an extent as Mr.. Cleveland did in his presiden-
tial life, and of course he created q great deal
Of harsh criticism throughout the state As
result of his continual exercise OF the veto
power the following story Is told:
"At Jacksonville, Morgan county, there hap
pened to be revival in colored church and
an old darby. jumping up, exclaimed, Use
guine to 60 to heben, sho. Use guine TO 20 to
heben, sho, and, thank the Lord, Gov Palmer
can't veto that An old resident of Jackson
| vile happened to be in Springfield and while
| at the state house he told the story to Gen.
Harlan, the governors private secretary, who
was also his adjutant general when he COM
manded the Army OF the Kentucky He
thought il y fine story and said, Go in and tell
that to the governor The narrator stepped
into Gov Palmer's Office and told il to him.
The story tickled the governor and, full of
laughter, leaning back In his chair, he said.
Tell that again; tell that again
LAT AN ABOLITION MEETING.
"The people down south of Carlinville in q
small section were almost all of the ro-slavery
mind, and consequently Lincoln mass meet
ing was held among these people during his
first campaign 70 give them little light on the
subject OF abolition.
Gen. Palmer, who was the foremost anti
slavery man in Carlinyille, took matters In
hand and had stand erected in grove One
OF the speakefs was Congressman Loveioy Who
| represented the district that ConGressmsn
Henderson now serves 90 faithfully