Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-29
THE NEXT PRESIDENT.
WALTER WELLMAN'S IMPARTIAL Cos
SIP ABOUT THE CANDIDATES.


Cleveland, Blaine, Hill, ,Alger, CulIom,
Mckinley, sherman, Gresham or NC
Pherson-The President and Mr.. Blaine.
Especial Correspondencel
WASHINGTON, May 14.-Who will be
the next president of the United States?
Who will be chosen as the candidates of
the two great parties? These are ques-
tions which we hear asked more fire.
quently at the capital, perhaps, than
anywhere else in the country. Here we
are all politicians, all president makers
and the great quadrennial game of poll
tics is already attracting universal at
tention. propose to give you some of
the presidential gossip as l hear it in
Washington, without bias or prejudice
concerning either parties or men.
I think can name ten men, one of
whom almost to moral certainty will
be the next president of the United
States. These ten men are Benjamin
Harrison, Grover Cleveland, James G..
Blaine, David B. Hill, General Alger,
William Mckinley, John Sherman, Sen
ator Cullom, Senator Mcpherson, of
New Jersey, or Judge Gresham.
One finds in Washington a prevalent
belief among well informed politicians
and public men that President Harrison
will again be the candidate of his party.
The tradition that an elected president
who gives fairly satisfactory service is
entitled to denomination is strong one,
and not often set aside. The political
power of an administration, even when
used in perfectly proper and legitimate
way, is tremendous. There does not
seem to be much doubt that the presi-
dent desires a denomination, and that
his friends are actively at work to Sc
cure that end. It is true that the presi
dent is not as popular among the mem
bers of his own party as he would like
to be. Many men have been offended
in the distribution of offices, and there
has been a great amount of grumbling.
Moreover, the presidents best friends
say his manner has sometimes been un-
fortunate. He lacks the tact which makes
'sno'' pleasant word. It is said here
that the president makes more enemies
even when he says "yes," simply by his
AidhLCA VI o1JAAi ~, 1lNSh oOAAAN @AASiA
would make in denying requests.
Among Republican United States SEN
ators there was much criticism of the
president last winter. Many of them
were sore displeased with him, and
swore they would not help renominate
him. But this feeling appears to be soft
ened with the fight of time. During
the past six months the president has
gained rapidly in the esteem of his own
partisans. and as the convention day
draws night is only a year or
little more away-the chances become
greater and greater that the Repub-
ican candidate in '92 will be the can
didate of '88.
Wherever men write or talk of the
next presidential campaign, there the
name of Blaine appears. In many re-
spects Mr.. Blaine is the most command
ing. most picturesque and interesting
figure in our national politics. Even the
presidents most devoted admirers admit
that Mr.. Blaine is the great party leader,
as Tilden was the leader of Democracy
in his time, as Clay was in his day, and
jackson in his. Of course the thousands
of men who hero-worship Mr.. Blaine
are urging him for the presidency.
have the best of reasons for saying
that Mr.. Blaine is not and will not be
candidate for the presidential nomlna-
ton. Moreover, long before the con-
vention meets he will repeat his per-
formance of three years ago, and write
letter which will make his position
as clear as daylight. Mr.. Blaine does
not want the presidency. What he does
want is to be the natural and actual
leader, the master spirit of his party.
To this end he aspires not only to
continue as the premier of the ad-
ministration, in case the Republicans
be fortunate enough to retain power,
but he wants to be the Warwick, the
king maker of his party. Every one
who is near the sources of inside infor-
nation in national politics knows that
Mr.. Harrison was nominated at Chicago
in 1888 by the friends of Mr.. Blaine.
Further than this, there was a promise
from the representatives of the nominee
to the representatives of Mr.. Blaine that
in the event Of success at the polls Mr..
Blaine should be appointed secretary of
state After the election Mr.. Blaine's
friends were very much afraid there was
some hitch in this agreement, that a
misunderstanding was likely to arise and
Mr.. Blaine not be called to the cabinet,
after all. Those were anxious days for
Mr.. Blaine and his intimate friends.
1t is perfectly true, and in behalf of
the truth of history it will do no harm
to say SO, that at one time the president
elect, as General Harrison then was, had
serious notion of leaving Mr.. Blaine
out of his council. Had he done so, no
doubt another bitter factional war with
in the ranks of that party would have
been started-such feud as that which
existed for years between Conkling and
Blaine, and which probably kept them
both out Of the presidential chair. 1t is
perfectly true, furthermore, that at the
outset of his administration the presi-
dent was not inclined to be confidential
or specially friendly with Mr.. Blaine.
He was just little troubled with fear
that the latter would overshadow him.
To remove this reserve, this lingering
suspicion, from the presidents mind
at once became Mr.. Blaine's fond
est task. Persistently, and with rare
tact and skill, he little by little managed
- get closer and closer to the president