The morning call., 1892-03-15
THE VICE PRESIDENCY.

About three months divide US from the
nominating conventions, and as usual the
newspapers are beginning to anticipate their
probable action. at the present moment
preponderanee of conjecture indicates the
nomination of General Harrison to succeed
himself on the Republican side and Senator
Hill to carry the Democratic banner. No
one thus far has been mentioned as likely
to be preferred to Harrison by the Republic
can Convention, and the longest heads
among the Republican leaders regard his
nomination as a f0reg0ne conclusion. If
Blaine had been able or willing no one else
would probably have been thought of;
with him out of the way the party seems to
regard Harrison as its only possible choice.
Some one else may loom up between now
and June. but it is not very likely.
Until quite recently little thought has
been bestowed on the Vice. Presidency,
though two examples since the war admoB-
iSh politicians that il is not prudent to be-
stow this Office without due consideration of
the quality of its incumbent. Once or
twice, in an informal way, it has been
limited that the ticket of 1858 might be re-
nominated in Its entirety in 1892. Mr. Nor
ton has certainly done as we'll as Vice-Pres-
ident as he did at Paris as Minister. lie is
popular with all parties, has shoals of
friends and few enemies. He has had no
opportunity of displaying the diplomatic
address which is his strong point; but
neither has he committed any bunders.
He could not weaken the ticket and his
name might siren CITIZEN, as 1t did In 1888.
But the New York Herald, which ever since
the days Of Bennett the elder has loved to
| play the pant IF Warwick, has now brought
forward for the post Whitelaw Reid, who
has just resigned the French Embassy.
Mr.. Reid is man of larger caliber than
NicePresidents generally, and he would
| doubtless preside over the Senate with dig
nifty. He is personally stronger inside the
party than Morton, and he would probably
be preferred by Mr.. Harrison. If he has
set his heart on succeeding Morton he Will
prove formidable candidate.
Ever since the coup d'etat by which Hill
secured an instructed delegation from New
York his nomination has appeared TO be
| forced. Soreheads and Mugwumps are
growing over the defeat of Cleveland. But
| they will subsde presently and fall into the
ranks if the West accepts Hill Ga the
subject Of the Vice Presidency two or three
names have been mentioned-G0rman of
Maryland, WatterSOn of Kentucky and
Wallace of California. The two first men,
toned labor under the disadvantage of
hailing from States which are sure for the
Democracy in any event; they could add
nothing to the strength of the ticket, while
| Germans thickness would weaken ii, and
| Natterson's bad break i'm the winter Of
| 1676-77. when lie wanted to march on Wash
| ingtOn at the head of 100000 Democrats,
! would have damaging effect on his pros
! poets. Eastern attention appears 10 have
| been drawn to ". L. Wallace of this State
| by his recent Intellectual effort to purge our
; State and city politics of corruption. Cali
| fOrnia has not thus far presented any one.
! authoritatiyey, for either post on the
| Presidential ticket.
The principle which governs national
! conventions in selecting a Vice President is
that he should hail from a different section
| of the country from the President; that he
| should have a fair show of carrying his
own State-though Thurman could not
carry Ohia in 1883; that he should come
/ from a doubtful State. In 1884 the two can
ddates for the Presidency were from the
! East and the two candidates for the Vice
| Presidency from the river valley States.
| In 1880 the Democrats took their candidate
! for President from Pennsylvania ard their
| candidate for Vice President from Indiana
| the Republicans reversed the roles; they
| took their President from OHIO and their
! Vice President from New York. Again, in
| 1876. the Republicans took their President
! from Ohio and their Vice President from
| New York, and again the roles were re-
versed by the Democrats, who chose their
candidate for President from New York
and their candidate for Vice-President from
| Indiana. Before 1876 nominations were
dictated by considerations growing out OF
! the war.
IL would thus seem that, according to
! precedent, if Hill gets the Democratic nOmi-
nation for President the convention will
have TO choose Vice President either from
the river valley States or from the true
West, the South being out of the question.
Whether there is any Democrat who could
carry Indiana against Harrison, after Cleye-
land failed 10 do so, or any Democrat who
could carry Ohio, Illinois. Iowa, Wisconsin
and Minnesota at Presidential election
against any Republican who might be nomi-
mated, is at the least very doubtful and if /
is it would seem that the Democrats may
fad themselves compelled to come TO this
| Coast for their Vice President.