Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-06-13
OUR CHAUNCRY TALKS,
And Tells What He Knows About
Minneapolis,
BEN'S CHAMPION SAYSALL'S WELL
Hs Was For Blaine Until the Letter Of Dsclina-
tiOn-Hs Says PlaH Will Not Oppose Har-
rison-What Ere-Alarm Foraker Has
to Say About the Situation.
BEN'S CHAMPION SAYOALEO WEI

CHICAGO, June 12.-Chauncey NJ De-
pew arrived in the city this morning
and left for New York in the afternoon.
In answer to questions by reporters Mr.
( Depew said:
"You need anticipate no bitterness
on the part Of those who voted for 9th
J es candidates than Harrison. Mr.. Platt
will not oppose the nominee.
"Conkling once believed that the Re-
publican party had at Chicago gone to
! its political death. Yet we carried the
State of New York handsomely for the
nominee In that instance, as Is always
the case, the young men formed the
party. The young men know nothing
about the wire-pulling OF leaders, and
| all these little games that go on behind
! the curtain. They went TO work and
/ organized themselves. The leaders saw
! that they were not indispensable after
all, and the band wagon was getting so
| far in advance OF them that II they
waited until after the campaign they
would not be able to get into 1t
again. People never knife ticket
| merely TO revenge. They may do so II
| through their revenges they see that
! they can destroy the rival Of their
! favorite and thus make probable the
! future success of that favorite. Such
would probably be the attitude OF the
! Hill men toward Cleveland. The pos
| sible attitude of HIPS followers toward
| Cleveland, however, is not possibility
on the Republican side. The opposition
| to President Harrison was concentrated
l hal
moment that Blaine desires to re-enter
| public life.
There is no doubt that Clarkson,
Platt and Quay honestly believe they
| could nominate Blaine. But the Min
neapolis convention was run on popular
| principles that never had more able poll
| ticians than those men in the manage
ment of machinery, and they are inval-
/ liable in the after convention can
vass But the possession of
great power leads party lead
! ers to discount the strength
| of party movements. Clarkson and the
other leaders who stood with him could
not feel the power of the great business
| interests Of the country. 1t was seen
/ ordinarily in CaucauSes or conventions.
| Harrison had scarcely any organization
/ to speak of and he had none OF these
great political leaders. But kilograms
/ favoring him, not manufactured tele-
! grams, but the honest expressions OF
! business men, came pouring into Min
neapolis, and they were effective.
| We met every night. There were no
! brass bands, but in quiet way the
/ chairman, pencil in hand, took the re-
ports on the situation from the others.
In this work Of getting at the exact con-
/ dition Of things and the progress we
were making, your man Jones, "Long"
| Jones, was the most efficient. He was
superb. Then we made up our minds TO
risk test. 1t was daring thing TO do.
| We arranged for a meeting OF all the
Harrison delegates. We knew per-
fectly well that if not enough
delegates appeared TO consti-
tute majority OF the con-
yention the fact would be recog-
nized by the weak kneed men to be "a re-
lease and that our cause was lost. But
when 463 votes were found they chose
me TO lead their column, fully con-
vinced OF success. The opposition was
disorganized but when those 463 men
saw my arm raised they recognized the
man whom they had chosen TO direct
their tactics.
"Whitelaw Ried'S candidacy had moth
ing to do with Blaine'S defeat. In the
! first place, he was not candidate.
made up my mind, however, sometime
ago TO secure his nomination II it lay
within my power. Every one knows my
| feelings toward Blaine. Had he not
written that letter 10 Clarkson he would
have had my support More than that,
| il he had at an early date announced his
candidacy Harrison would not have been
| a candidate. That letter was message
from a great leader TO his followers. 1t
was never my disposition to Sulk in my
! tent. In the first place it Spoils the dis
position, and then too, tents are hot.
| The more l contemplated the situation
! the more | was convinced that there
was no other candidate with one-half
Harrison's strength before the people.
Take the whole situation now, and with
| Cleveland as the opposing candidate
Harrison Is possibly stronger than Blaine
would have been.
He is certainly stronger with the
! country than he was in last campaign.
| lie mas pIONtu ulluStll Itdlly olS iudus
He was never jealous OF his Secretaries.
He never endeavored to take away one
| iota OF credit that was due Blaine. But
when yon come TO say that some one be-
/ side Harrison carried out all these great
! affairs OF State without any suggestions
| or notifications from the President,
you run the thing down to a redUctio ad
/ dbSlrdum.
Harrison had three elements OF great
strength. He was strong with the bus
lness men. Nine-tenths OF the business
men OF this community favored the re-
nomination OF Harrison, aud l believe
/ that the laboring men who are depend
ent upon the manufacturers and busi-
/ ness men felt the same way. Then too,
he was strong in the solidity OF the old
| soldiers. Among these was not dis
senring voice. There are 400, 900 vot-
ing old soldiers and this element was
distrustful of every other candidate be-
| fore the convention"