The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-16
CAN HARRISON he BEATENe

Mr.. Blaine's letter of declinatior
doubtless was timed to aid President
Harrison's denomination, but his failure
to say n word Of praise for his chief ii
SO marked as to give color to the impress.
sion that has long prevailed that he does
not enjoy cordial relations with the pres,
ident. While Nj. Harrison undoubtedly
is the strongest candidate in the
field, since the secretary of states
formal withdrawal, the newspaper dis
cussions clearly demonstrate that Mr..
Blaine's friends are not fiocking to the
Harrison standard with anything like
unanimity. Gould all the republican
leaders who prefer to see Mr.. Harrison
retire to private life unite upon q single
name to present to the national conven-
tion Mr.. Harrison could easily bs shut
out. First and foremost, in opposition
to the presidents ambition for a second
term, is the potent Quay, with the Penn
sylvania machine behind him. The re-
publicua organization in New York, or
what is left after last Noyember's wreck,
is ready to be welded by Plat in favor
Of any man who can beat Harrison. The
Illinois republicans, led by Farwell, the
implacable foe of Harrison, are ready to
join the forces Of Quay and Platt. The
republicans of the south, from North
Carolina to Louisina, while going to tho
convention as nominal supporters of
Harrison, would only too gladly seize on
a pretext to go to Alger, Mckinley, or
some other popular candidate. The re-
publicans Of the silver producing states
would readily drop the man who has
been hostile to their interests, not be-
u they would expect to find a man
in favor Of free coinage in the repub--
lican party, but rather to demonstrate
to Mr.. Harrison that they resent his
treatment of them.
But there is no magic name like
Blaine's, and therein lies Mr.. Harrison's
negative strength. Alger is simply a
stupid boodler whose following is made
up of thrifty politicians who are out for
revenue only. Cullom is not a name to
c~onjure with. His only claim upon the
nomination is that he thinks he wants
it. OF all the names mentioned that of
Mckinley most strikes the popular
fancy, yet McKinley's nomination would
endanger the republican success in the
low tariff states of the west, as we'll as
in Massachusetts and Rhode Island,
where the republicans demand free raw
material for the relief of their manu-
facturers. Still, if Quay and Platt and
Farwell should set out to beat Harrison,
1t is quite likely they would find Mr..
Mckinley their most available man. He
is clean, popular, able and honest, has a
good wal record, and his refusal to take
the nomination in 1888, when it was
within his grasp, because he did not
want to seem untrue to John Sherman
won him hosts of admirers and friends.
Mckinley's name will be a popular n
before the Minneapolis convention, and
MIR. Harrison's friends will do we'll to
bear in mind that the Ohio governor has
great possibilities in him.
The next thirty days will be a period
of danger for Mr.. Harrison. Within
that time the astute politicians who do
not want him for another term will have
it in their power to organize SO as to
prevent his denomination. The question
ls, will they exercise that power, or al
low things to drift along as they are
until it is too late to compass his defeat?: