Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-11
/ to Saturday, so as not to have it said that he
/ was nominated on Fridav."
The Great Army of Officeholders.


was nominated on Friday"
The Great Army of Officeholders.
Then the public comment: Harrison may
lose the nomination, for "A hours are going
to deepen this feeling that 1872 commissioned
oficeholders out of $50 Harrison delegates
are altogether too many"
This was the fact. The Minneapolis
Times, which has a Massachusetts, owner
ship, l understand, printed the names of 49,
persons this morning, and quoted at the
top of tho line: 81 do not want Federal Of
hceholders at the Minneapolis Convention.
benjamin Harrison The same paper as
serted that S5O0,OO0 was involved in the
salaries of these men, and that Government
contractors were behind them. Three Col
lectors of Customs were here from Florida;
from Georgia there were p ofhceholders IN
the delegation OF but S. and South Carolina
had IL out of Is delegates.
Chauncey Depew has not added to his
general reputation in this convention,
though at his side sits Shepard, one of the
Vanderbilt sons-in-law. When he arose to
speak on the Alabama case. which was
rather below his caliber and standing.
case which much better fitted General
Sewell, of New Jersey, who has commanded
his yard of railroad hands and knows how to
drive them up, it was observed that Warner
Miller showed to much larger advantage,
and was listened more intently to by the con-
vention. II the nomination could have come
West Miller was in situation to be wee
President. Out of the animosities OF the
moment it was again remembered how some
81, ,020 had been divided up by the New \ ork
Legislature in a Senatorial contest not many
years ago where Mr.. Depew was a candidate,
and that money never was claimed pE any
body, but was covered into the state Treas
ury as a conscience fund. Who could have
lost his s. 900 and never squealed? Surely 1t
was not the good Shepard who guides the
sheep.
The South Was In the Saddle.
As Mr. kellogg observed to me, "The States
that have run this convention have been
Texas, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky"
The New England States, with the excep-
ton of New Hampshire, which is under the
influence OF one Senator and one senatorial
expectant, were against the Presidential
programme There was Connecticut, with
nine anti-Harrson and three Harrison
votes; Massachusetts,, almost equally di-
vided, but nearly tie whole delegation
or Harrison; Maine, solid against Harrison.
Coming west on the line of the free States.
only Indiana was found with clear and un-
disputed Harrison majority.
The morning was thus whiled away in re-
considerations, and it was the belief of
about two-thirds of the delegates, including
of II approa ched, Harrison would be nomi-
mated on the first ballot, and the belief of
another third that hc could still be beaten.
Possibly if as much labor had been be-
slowed on finding new man as in fighting
contested seats for "a critical hours, the re-
sult might have been different, but the
officeholder is not reasoning quantity. /
met an officeholder from Louisiana, who
said to me: 81 am drawing an administra-
tion salary, but l will vote for Blaine, be-
cause my wife says he is a genius. When 1
go home l want to have a partial compensa-
tion if shall lose my place" Nevertheless
this gentleman got on the platform Thurs
day afternoon, at the Harrison caucus, and
said that there were eight Harrison votes in
his delegation, and he believed there would
be ten at least. The effect on the wavering
delegates OF the increased probability of
Harrison's getting the nomination probably
offset all other considerations for Mr.. Har-
rison has still nine months to be in office.
GEORGE ALFRED TOWNSEND.