St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-05
THE SITUATION.


side are the friends of the admiRistra-
ton and the bsnsfciaries of its bounty.
And ON the other side are diSappointe ted
office seekers, men who have Quarreled
with the president, sincere admirers OF
Mr.. BLAINE and a coterie Of new as
pirantS for political prominence who
calculate that change will bode them
good. Tho great mass of dele
gates, arriving from hour to hour,
stand aghast at the confused in
tenSity which blaZes about them,
and are at a loss to discover where their
allegiance belongs. There is hurri-
cane of c0ntending interests. The IA
miliar devices to allure and influence
are all at work. RumOrs, claims, per-
suasiOn, promises. trickery, craft, de-
ceit. are freely called on TO do service,
and what was expected to be formal
gathering of partiSanS of one mind
promises to grow into protracted fight,
unprecedented in bitterness and lead
ing up to a crisis the complexion OF
which it is impossible to predict.
As the GLoBE has on many occasions
suggested, the logic of the situation de-
mands the denomination of BENJA MIN
HARRISON, and were it not for the bar
rierS thrown in his path by the complex
and subtle personality of his secretary
of state the honor would be his. Mr..
HARRISON was selected four years ago
to head his party's ticket chiefly be-
cause no stronger candidate could be
found, and won 4 surprising victory by
the assistance of treason III the Democ-
racyS ranks and his own obscure re-
spectability. His position before the
country today is infinitely more COM
maGding than it was then. He has dis
appointed both his friends and his
enemies. Leaving out of consideration
the distinctly party measures in the
eonsummatiOn of which he has cooper
ated, he has proved discreet, honor
able, self-reliant and dignitied chief
magistrate. A fair-minded paper like
the GLOBE has to admit these things,
and It's tongue would be tied during
another campaign from crlticising either
his character, his capacity, his industry
or his patriotism. The Democraey's
ammunition would be of necessity
confined to an attack on the po-
liticaI and economic principles of
which he is an exponent, and his deVo-
tion and persistent, unWavering loyalty
to these would seem to entitle him to
the highest commentator and indorSe-
ment at the hands Of the Republicans
of the country. The MCKINLEY bill,
the SHERMAN silver law, the force bill
and the extravaganza and reckieSSnesS
of the Fifty-frst congress epitomize
the enemy's contemporary creed, and
no one of its number has been more
regular or consistent in his profession
and confession of faith in these articles
of belief than Mr.. HARRISON. He is
the representative Republican of the
hour-cautious. cold-blooded, subservi-
ent to the claims of wealth and influ-
ence, enamored OF repressive economic
heresies. The issues could not be more
accurately drawn between the two
great parties by the nomination of any
body else who is thought of for the
post.
And yet against him has developed
an opposition of great yirulence and
magnitude. No man can be president
for four years without alternating host
of his quondam followers, and Mr.. HAIR
RIsoN has not proved an exception to
the rule. A half-score of the most
adroit political manipulators of this Or
any other generation have raised the
banner of revolt against him. Mr..
PLATT, who has grown from the low
eminence of disgraced and ridiculous
echo to absolute leadership in the En-
pire state; Mr.. QUAY, who has sur
YiYed defeat at the polls and a tar
niShed reputation in Pennsylvania; !;
Mr.. WAsHBURN, who had the extraor-
dinary ability to make himself United
state senator from granger state in
spite of his reputation as a calculating
plutocrat acquired by lifetime of un-
Interrupted service in behalf of corpora
tions OF every description; Mr.. CLARK
SON, who. in wide sphere at the head
of the Republican national committee,
has been as astute, resourceful, urbane,
energetic and popular as when he con-
these men and others like them are
avowed enemies of the administration
and united for Its discontinue. They
have nothing TO look forward to in the
way of patronage and power sho uld it
be continued for an additional term.
Even Democratic victory would be
more fruitful for them. But they are
Republicans, instinetively ambitious for
their party's success, and in the contest
between self-interest and wounded
pride OH the one hand and loyalty. on
the other they are heading stoutly a
movement against the logic of the situa-
tion as the GLOBE has analyzed it, and
are struggling to triumph over circum-
stances by bringing to the front the
magic name and character of Mr..
BLAINE.
1t is difficult to believe that they are.
at all enthusiastic in their advocacy OF
Mr.. BLAINE's nomination. He has been
in public life so long, and has already
so many retainerS and associates, that
his elevation would mean little promise
to them of a controlling influence in
national affairs. But he gives them
their opportunity. If, in spite of his
unsolicited protests to the contrary, he
will accept the nomination, he can have
it, and even this outcome will be more