Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1892-06-30

would have to elect the Vice President,
both bodies voting BY States instead Of
IN the usual way.
At FIRST glance one is apt to say:
"WelI, that would give us Cleveland
for President and Reid for Vice Presi-
dent But would it? A great deal
Of attention is being given to this cues
tion by able constitutional lawyers, and
the ADLER the man is, the more he hest
totes to express decided opinion about
1t. The generally accepted idea has, of
course, been that the Senators and Rep
resentatives of each of the political par
/ ties would he in honor bound to vote
college to be elected next November.
for the man nominated by the party to
which they belong for the office to be
filled. But that has been considerably
shaken by statement to the effect that
there would not exist q single good rea
son why any Senator or Representative
should feel under The slightest obliga
ton to vote for the man who fails to
receive an election before the people,
and that each Senator and Representa-
tive would be constltutionally free to
vote for any one he pleased. without re
gard to the names upon the national
tickets Of the several political parties
Should this view Of the matter be gen
orally accented. Mr.. Cleveland would
meyer be the choice Of the House
SHOULD that body have to elect the next
| President. Tutre are several reasons
why, bl; one is sufficient to explain
why. Notwithstanding the several
seeming defeats which free coinage has
received in the House during this SEES
sion majority Of that body Is strongly
in favor of the free coinage OF silver. and
would so vote if the question came to a
vote devoid of side issues and no one
knows this any better than the mem
bers who so skilltnlly managed the
business as to get the bill permanently
side tracked before it ever came to It
direct vote. Having these views it
would be expecting much to expect
these men to vote for Mr.. Cleveland
whose opposition to free coinage ex
ceeds that of Mr.. Harrison, when they
would have chance to name il prcsi-
dent friendly TO free coinage, unless
compelled by honor to do so.
Six months ago 1t hardly seemed
possible that the republican and demo
cratic leaders coull be us deeply inter.
ested us they are at this time in the
outcome Of the peoples party conven-
ton which is to be held at Omaha on
july 4th. The reason, however is OBJ
yious. The nominations If Harrison
and Cleveland by their respective par
ties have made it certain to the leaders
that the vote of a la"-e--how large NJ
one can say at this tme-e cement in
in 10th palties will. go TO the people s
party if strong candidates are nominal
ted and even fairly 80 d platform
adopted by the Omaha convention.
Pressure is being brought t. bear upon
Judge Gresham by the republican lead
ers to prevent his allowing the use of
his name before the peoples party con.
vention. His candidacy would dra "
very largely from the working men in
the republican party.
The nomination of Cleyeland and
Harrison add d to the natural selfish
ness OF the politicians has made a good
many more or less prom' ent republi-
cans and democrats feel perfectly iudif-
terent as to the result. The average
politician is apt to regulate his enthu-
siasm for the nominee by the favors he
expects to secure when the victory is
won, AMI there are considerable mum
Der of Democrats in Congress who know
that their chances Of securing tavors
from Mr.. Cleveland would be no better
if so good as from Mr.. Harrison, and
there are about an equal umb r of re-
pubicans who are in precisely the same
fix. i. is not surprising therefore to
find these men inulHerent they feel
that they have no personal interest in
the fight. Whether the Indifference of
these men will have any appreciable IN.
huence upon the election, or be sort
Of stand off, is hard to say at tins ear
ly day in the campaign.
The republican national committee is
holding meeting here for the purpose
CT permanently organizing and mapping
out the programme tor the campaign.
1t is now said that President Harris
on has decided that the successor to Mr..
Blaine will be appointed only to serve
out the remainder of this adminlstra.
ton, leaving him free if he be so dis
posed to make up all entirely new cab