The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-30
Nvleh Osay. Piats and Other Leaders He
Hopes " Witnsas the Defeat of
Harrison.

but little likelihood of such a success, but
besides these four. there are larRs numbers
" republicans who oppose the re-nomina.
tion Of the president, not on personal
grounds, but because they believe that hi
could not be reelected. II a stronI
alliance can be made BY these two anti
Harrison factions, the presidents hoPsi
may fail OF realization. To make such AZ
alliance the qnartette 10 now bending it,
efforts, and il is "Billy" Mahone's purpose
10 reach the ground early in order to get
his anti-Harrison machines set mp and
oiled ia time to catch the delegations
earliest TO arrive. He will be Joined by the
other three later in the game.
The president has a tremendous power In
his possession, and the influence he Yields
ID 90 immense az to give considerable war
rant TO the belief that If Blaine at the last
minute declines to permit the use Of his
name the president will be rsnominated on
possibly the frst, but not later thaa the
fourth, ballot. - the same time he has
certainly one of she strongest sf fights on
Ma hands. The men who are opposed ! Q
him because no would not dole out patron
age to them according to their demands are
mot OF ordinary character. They rank. and
Justly 80, AZ the %shrswdest and boldest poll
tiCiaps in the republican party. What they
don't know shout running q convention 10
either not worth knowing or unknown.
Experience has taught them the use of those
subtle influences which work with such
delegate and made him q puppet in their
hands. They know Just what strings &c
pull TO make these puppets dance. The
only equal to any one of them on the prssi-
dents side 10 Steve Elkins, secretary Of
war, and il 10 said that every time that tho
president thinks of him a. his most skillful
general he also thinks of Blaine, upon
whose word Steve Elkina hangs like the
lowliest sunuch of the royal harsm spon
the voice Of the sultan.
II can be easily seen. therefore. that the
early pilgrimage Of Malone to Ainnsap-
oils Ia regarded With deep interest by the
administration forces. The little Virgin
ian Is not indulging in any boasts of What
he is going to do when he gets there. Like
Bier Rabbit. "he Just lay low and say
nufin.w And yet there plays about his
.~facey when he is asked if he expects sue
ceas, one Of those inimitable smiles
smiles at once soft and insinuating, yet full
OF strength, and which. blending with the
brilliant twinkle of his eyes, exercise the
powerful fascination of q snake upon the
unwary bsholder. Possibly, part OF the
smile is due to his anticipation of a fight;
for hs likes . fight. since the beginning of
the war he has been fighting. He thrives
on IL. It keeps his soul and little body
together. During the our years of
bloody conflict he o his star right
CALAMITY, and was accounted one of the
brayest and best fighting generals of
Lees army. As his appearance indicates,
his il a dashing character. He likes show.
!. And he is reckoned the best poser in Wash
ington. II may not be truly said that he
poses with undue f~orethouRht now. He
has been at it SO many years, it is more
than probable that he falls into those
picturesque attitudes while standing, and
moves with that graceful, half swagger
when he walks, with no more consciousness
than is employed in framing q society fib.
It comes natural. The little general has,
too. that repose which is only acquired by
long years of work; so that, as he has
many things to occupy his mind, it il not
difficult to believe that his attitudes and
his half swageer are now of himself and
inseparable.
And he dresses just the same as when
years ago he frat came to W~ashington--a
long Prince Albert, generally buttoned at
the waist; q frilled shirt, with long wrist
bands turned up over his coat sleeves;
pantRloons which grow smaller as they de-
scend toward the ankles, which they TT
snualy and neatly. and are kept there by
otAoto ~ LAc udllcs l00b, the D68S
shaped feet in the nations capital. His
clean cut features are for the most part
concealed by a beard which, when he lets it
how, reaches nearly to his knees. But few
nave seen that beard, for he keeps all save
a foot of it tucked under his collar. A
broad brimmed black SLOUGH hat fttinply
crowns this noticeable little man, whose
BODY Is slender and supple az that OF a
gymnast.
When the war was ended the general was
one OF the first to get reconstructed. He set
out to form a republican patty in VIRGINS
and he succeeded. His methods would not
perhaps obtain in the best regulated school
OF reformers, but he had great difficulties to
overcome, and he had to take the weapons
whicn seemed to promise the most certain
results. And lie achieved suucess after suc-
cess until he secured a seat in the United
states senate. Until then he ruled down in
ole Vlrginie" with a steel hand sloyed in
velvet. Always polite to q degree and one
OF the very courtliest Of the courtly, he
would dlsarm an enemy and finish him at
his leisure. He was wont to entertain al
most with prodigality and he continues TO
90 so even now, though with less frequency.
his hospitality 10 that of the true southron
-poilshed ana engaging-and those who
nave partaken OF 1t declare it to be worthy
Trip 10 Petersburg from Washington on
horseback.
AM nPeaAinH OF horses, the general is al
most a crank on the subject. lie would
DC an Invaluable horse reporter on q daily
newspaper. He talks of u thoroughbred
wita the artistic earnsstness OF a cultivated
enthusiast. AT the races ha il ALWAYS to be
ioand, and much to the damage of his own
pocket at tinss. Not that he loges heavily.
iie wins q saug sum and loses gracefully.
but he 10 liberal to those who have been
pressed by bad luck and ia ever ready ia
lend. At cards he Is az skillful as ut the
races. All games are alike to him. From
politics to poker. or if IL ia preferred. from
poker TO p~olItica, i. seems 10 he all the same.
He plays them all 20 win. When be wins
he pockets his profits with a smile. ana II
ne ioses-weli. he doesn't act as il II were
q matter of life or death, either vay. TX
plays every card well. though. He throw,
away no tricks. Politics ID q science witt
Mn. and had he not made the error of 90,
ing INTO the republican party at the clos.
oI Inc war, an apostacism which cost him
Gear, he would to-day have been accounted
leader in the democratic party.
Yes, he 10 something of a leader now
perbapA, IN a party quite as big and promi
nent ana powerful. But there are but few
VINO regard him AZ o republican from prin
ciPlet Il 10 a republican for what Their
y In It" is the explanation invariably Give,
answer 70 questions as to how he cam
snefe. ~ 10 not animated that he 10 in !
Ios money, but for power. He thought a
tno OF we war that the democrati
patty wss aiso at an end; so he flung hi
ds@ocratio allegiance to the winds and oaa