Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-02
NOW FOR STEVENSON
Politicians Discussing His Availa-
bility for '96.
is RELATIONS WITH SENATOR HILL
His Obliging Activity in the Present
Campaign.
DISCUSSING HIS RECORD

The active part that Vice President
Stevenson has taken in the campaign now
closing has engaged the attention and COM
manded the eulogy of all the managing
politicians of his party. Mr.. Stevenson has
not denied himself to any committee call
ing for his services where it has been pos
sible for him to make the journey. Nor
has he made any distinction between cam
paigns waged on state issues and those
waged on national issues. State tickets and
congressional tickets have alike been re-
membered by him. He has moved every
time. without calling for specifications, in
the direction of the heaviest firing, and
gene into the action with energy and en-
thusiasm. The Vice President is accredited
with being a very attractive and effective
stumper. His manners are democratic his
speech is plain and to the point, and his
grasp OF political questions a wide one.
The east, the west and the south have
heard him in the past four weeks, ana all
three sections have treated him most cor
daily. He Is closing the campaign at
home, and with a series of meetings testi-
flying by their size and spirit to the more
than cordial regard in which he is held by
the democrats OF Illinois.
Presidential Prospects.
Mr.. Stevenson Is not rated as being either
schen er or a self seeker, but his name has
been so frequently mentioned in connection
with the next presidential nomination Of
his party that naturally some account is
taken by the democratic leaders, who dis
cuss the matter of what bearing his pres
ent activity must have ON his presidential
fortunes. The consensus of opinion Is that
the effect will be considerable. The interest
shown by him has been so hearty and so
unseifish, and the embracing by the people
or the opportunities to hear him SO general
that 1t IS Considered impossible that his
tame should not be greatly advanced by
IL all. Besides, he is the most prominent
democrat west of the AlleghanieS mention
ed In connection with the presidency. and
therefore OF especial interest at this time
When fortune would appear to be on the
eve of forcing the next national nomination
OF that party over into that broad terri
tory. II Hill is beaten in New York. bet
ting men will be willing TO give odds of two
TO one that the democracy goes west the
next time for its presidential candidate
TEen, as some prominent democratic lead
son.
Weak Financial Record.
The weak spot in Mr.. Stevenson's armor
is thought to be the record he made while
in Congress on the financial question. He
was greenbacker at that time, and voted
for the imitation policy, which failed. He
also advocated that policy the stump,
and allied himself generally with those who
urged larger volume of paper money.
But Mr. StevenSon's friends do not believe
that he can be injured by that record now.
Ihat chapter, as they say, Is closed. And,
moreover, as they point out Mr. Stevenson
was in very distinguished democratic COM
Fany at that time. The greenback craze"
swept pretty generally over the party
Judge Newman ana Thomas A. Hendricks
were gre enbackerS, and MIR. Voorhees, now
at the head OF the finance committee of the
Senate, was even more extreme on that
question than Mr.. Stevenson. That record,
the Stevenson men say, is in the largest
measure the party's record, and the party
cannot escape from 1t any more than MIR.
Stevenson can. And, they assert, he is as
sound on the money question today as his
party is, ana would make as good a repre-
sentative of the party in office with that
question uppermost any member of 1t
anywhere. His record otherwise. his friends
congratulate themselves, has never been
criticised by democrats. He has always
advocated a low tariff and he has always
stood up stcGtly for putting democrats in
office whenever it might lie in the power
Of the party to do so.
This latter point is dwelt upon, and would
be relied upon to give him great strength as
a candidate with the rank and file. Nor is
1t a mere theory with him. He has given
proof of the faith that is in him. While
assistant postmaster general he swung the
AK so vigorously that all the republicans,
as well as the raugwumps, cried aloud. The
pile of heads grew day by day. and it was
said that the price of baskets in the neigh
borhood of the Post Office Department rose
to panic figures.
He Has Aided Hill.
1t has not escaped comment that while the
President has remained mute and the mem
bers of the cabinet inactive toward New
York Mr.. Stevenson promptly congratulated
Senator Hill on his nomination and went
to his assistance on the stump. This is a
circumstance upon which some of the demo-
cratic leaders are laying much stress. They
believe, too, that it will yield important re-
suits two years hence. Stevenson and Hill
have always been on good terms. The first
advances were made at Chicago in 1892,
when the nomination for Vice President
came up. The real contest was between
Stevenson and Gray, and the Hill men felt
outraged by the going over of the Gray
men to Cleveland for first place. They,
therefore, helped slaughter the Indianan,
and virtually nominated Stevenson. The
shout of the New Workers for the Illinois
man shook the convention building. and
Gray was no longer a factor from that mo-
ment. Hill, it is said, warmly approved of
what his friends had done. and when he
and Stevenson met in the Senate the one
democratic leader there. and the other
as the presiding officer, a warm friendship
cemented
Mr.. Stevenson, 1t is also recalled, accom-
panied Senator Hill to Albany last year and
was his guest at the time of the meeting of
the Bar Association. Several prominent
democratic Senators were also invited, but
were unable to go. Senator Hill was lust
then graphing with the adminstra tion over
New York matters, and Mr.. StevensOn's ac-
tion seemed both cordial and courageous
A Valuable Association.
In the opinion of one of the most prom
inent democrats in the country this good will
existing between Stevenson and Hill is Of
the first political import. They are the two
leaders in the party, according to this gen.
tleman, who cannot lose anything by
democratic reverse next Tuesday Both
have responded to the party's call to arms
and both will have done their best for the
party'S cause. Hill has taken command in
the face of almost appalling opposition, and
Stevenson, in total disregard of the attitude
of The administration, of which he is in a
measure a member, has gone to Hilrs as
sistanCe. If Hill wins Stevenson will come
in for part of the credit of the victory, and
be nearer and dearer to Hill than ever II
Hill loses, and one of the results is the
forcing of q western demand for the next
presidential nomination of the party, Steven
son, 1t is argued, Will be Hills choice, and
Hill will go to the convention at the head of
the New York delegation and take personal
charge Of the Stevenson forces. And the