Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-23
His Presidential Availability Again
Being Discussed.
SILVER STATES WOULD SUPPORT HIM-
Conditions Under Which He MIGHT
Be Nominated.
WOULD TAKE HIM ON FAITH

From time to time there has been some
talk Of Justice Harlan of the Supreme
Court as possible candidate for the presi-
dency. 1t lis again becoming the subject of
discussion among the men who make Pres
idents.
What the Silver States Want.
The public men of the republican silver
states adhere to their frequently repeated
declaration that the delegations from the
ten silver states of the west will make a
desperate fight for the nomination of a sill
yer man by the republican convention.
The possibility of the convention COM
plying with this demand is not regarded az
even worthy of discussion in the east. The
silver men will. however. probably put up
stiff fight, because in SO doing they will
be supported by the practically unanimous
sentiment of their section. In the aggre-
gate they are too small a number to have
mitch influence by their votes alone upon
the policy Of the convention.
Where They Place Their Reliance.
But it is expected that they will place
their reliance not upon the number Of sill
yer voters in the convention. but upon the
assumption that their states may be neces-
sary to the republicans in order to elect
after nominating. With this in mind. it is
expected that the same warning which the
leaders of that section have for months
been sounding, that the Rocky mountain
states cannot be carried for any but a sill
yer man, will be given in the convention.
and that they will threaten to run electors
on the republican ticket pledged not to vote
in the electoral college for the party NOM
inee II he is unfriendly to silver.
II Their Thrcnt Weighs.
This threat may have no effect at all
upon the convention, but II 1t does IT will
probably lead the majority to an attempt
to placate the silver men by putting up a
sound money man who has not made q
record and whose nomination would be
acceptable to their dissatisfied western
brethren. These latter are saying now that
they won't support Reed, Mckinley. Har-
rison, Allison or Morton, and. in fact, are
turning their backs on all the candidates
most talked of.
OF all those prominently to the front
Reed Is probably the least Objectionable to
them. What the silver men have got their
minds set on Ia to make a hard fight for
the nomination OF Cameron.
Chance for Justice Harlan.
1t is possible that with the large number
Of candidates in the field the nomination
may be delayed for some time. In that
event, IL the convention is disposed to re-
gard the threatening attitude OF the sill
yer delegates as serious, they may think
well of selecting some one not among the
evowed opposing candidates. who. besides
being a dark horse as among those at q
tie in the race, could hold the silver vote
to the party.
If this situation should develop Justice
Harlan would be the most likely man. He
is understood to be sound money man,
and the east would probably have no fear
of him on that score but at the same time
he would be acceptable to the western sill
yer people.
Would Take Him on Faith.
One Of the leading silver republicans OF
the west, in discussing the question, said to
a Star reporter that the silver people would
not bolt if Harlan were nominated, but
would support him as they would no one
else not of their selection. He said that
Harlan was probably the only man the
silver people would take on faith, not ask
ing what were his views on the silver ques-
ton. They would not make him their can
didate for the nomina ton, nor even suggest
his name, but If he were offered as a COM
promise candidate they would accept him
and help elect him.