Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-15
Republicans Puzzled Over the Presi-
Dental Nomination Situation.
A REPETITION OF 1876 FEARED
The Present Big Four and Their
Crowd Of Supporters.
NO COMPROMISE CANDIDATE

shaping up in way to give some promi-
| nent members of that party a shade of
uneasiness. They fear a repetition of the
experience of 1876 when the strong men
succeeded in killing off one another in the
national convention, and the nomination in
the end went to a man with only a local
prestige and following. The result was
| campaign of many difficulties, and returns
from the polls that came near to plunging
the country into second civil war.
The Convention of 1876.
1t is recalled that when the republican
| national convention met in Cincinnati that
year there were four prominent asprants
! for the nomination: Blaine, Conkling, Nor
ton and Bristow. Blaine led easily. and
looked like a winner. Conkling had the
powerful delegation from his state behind
him, and while it was thought that he was
| in the race principally to defeat Blaine, he
was attractive a figure he was seriously
to be feared by the other candidates In
breakup. Morton was still the idol of the
old soldiers who cherished lively recol-
lections of his career as the war governor
| of Indiana, and Brstow was in the race
with his recently acquired glory of having
| overthrown the whisky ring. 1t was
fine field, and the most intense interest was
aroused. The party managers realized that
the best foot must be put foremost. Mr.
Tildan's nomination by the democracy was
already plainly foreshadowed, and would
prove. it could be seen, very strong before
the people. An effort was made to tone
down some of the asperities that existed
and seemed to be growing every hour, and
thus bring about the nomination OF man
cf national reputation. and the most posi-
tive strength. But matters got entirely be-
yond the control of the cooler heads pres
ent.
TIE old feuds all broke out afresh, and
the Blaine and Conkling row, the Grant
and Br;stow row, and half a dozen other
nfS lar u
blesome, We're renewed in the committee
| rooms and the floor of the convention,
and all of the leading candidates We're one
after another effectualiy laid out. The con-
vention in the end took Governor Hayes. a
| man of very high character and. very good
abilities, but not ranking with the natlonal
| leaders of his party, and therefore, need
ing introduction to the country. Party
spirit was chilled, and ii was not until jate
in the campaign that the party meetings
showed any degree of warmth whatever.
Enthusiasm X was impossible to arouse at
any stage of the game.
Four Strong Candidates.
There are now four strong men in the
run for next years republican prize: Har-
rison, Reed, Mckinley and Sherman. There
are other aspirants, and some of them pos
sess elements of availability, but the big
four first named have large and enthusias-
tic followings and are making the race one
of great interest. Some feeling is begin
ming to show itself No bitterness exists,
as existed between Blaine and Conkling
and between Grant and Bristow, but a
hunt for a presidential nomination is
great developer of personalities and what
candidate may not himself originate, or
even indorse, he may find himself in some
way and measure committed to by the eX-
cessive zeal of active supporters
The situation. it is conceded, needs watch
ing on this score. Promising as the out
look is to the republicans, the conservative
leaders of the party want nothing taken tor
granted. They desire the nomination OF
man of real strength, whose name is lden,
titled with the party's national history, and
who would need no Introduction to the
country. The party, they insist, must put
its best foot foremost. The issues, II not
PARTY eXigency, will demand this. The
country, even if resolved in advance to re-
store the party fully to power, will ask,
and have right to ask, that the leader
represent in himself the partys best
achievements and purposes The compro-
mise man is too frequently the unknown
man. and an unknown man IN such con-
test as is promised for next year might
make Shipwreck OF even the most Hatter-
ing prospects.
There is not so much fear IT, indeed, any
great fear at all, of any biunders or ex-
cesses being committed by the candidates
themselves. They stand well with the coun-
try and with one another. Gen. Harrison
and Mr.. Reed are reported as being not
so very fond Of each other. but no open
warfare has ever existed. But 1T Is true
that some of the champions of the leaders
are at drawn swords with each other. and
meeting at the head of delegations in
national convention would be likely, in
their present frame of mind to be more
aggressive than disc1 eet. Messrs. Plattand
Quay, and Cfarkson, would, it is believed,
resort to extreme measures to defeat Gen.
Harrison, while some of the Mckinley peo-
ple talk with equal earnestness against Mr..
Reed The stakes wilt be great, the play
high, and the temptations to resort to eX-
treme measures very strong.
No Compromise Wanted.
1t is suggested, by way of comfort, that
il compromise man becomes necessary
the party has excellent material from
v hich to choose II is also suggested that
Governor Hayes made a most capable
President and gave the country one of the
cleanest and most servicable administra-
tons in its history. Sectionaltsm largely
disappeared during his term, and specie
payments were resumed. But all of this
came necessarily after the election. Whit
is most recalled now is that at the time he
v as nominated his strength was bu. little
Known and the campaign by reason of
that fact, languished, and defeat was
averted by only the narrowest of margins.
The belief has always been that had either
Senator Morton or Senator Conk1ing been
nominated that year the republicans would
easily have defeated even as astute man