The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-10-24
SHERMAN'S NEW BOOK
Insincere Acts OF Certain States.
men Are Revealed.
M'KINLEY AND HAYES HONEST.
The Senator Credits Them with Dealing
Fairly In Political Bargains- Others lie
Insinuates Treated Him Dishonest v.
Political Secrets of the Past Revealed.

Fairly In Political Bargains Others lie
InsInuatss Treated Him DishonestI v.
Political Secrets of the Past Revealed.
CHICAGO, Oct. l0-The intrigues, the
tealousies and the traitorious knife
thrusts of the last half century of
American state craft are revealed
In the fierce light OF stern criticism in
"John Sherman's Recollections of
Forty Years in tie House, Senate and
Cabinet" just published in this city.
The fear that the venerable senator
would reveal secrets long kept from
the public in his forthcoming work has
been to an extent realized. Grant.
Garfield, Blaine, Arthnr, Harrison and
other Republican leaders are spoken of
with unstinted praise for their high
personal worth or craftsmanship. but
each is in guarded and covert language
shown in the less commendable light
of scheming politicians. The criticism
is almost invariably implied rather than
direct, but IL stands out clearly in the
work as a whole. The book is very
evidently intended by the author as au
exposition of the financial policy of
the Republican party, which to a great
extent is his own, and about the eXteu.
sive and elaborate history Of American
finances is woven anecdote and per.
sonal "reminiscences.
Owing to the close association of
Mr. Sherman and James A. Garfield,
the criticism IN regard TO the
nomination of the latter for president
OF the United States is perhaps one of
the most striking features of the book.
The author, while carefully avoiding a
direct charge Of treaChery on the part
of the ex-president, very significantly
makes 1t plain that Mr.. Garfield was
nominated at a convention to which he
had gone as the trusted leader of the
Sherman forces After showing by
the publication of private letters, GOV.
ertnR period Of years of close political
and personal association, that Mr.. Gar.
field was in reality his political pro.
tege, Mr.. Sherman gives in detail the
history Of the national convention of
1880. Following the account of his
own struggle for the nomination, he
says:
I'm time l became thoroughly ad.
vised Of what occurred at the Chicago
convention and had become entirely
reconciled to the result, though fre.
quently afterward ! heard incidents
and details which oCcasioned me great
pain and which seemed to establish the
want Of sincerity on the part of some of
the delegates, and tended to show that
for some time before the meeting OF
the convention the nomination of Gar.
field had been agreed upon.
The sting felt by Garfield S detection
N 10 ah tyv
pressed during the discussion of the
national convention of 1892, where the
senator remarks: From later devel.
opments. became satisfied that Harri-
son could not be elected that Platt and
a powerful New York influence would
defeat him If nominated. | therefore
preferred the nomination of new man,
such as William Mckinley, but he had
committed himself to Harrison, and,
according to my code of honor, could
not accept nomination, even if ten
dered him"
When it was remembered that Blaine
was also candidate for the presidency
before the convention that nominated
Garfield. the significance of the follow
ing explanation on the part of Senator
Sherman of why he was not reap.
pointed by President Garfield as secre.
tary Of the treasury is readily under.
stood:
"In the latter part of November, 1880,
General Garfield came to Washington
and called upon Mr.. Blaine, who, it
was understood, was to be secretary of
state. Garfield came to my house
shortly from Blaine's and informed me
that he had rendered that office to
Blaine, and that it was accepted He
said that Blaine thought it would
not be polite to continue as sec.
retary of the treasury, as it would be
regarded as an unfriendly disCrimina.
tion by other members OF Hayes cabi.
net. promptly replied that | agreed
with the opinion OF Blaine, and was
candidate for the senate"
Again the author reverts to the Chi
cago convention in discussing the char.
acter of President Garfield. OF his per.
sonality and eloQuence he speaks in the
highest terms. His will power, he saws,
was not up to his personal magnetism.
he adds that his opinion changed easi.
ly. In this connection he says: when
proposed to HIM to be delegate at
large to the Chicago convention he no
doubt meant it in good faith to support
my nomination.
Something of the political scheming
that again resulted in the defeat of the
Ohio statesman in the national ConYen.
tion OF 1888 and brought about the
nomination of ex-President Harrison
can easily be read between the lines in
that part of the work devoted to this
struggle. In discussing the result Mr..
Sherman says that he became satisfied
that one delegate from New York con.
trolled the whole delegation from that
state, and between Saturday night,
when the nomination seemed certain TO
go to Sherman, and Monday morning,
when the tide turned in favor of Har.
rlson, corrupt bargain was made in
the interests Of the latter, which Sc
cured him the support of New York
and gave him the nomination. Con.
the author states in fairness
to the eX'president: "It is to the credit
OF General Harrison to say that if the
reputed bargain was made it was with.
out his consent at the time"
Ion the eve of another national cam
paign In which sxPresident Harrison
is expected to figure prominently, Mr..
sherman does not hesitate TO state that
Ia lS02she did not consider Harrison q
strong candidate To his cold and alb.
rupt manner he attributes his unpopu.
larity at that time.
Space is devoted by the author to an
account of the important events of
each administration. In this connec-
tion Mr.. Sherman lays bare many of
the jealousies, political chickering's and |
clash Of ambitions that disturb the !
harmony of the party in power. OF
Grants administration, he says it was
q period Of scandal and slander. Per-
haps the " ere criticism of General |