The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-27
THE NEXT u S, PRESIDENT,
General Williamson Says a
Republican Will be
Elected.
CLEVELAND TO RUN AGAIN.
The Comparative Merits of Allison,
Harrison and Cleveland
Discussed.

General ]. A. Williamson, who was ap-
pointed Comm issioner General of the Land
Office during the second term of President
Grant and continued in office throughout
the entire administration of President
Hayes, and served several months under
President Garfield, came as near serving
in the Cabinet as any man ever did who
was not appointed Cabinet Minister. He
is sojourning at the Palace Hotel, having
been obliged to forego the pleasure of a
summer voyage to Alaska by reason of an
attack of rheumatic govt. In a talk yes
terday on the topics of National politics
and Presidential timber the general said:
cleveland is the logical candidate of
the Democrats for another term, and 1 be-
lieve that he will be nominated by that
party. There are not many available men
in the party. It must be taken into con-
sideration that the brainiest leaders of the
party are in the South, and the ablest of
them served in the Confederate army.
Now in the light of good politics, a man
who served in the rebel army, be he ever
so capable and popular, is not an eligible
candidate. Democratic political managers
fully comprehend this fact, and so they
are compelled to take a leader from Demo
crafts of the North, who ought to have been
in the Confederate army, but were not
there.
Democrats require strong personality
of leadership" continued General Will
hanson, land Clevelend represents that
personality. He has been able to guide
the party to the support of his own policy
as no man ever before directed a party.
The elements composing the organization
must have leadership of that character.
Again, it must be admitted that Cleveland
is what we call q safe man and is governed
by fairly good Judgment. He is, it is true,
a monometallist. believing in the single
standard of gold. His party is not with
him on this question, but he will bring dis
senting Democrats into line. He does not
believe in protection to labor in the form
Of tariff, and would be an out and out free
trader if it were not that import duties
are necessary to sustain the Government.
We must give Cleveland credit for nerve
and strength OF purpose. In calling out
the troops to suppress the railroad strike
he knew that a majority of the men who
were bent on the work of wrecking trains
and burning cars belonged to his own
party. He used the force of the Govern
rGent to restore order, and 1t indicated
happy state of feeling in the Nation that
Congress acquiesced in that exercise OF
executive authority.
1.-THE great corporations of the country,
and especially the railway companies, re-
gard Cleveland, therefore, as safe man,
one whose judgment can be trusted, and
that counts a great deal in a party which
has scant material of leadership"
General Williamson was asked to ex-
plain the reason why SO many people in
the East were speaking so confidently of
ex-President Harrison's chances of getting
the Republican nomination.
"In the Republican party" remarked
the General, mot SO much Weights at
tached to personality; but Harrison. like
Cleveland, is regarded as safe man. Just
after the railroad strike he was reported to
have criticized Cleveland's policy of call
ing out the troops; but he fastened to
deny the report. Harrison's strength is
simply this, that he made no mistakes
while at the head of the Nation. Men
knowing him best know that he is cold,
unsympathetic and in some respects mar
row minded. Yet his judgment is good,
his intellect clear and withal be is patri-
otto. In word he is a safe man. The
country knows that he will make no mis-
takes-do nothing rash or hasty. A COM
paratively small number of people knew
him personally. The vast majority
Judge him by his record in office. Like
Cleveland Harrison is a monometallist.
Both parties will nominate single stand
ard men, and each go into the contest
under the gold banner.
lieves, no doubt, in the divine right of
kings. He is convinced that it was or
dained millions of years ago that his
grandfather should be President and he
should be President himself"
Speaking of Senator Allison, General
Williamson said: SIN my judgment,
Allison is the safest man of all. He has
been thirty-two years in Congress, and is
serving his fourth term in the Senate.
have known him since 1860. Of all men in
public life he would be the last one to act
in haste, or to do anything rash. He is
deliberate in his Judgment by nature, and
his long training has taught him the value
of calm reflection. He has been so long in
public life and has been so closely idenri-
fed with the settlement of great National
questions that he feels the pulse of the
people more intelligently than any other
man mentioned. Allison is a patricia
broad man-broad in his sympathies and
charities. He understands the sentiment
of the people of the country on the silver
question, but perceives the difficulty of this
Nation alone settling the problem.
1.-THE Presidential contest" continued
General Williamson, will be made on
the tariff. Both the leading parties will
unfurl the single gold standard. There is
no time and there is no leadership to or
ganize silver party. If the right kind of
leadership for organization could be found
silver party would sweep the country.
The fight will come on the tariff. In my
Judgment the Republicans will win. For
some time longer American labor must be
protected. Even if the imporJ duties were
not absolutely necessary to support the
Government the levy of the duty should
be made to protect American industries.
cleveland will be a candidate on free
trade platform against the Republican
nominee, and whether our candidate shall
be Allison. Harrison, Mckinley, Reed or
Peck the Republicans will win"
Will Return tn Her Mother.