Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-06
THE ALLISON BOOM
Its Launching is Approved in Po-
litical Circles.
he MUST FIGHT IN bis CLASS
History Of Former Nominations
Applied to His Case.
NOT A COMPROMISE MAN

The announcement that Senator Allison is
| to become an active candidate for the pres
| idency and that his friends everywhere will
! push his claims to the ominat:on is the
| subject Of much approving comment in po-
lit:cal circles. 1t is regarded as eminently
the wise and proper thing to be done. Mr.
| Allison 1t is held. being a leader, must
| make his play among the leaders. He is
much too distinguished veteran to make a
successful play either on compromise or
dark horse lines, and hence If he is to win
at all it must be as open and avowed
asp.rant, with all of his following well in
hand.
In the Light of History.
In the discussion of this question some
| interesting history is quoted. and it is con-
strued to show that men of Mr.. Allison's
emine1ce in affairs-men upon whom the
white light that beats upon office has for so
| long been turned-are never the men selected
by nominating conventions after hot and
protracted struggle has cleared the way for
a surprise. The men chosen IN those cir
cumstances are either comparatively OBJ
scure, and are taken upon trust by strong
men who expect to influence them, or else,
If well known, known for qualities chiefly
amiable. Mr.. Allison, 1t is pointed out, is
very far from being an obscure man, and
while an amiable man, is very far from be-
ing a weak or pliable one.
Beginning is made with the republican
convention of 1860. Mr.. Lincoln won over
| brilliant field largely because, as compared
with the field, he was an unknown man.
Mr.. Seward and the other leaders had fought
each other to standstill practically before
the convention assembled. The result was
the nomination of the modest man from
Illinois, whose really great qualities were
| not at that time by strangers even sus-
pected.
Nobody supposed that this inexperienced
politician would be able to gather his expert
| enced rivals around cabinet table and
dominate the discussion like a master of
statecraft Had his great qualities been
known at that time would he have been
chosen after other men of known great
qualities had gone down?
In 1876 Mr.. Hayes was chosen after the
strong men had destroyed one another. He
was an unknown man, as compared with
Mr.. Blaine, Mr.. Morton of Indiana and Mr..
Conkling. He proved a surprise and disap-
pointment to those of his sponsors who
thought themselves assured Of controlling
him. He had larger power than they had
dreamed of.
Four years later Gen. Garfield carried the
day very largely. 1t is now known. because
of his chummy nature. Mr.. Sherman and
MIR. Blaine alike were out of the question
as compromise men. Neither could have
| managed the other, and the accurate
knowledge that each had Of the other made
united action in the favor of either impos-
SIDE. MT. blalne nominated zen.
and during the short time they were to-
gether in office he demonstrated his in
fuence over his chief. He had made no
mistake on that score.
Cleveland a Surprise.
Mr.. Cleveland, when first nominated for
! the presidency, was a stranger to his party
as well as to the country. His New York
record had not conveyed to the democratic
| leaders any idea of the scope of his quail
| ties. He was reputed to be a little "heady"
MIR. Tilden had said that of hm-but there
| was a notion that when Mr. Bayard, Mr..
Beck, Mr.. Hendricks and Judge Thurman
| got hold of him they would mold him into
a fairly acceptable President. This delu-
sion vanished in sixty days after he came
to the White House. Instead of the veter-
ans getting bit into his mouth, he deftly
inserted bits into their mouths-curbs at
that-and he has had his own way with the
team ever since. If they had it to do over
again, would the democrats call Mr.. Cleve-
| land to leadership?
Harrison a Surprise.
r. The republicans once more in 1855 took
I'D compromise man. Mr.. Sherman, Mr..
Allison, Mr.. Depew, all we're strong in the
| race, but none of them could win. Mr..
Blaine. who might have had the nomina-
! ton for lifting his finger, refused the use
| Of his name. Gen. Harrison, while not an
obscure man, did not at that time rank
L.
| tional estimation. He had made a good
Senator, was known as a very able lawyer,
had earned fine praise as soldier, and
| hat was the record. The great. sagacity
| of the man, his felicity of expression and
| his unsuitable resolution in dealing with
affairs, remained largely unrevealed He
was taken as compromise man, but he
turned out to be a leader of leaders. Would
! the republicans have put him up as against
| the then considered leaders if they had
suspected the wise head and the indomita-
BILE heart of the man?
Applied to Mr.. Allison.
This history is applied to Mr.. Allison's
case in this way: Nominating conventions
| select men who are altogether known and
whom they cannot resist, or else men, who
are very little known and whom the con-
yention managers hope to control Mr. AL
| lison therefore, in order to win, must light
| in his class. He is one of the best-known
men in his party, and one of the most high
| ly considered. If he is to be chosen, 1t will
| be because after full show of strength his
| kind of strength is approved and considered
| both available and necessary in the con-
| test before the people. The convention it is
| held, would never take him up, could never
| take him up, on other grounds. No man
ager for any of his rivals would, in losing
| | is first choice, go to the Iowa Senator
| through any hope OF bossng him or con-
trolling him in case of success at the polls
There would not be the slightest room for
any misapprehension on that score. Polit-
| ical managers often take risks of that kind,
and, as rule, are disappointed, but it is
always the gamblers instinct that asserts
itself They must feel, though they be
never so much mistaken, that they have a
| chance to win. In Mr.. Allison's case they
| would know everything. There would be no
| chance about it, He has been before the
public so long. all of his qualities are cata-
| iogued TO the fullest. The kind of Presi-
| Gent he would make is known of all men.
Grievance of the L'Ouverture Club.
At a recent meeting of the L'Ouverture
| Catholic Lyceum resolutions were unani-
| mously adopted appointing committee to