The record-union., 1896-01-13

bull of this city, who prior to 1855, was
successfully Representative i'm Con-
gress and Justice of the State Supreme
Court, and for the three terms begin
ming that year and ending in 1873, rep
resented Illinois in the Senate of the
United States, may be the standard
bearer of the Populist party in the ap-
preaching Presidential campaign.
While no official overtures to that
end have yet been made to him, it is
understood that his availability will
be canvassed at the meeting of the Ma
tional Committee of the party, which
is to be held at ST. Louis on Friday
next to decide on the time and place
for holding the National Convention,
and that quite a number of members
of the committee representing States
in which the Populists have material
strength will be favorably disposed to-
ward Judge Trumbulls candidacy.
The only other name which is likely
to be talked of is that of United States
Senator Marion Butler of South Caro-
lima. One of his Populist associates of
that body, however, Senator w. v. Al
len Of Nebraska, is regarded in the
light of a dark horse, and may be
brought prominently to the front
should declinations or other circum-
stances tend to place Judge Trumbull
or Senator Butler outside the pale of
consideration. Beyond the three gen
tlemen in question, no other names
have been mentioned as the nominee
of the party for President
A National Committeeman from a
far Western State, who was in this
rit fcr sicsf a
said it was eminently desirable that
at its meeting next week the National
Committee should look over the field
and discuss the outlook for Presiden-
tial candidates.
I'VE do not propose" he said, "to
be again placed in the dilemma that is
part of the history of the Omaha Con-
ventfon of 1892 1t will be remem-
bered that, so certain were our leaders
that Gresham would accept the nom
ination, no other name was given con-
sideration, and up to the opening of
the convention it was regarded as GER
tain that the committee we had labor
ing with him away down in Indiana,
where he had gone to attend the funeral
of a relative, would succeed in obtain
ing consent for the presentation of his
L
think for the first time, that the inn
mediate members of Judge Gresham's s
family were strongly in favor of his
placing himself in our hands, and that
so far as he himself was concerned
his objections were more personal than
political.
'It will be remembered, moreover
that on that memorable Fourth of
July we convened and adjourned, re-
convened and again adjourned, talked
and sang to kill time, and did not give
UP until the final and authenticated
refusal from Judge Gresham was wired
into the convention hall. Then we were
in quandary. Time was getting short,
somebody had to be nominated, and the
choice fell upon General Weaver.
Il have nothing to say against the
old greenback warrior of Iowa, but the
fact is now recognized in the party that
he was not the strongest man that
might have been nominated had there
been more time for deliberation, and
that had we not made the mistake of
pinning our faith exclusively upon
Judge Gresham's acceptance, we might
have had another standard bearer un-
Ger whose leadership our campaign
would have been more potent of results
This time we propose to look ahead
and to know just where we stand with
cut waiting until the convention is act
ually in session. Out my way there is a
strong feeling favorable to Judge Trum-
bull, on account of the stand he has
taken of later years against the growth
of centralizing tendencies in the Ma
tional Government and the gradual con-
eentration of capital in the hands of a
few, to the injury of the masses. l be-
lieve that either Judge Trumbull or
Senator Butler of North Carolina would
he highly acceptable, not only to the
Populists but to the silver and reform
elements, and with the name of one or
the other at the masthead we might
kindle a wave of enthusiasm that would
sweep over the country"
The first intimation that his name
was being seriously spoken of in con-
rection with the first place on the Popu-
list ticket was conveyed to Judge Trum-
bull this evening by a representative of
the United Press. Despite the fact that
he has rounded his SD year, the vener-
able ex-statesman is as bright mentally
and as active physically as the average
clear and his manner as earnest and
vigorous as in the days when, on the
floor of the United States Senate, he
enunciated the doctrine which he after
ward wrote as the Thirteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution, that neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude shall
exist in the United States
To the intimation he quickly re-
turned the suggestion that he had long
since been out of politics, and that
moreover his advanced age should pre-
clude the possibility of his being called
again into harness. To the suggestion.
however, that, physically at least, he
was in better shape than was Mr..
Blaine in the campaign in 1884, or Mr..
Thurman in the campaign Of 1888. he
cid not interpose a negative, and while
avoiding any absolute expression of
opinion one way or the other, his man
ner left the inference that, We're he ap-
preached with the sanction Of the Ma
tional Committee. he might be persuad-
ed to place himself in the hands of the
convention.
In the course of the conversation, he
said that the suggestion of his name
probably grew out of the fact that a
year ago, after a conference of the re-
form elements at St. Louis, he was
waited upon by a committee that