The herald., 1896-03-11
A GREAT COMBINATION

The next Republican presidential
candidate will probably be the product
of the political firm of Quay and Plat
That the Pennsylvania senator and
the New York ex-senator have agreed
to act together in the matter of naming
the man to be defeated by the Democ-
racy next fall, is so apparent az to be
almost notorious. The political part
nership of Quay and Plat is the most
important OF the year, and it is
the most powerful that can be
made by any two men in
the Republican party. The re.
cent successes of Quay have assured
his control CT the Pennsylvania dele
cation to the next national Republican
convention. He may not be able to
dictate the vote of all the delegates
but he will of at least three-fourths.
At the last Republican presidential
convention, forty-hve out of forty-six
delegates we're swung by him. His
hold is every bit as strong now as
then. The chances are that the same
proportion of control will be shown by
him at st. Louis.
Mr.. Platt is substantially as power
full in New York state as Quay in the
commonwealth of Protection and Pink.
ertons. His control is not 80 perfect,
but 1t is enough to hold things, and
that is all politician really cares for.
l. is entirely within the probabilities
to say that Plat will control in the
neighborhood Of sixty delegates from
New York. The combination can be
safely credited with the power of d.
recting the votes of from 100 to
125 men from tie two states
of New York aud Pennsylvania. And
il the unit rule is adopted in one or
both delegations, it can swing a much
larger aggregate. A majority in the
Republican convention will consist of
$50 votes and with Plat and Quay in a
position to command at least one quar-
ter of that majority out of the delega-
tions from only two states, it is reason
able to suppose that the ticket nomin-
ated by the convention will be one to
which they have assented. In fact.
with the present situation in
the Republican party no candidate
for the nomination can secure it with
out the vote Of the Platt-Quay combi-
nation. There ia multiplicity of "fs-
vorite sons" in the list of candidates,
each representing a certain degree of
local strength and more or less sympa-
thetic support from other states.
There is no candidate who can COM
bine the west against the east, or vice
versa; no candidate who can hope to
make coalition that will secure a
majority Of the conventions votes
that will not include those of the dele
gates from the Empire and the pie
iron states.
By making the deal Plat and Quay
have virtually placed themselves il
the position of debating the next Re-
publican presidential nominee. The
candidates know this and they all ap-
pear to be to greater or lesser extent
solicitous about the support of the big
combine. As to whom that support
will 60 no man at the present writing
can tell with certainty. Reed is
known to stand we'll with
both Plat and Quay, in fact
is declared by many closely in touch
with the ex-senator to be the latter's
frat choice. The candidacy of Gov.
ernor Morton is ALSO asserted to be in
Platt's care. The probabilities are that
the manipulation is agreeable to the
candidacy Of either, and that he will
favor taking up the one that seems
most available when the nominating
time rolls around. Morton is also
known to stand we'll in the estimation
of Quay, while Allison is supposed tc
be the second choice of both. McKin.
ley, the tariff crank of Ohio, is appar.
emily not on the Quay-Platt list--for &
nomination, and he never has been.
Tools of American manufacture are
cutting their way into the English
market in amer that should be
highly satisfactory to the people o.