The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-02-24
A BOOM FOR MORRISON
His Strength and His Weakness
as a Candidate.
DEMOCRATIC PLANS AND PURPOSES
Why the Original Horizontal Tariff Re-
CORNER Ia Not Acceptable to the Admin
isf-tioa-Taik Of whitney. oiney and of
the presidept Himself.

fsfl-tioa-Taik of whitney. oiney and of
the President Himself.
WAsHINGToS Feb. %. Especial. =
Great things arc going on under the sur
face in the political world. Up to u.s.
time the Republican presidential situat4oa
has monopolized attention In the current
gossip of the day, but now the Democratic
plans and manouvers are beginning TO re-
aeiye their share of speculation and
manipulation. IL is upon high authority
; am able TO make the statement that the
administration wing Of the Democratic
party is now engaged casting about for
candidate upon whom TO center their
strength in the Chicago convention next
July. They have realized the necessity OF
having some organized movement to pre-
sent in opposition to the effort which Is
being made TO place In nomination Colo
mel William X. Morrison OF Illinois Mr..
Morrison is now the leading candidate.
He is virtually the only one for whom
great deal of work is being DONE The
Morrison movement has assumed large
proportions. 1t is engaged in by both
sound money and silver men, and this fact
gives the keynote to what Is called the
Morrison boom.
a Cr,eckmating Movement.
s.. are trying to make Mr..
Morrison the candidate have for their car
dinal principle the idea that the party
must have harmony ON the financial ques-
| tion or IL cannot win. With Morrison
they say harmony can be secured; that he
| Is satisfactory to the silver men on account
! Of his conservatism and his devotion TO
old time Democratic principles, and that
he ought to be satisfactory to the sound
money wing of the party because he Is
himself sound money man with con-
sistent record behind him. As proof OF
this claim they point TO the fact that Mr..
Morrison is now being enthusiastically
supported by boih sound money and free
silver men in The states of Illinois and Mis-
souri, and others. They go farther and say
that Mr. Morrison Is the only man who
has thus far been suggested who occupies
| n position which would lead TO harmony
| in the marty; that he Is the only man on
whom the two wings can unite, and that
therefore his nomination is inevitable
But TO these propositions the admins
tration mon do not consent. In 1act, tney
have taken alarm at the growth Oh the
, Morrison movement and are now casting
about for means Of checkmatipg 1t. They
suspect, or pretend TO suspect, Mr.. Nor
rison's soundness on the currency cues
; ton. They fear that while he Is theo-
retically correct and In sympathy with
them he trains too much with the silver
forces and has too many warm friends IN
, that camp. In administration circles one
, hears very often the statement, which Is
not accompanied by proof, that Mr.. NOR
rison has promised the silver men that, II
elected president, he will sign free coin
: age bill should congress pass one. The ad-
ministration people admit this Is not IKE
ly TO present real danger, and that Colo
mel Morrison is quite safe In making sucn
: a promise, If indeed he has made one,
for he is not likely to be elected president,
and there is 10 earthly probability of the
; next or the ensuing congress passing q
bill for the free coinage of silver. But they
y ~fslot y would never do to permit the Tree
! .lre. faloes TO obtain the mastery In party
councils. In their opinion that would set
the party back 20 years and destroy at one
blow all the good results obtained by MT.
/ Cleyeland's leadership toward what they
f term the sound and safe principles 81
l. finance.
D Colonel Morrison's characteristics.
l. To Mr. Morrison personally they have
!. no public objections. They admit him to
u be an honest and patriotic man, and even
/ concede that he would make an admirable
50 candidate, with his simplicity and rugged
L ness of character and his nearness TO th'
r people. The fact that he served In the
" Mexican war and the rebellion, and thai
he has ever since been prominently identi
fed with tariff reform, would in some 70
:. spects strengthen him as popular candi
date. Privately, however, there are SO
rious objections TO Colonel Morrison. H'
G IA well known as an implacable opponen
% of Mr.. Cleveland When the president wa
'r inaugurated, three years ago, Mr.. MOTIF
n son swore he would not set foot In tn
ST White House " bile Mr.. Cleveland remain
IL ed there, and he has so far kept his word
Efforts have been made to bring apou
peace between the two men, but witnou
success. 1t Is said of Colonel morrison
that. while one Of the most lovable oil mel
* "a 80 - - nd to those who are honor
Il. a..t A.- CalAdence, he is implacable 4
oil his.onmiries and waspish and disagreeabi
at with those who fall under his displeasur
m or suspicion. These are the objections c
II men who do not intend TO permit him :
be nominated IL they can help IT, and the
think they can.
other Names Mentioned.
But they realize that MIR. Morrison car
nn not be beaten without candidate 10 n
'as against him, and they are now looking IN
us field over for the most available man.
M MIR whitney would consent to the use
hg his name, all the administration strengt
les would be thrown to him with much ei
thusiasm. Indeed 1t Is probable Nj
whitney could DO easily nominated IL !
were to say the word. But 30 far NJ
N whitney refuses to be considered In u
ne field. He even goes so far as to say TN
ed he would refuse the nomination II IL we
rendered him. Efforts are being made
induce him to reconsider. but they are n
likely TO be successful. Mr.. whitney
ner sincere In his declarations that he cares
\. more for political honors. All he wants
sh' 20 be let alone TO enjoy his wealth and u
leisure. But he has host OF admire
throughout the country who are pressi
him 60 stand for the presidency.
NO Other names under consideration by q
xed members of the administration are tho
a'e o. Secretary Olney, who has grown We
fast of late In popular csteom, ana VINO
admitted to be ono of the greatest seci
taries of state tho country has ever hn
of Secretary Carlisle, against whom the
am. yer men are particularly bittor, and Po
master General Wilson. There Is sol
rit,- talk for Ex-Governor Pattison OF Penns
yania, but for reasons not fully explain
Re the administration Democrats In Washir
ton do not warm up to him very mu'
~l< ~ nVrOnrTH(W