The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-14
A QUESTION OF wHISKERS.


political ambition. A political sage who
quoted the proverb yesterday handed out
the following list OF smooth faced politi-
clans. Democrats and Republicans:
William II. Seward, William Il. Rus
sell, Hoke Smith, John q. Carlisle, VIII
liam Mckinley Levi I; Morton, samuel
Bissell, William NJ. Evarts, Thomas q.
Reed.
All are familiar with the career OF Mr..
Seward as aovernor OF the State OF New
York, as United States Senator for the
State, 9nd as Secretary Of state In Mr..
delegation went TO Chicago in 1860 to
present the name OF Mr.. Seward for Presi-
dent every man in the delegation was
positive That MIR. Seward would be the
candidate. From blr. Eyarts, who pre-
sented Mr.. Stewards name TO the ccnven-
tion, down to Tom Hyer the pugiI,si who
was also q delegate, not one believed
that Mr.. Seward could he beaten. The
other dav Mr.. ~Evarts recalled many OF
the incidents OF the convention, and
smiled when he said:.
81 don't know whether hoodoocd Mr..
Seward or he noodcoci me. We both
had smooth faces, and perhaps that wss
the cause of our failule. | am not pre-
pared to dispute the superstition" II
has been well known for ~ years that
Mr.. Evarls han In his heart an an. bitiOn
to he President The highest rung In
political fame attained by Mr.. Seward
was as Mr.. Lincoln's Secretary OF State
and Mr.. Evarts was Hayes Secretary OF
State
Coming along to Mr.. Tnden, everybody
comedies now that he was elected Presf-
dent in 1876. But what with the Chand-
lers, the vote OF partisan Republican, in
the Supreme Court OF the United States,
and mis- smooth face, Mr.. iilden was
kept out OF the place. The hoodoo against
smoot H. faced politicians has heep in OPP
position only. since Mr.. Lincoln's time,
according to the soothsayers. II is Rlso
true that up to few months before the
Chicago convention which nominated
Lincoln he was smooth faced; but just
prior to the convention he began TO grow
those raven chin and cheek wbiskers.
Mr.. Russell has been Governor OF Massa-
chusetts, and he has been put forward
by the Democrats OF that State as their
candidate for President. There Is no de-
but he should remember lis smooth face,
and that his boom may fall as flat as the
boom OF Secretary Carlisle. another
smooth-shaven man, who Tor the lest
twenty years has believed that he should
be the Democratic candidate tor tresi-
dent, and who was shaping tsriffs when
Mr.. Cleveland was Mayor OF Buffalo, and
long before.
Senator German. in the estimation Of
many Democrats, could have captured the
nomination for irssident at chicago in
1892, but he had no whiskers, ana Mr..
Cleveland again captured the prize.
Secretary Hoke smith has face 90
smooth as a baby's. and so has ex-Post-
master General 81 n. The Georgia Dem
ocrats have whispcied IN the ear Of Mr.
Smith that he should be their candidate
for President; and then Mr.. Smith has
n A. H.. 49,
"How can j get over that awful super
stitution about he fato Of Presidential
candidates with smoot shaven faces2"
The Hon. Mr.. Bissell's friends in Buha-
10 do not believe that he will ever reach
the Presidential nomination. Not only
Is he smooth-tacen man himself, but hs
mas also listened o the advice of another
smooth-faced individual, the Hon. Frank
lin ID. Locke and between the two there
is little or no hope for Mr.. Bissell.
The Hon. Mr.. Mckinley of Obio Is
smoot thfaced man who believes that he Is
10 be the next President of the United
States. Mr.. Mckinley started his boom
in 1858, and II fell fiat before the wbisk-
cred boom OF the Hon. Mr.. Harrison. In
1892, at Minneapolis, the smooth face OF
Mr.. Mckinley was again in evidence, and
although he received 162 votes IN that
convention, the whiskers of General
harrison again won out. Jrst so it 10 be-
June. The superstition concerning the
fate OF smoot h-fSced Presidential posi-
bilities has held It's own for lver 80 year.
Mr.. Mckinley like MIR. 1ilden, may be
nomi mated bat even this rs not cofSceded
by those Republican politicians with
whisk ers and moustaches like Mr.. Plstt,
Mr.. Quay and General Clsrkson. If Mr.
Nick inf y should receive the nomination,
according to the superstition he Will not
reach the Presidential chair any more
than Mr.. Tilden nid. While the the re-
ports from his home in Canton depict
him as rippling with eT thusiasm, In ! he
quiet hours of the night this hoodoo OF
smoot h. faced politicians hsunts HIM. ard
ihs chills vibrate tue hinges IN his spinal
column.
There isn't q politician, Eemoetratic or
Republican, who did not soy Yesterday
that he was Rlrajd that the Lon. M
Reed committed grave Eollt'ca mistake
when he shaved off that silken nloustsche
last fall. Mr.. Reed was ell right mp TO
that time, and just who the arch sDemy
was who advised Him 10 Join the tanks OF
smooth-faced politicians, whether II was
Joe Manley or not, Is ohe Of the unsolved
mysteries in Mr.. Reeds career. But be
did shave OF the moustache and he did
come out with baby face, simlls IN
many respects TO that Of Hoke Smith and
Wilson Bissell. and while his friends in
the New Engiand States are iighting day
end night to bring about his elevation at
ST. Louis, the hoodoo of the smooth fnce
may floor him just as 1t will floor The
Hon. Mr.. Mckinley of Ohio Before MIR.
Reed committed that awful mistake OF
shaving that moustache he was consid-
cred the Goliah of his party. but with his
moustache gone his politial nerve seems
to have gone. and, f,llowing out The
superstition, some OF the delegates from
the New England States that he has
couptoo upon have gone, too And, ac-
cording TO the political wiseaercs. Mr..
Reed mas nothing TO blame ,ut that
smooth face of his.
1t is little hard, It was said yesterday,
to call attention TO the fact that Governor
Morton Is a smooth-fsced inaL. when
he was in Congress he had side whiskcrs
rpd a moustachc, like a prosperous
banker. Mr.. Morton. 1t was recalled,
started his political career as whiskered
Repu blican. But, alas now he Is smooth
faced, and 1t was the opinion yesterday
that 1t will require oil OF the whiskers
thst Mr.. Platt hes grown since he for.
sook the razor, 40 years ago, to shove
Governor Morton into the Preeid ats
chair in the White House.