The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-03
some POLITICAL HISTORY
Facts Brought to Light by Senator
Sherman'S RecOllectiOnS
GOVERNOR FORAKER'S NERVE
lie Withstood Temptation and Was True
TO Ills Friend TO the Last Causes
That Led TO the Nomina.
tion OF Harrison.


New York Jan. THE discussion
evoked by the publication OF Senator
Sherman's recollections Is bringing to
light a great deal of political history.
some of which is of extraordinary in
terest and Importance. A complete his
tory of the convention which nominated
Harrison will perhaps not be written
hut great many salient facts has been
related within the last few days. Sem
atOr Elkins, of West Virginia. In an in
terview in Washington. recently said
that he was Mr.. Baine's personal rep
resentative In the convention of 1883
and was in frequent communication
with him by cable. He. and he alone.
possessed the cipher code of which they
made use.
1.-The Blaine forces in the convention
in 1885," said Mr.. Elkins. ~were compact
and efficiently organized. The nomina-
tion of General Harrison was not the
result of bargain of any kind, as Sem
ator Sherman has perhaps been led to
believe. 1t grew naturally out of the
situation and was inevitable. Many of
the Blaine men wanted to go to Gov
crnOr Foraker. In the excitement Incl
dent to the continued refusal of Mr.
Blaine to allow his name to be placed
before the convention from the time of
its adjournment Saturday until Mon
day. there was considerable discussion
as to candidates and who would be
named. a great many Blaine men and
others discussed the name of Foraker
on the ground that he could perhaps
have the entire vote of Ohio in case 1t
broke away from Sherman. This went
so far that some of Mr. Blaine's friends
who were very friendly to Foraker and
admirers of him urged him to become
candidate. Governor Foraker not
only said once. but often. that under no
circumstances would he permit his
name to be used in connection with the
presidency. so long as the name of Sem
ator Sherman was before the commit
tee"
Today a representative of the United
Press had u talk with the Hon. Samuel
Fessendcn about the convention of 1883.
Mr. Fessenden Is the Connecticut MEM
Der of the Republican national COM
mittee and has been for a number of
years. He was a devoted friend of Mr..
Blaine's and has been one of the lead
ing spirits in the last three Republican
national conventions. He said: ~ re-
member perfectly the incident to which
Senator Elkins refers. Mr.. Blaine had
finally declined. His determination
could not be shaken. We were at sea
and casting about for some one else.
We had discussed a number of the older
leaders of the party and several of us
who were very active Blaine men came
to the conclusion that we would unite
most effectively upon u newer and O.
younger man than any of those who
had been formally named as candi-
date.
FOrakcr's Attainmcnts.
Foraker. of Ohio. had by his pres
ence, his OratOry. his earnestness and his
magnetism made a powerful impression
upon the convention. 1t seemed to me
and many of my friends that he was the
man to go to. | discussed the matter
with Mr.. Elkins and others and about .
O'Clock on Monday morning we were
taken to the room of Governor Foraker
ny Mir. kurtZ. delegate from Ohio.
HON we asked to conduct us. We found
Governor Foraker had gone to bed.
After some delav we were admitted
rather reluctantly to his bedside. We
sat down on the bed beside him and
told him we had come at an important
moment and upon very important bust
ness and we desired his earnest attcn-
tion while we stated the case. We then
went over the case carefully. showed
that the Blaine following controlled the
convention and assured him that IL he
would consent to become n candidate
we could muster more than 500 votes.
We told him that Mr.. Blaine was out
of the race and that the majority of
his friends seemed more disposed to
support him 0Forakerl than any one
else.
I'VE made 1t very clear to him that If
he would consent to become q candidate
he could Il" nominated without fail and
without difficulty on the first or second
ballot MonCay. We assured Governor
Foraker that W" desired no pledges or
promises from him respccting policies
or patronage and that we only wanted
him to agree not to get mp and decline
the nomination after the convention
had mad" him its candidate. Mr.. For
ak"r. without hesitation. said firmly
and emphaticallv: u thank you, gen
tlemen. with all nv heart. hut 7 could
not acc"nt the nomination " 1t can to
me. unless Mr.. Sherman first withdrew
and asked me to bccom" candidate. T
feel sure he win not do that. 7 came
h"re to trv and nominate him and can
not consider the proposition to hecomc
candidate. I will stand by him.
Would Shun Garficld's Position.
81 then tried" continued Mr.. Frs-
senden. ''to convince him that the sit
uation was beyond his control. called
attention to the fact that Garfield had
accepted the nomination after it was
plain that Mr.. Sherman could not be
nominated
Governor Foraker answered, quick
as a flash: I can prevent my nomina-
tion and will. 1t is not too late and
I do not wish to he put into the posi-
tion which Garfield was forced into
This closed the interview with Gov
ernOr Foraker and the lines were at
once closed up for Harrison and he
as nominated easily and promptly, just
as Foraker would have been. had he
chosen to become a candidate himself :"
This is n hitherto unrelated incident
of the inside history of the Republican
national convention of 1883 and 1t ought
to set at rest forever the charge made
by some unthinking persons that Gov
ernor Foraker was disloyal to Senator
sherman lInOp that