Evening star., 1896-04-01
MCKINLEY MEN SATISFIED
Comfort They Get Out Of the Result in New
Hampshire.
They Now Think That Their Favorite
VIII BE Nominated at St. Louis
on the Eirst Ballot.

It would be difficult to describe the salts
faction the Mckinley men get out of the
result in New Hampshire. It convinces
them that their man cannot be beaten at st.
Louis by any combination possible to the
opposition. Neither a deft manipulation OF
contestng delegations, nor any other means
can prevail against him. He will have the
necessary votes. and to spare, to land the
prize on the first ballot.
As They See 1t.
This is the situation as they see 1t. In the
states where Mr.. Mckinley is the first choice
there is really no other choice. He is first
and the rest are nowhere. It Is not assumed
that he can be beaten. The delegates are
simply instructed to go to st. Louis and vote
for Mckinley; not conditionally, at all; not
so long as his name may be before the con-
Vention, nor so long as there may appear
to be chance for his nomination. There is
no qualification whatever. No retreat or
transfer of support is provided for. No such
contingency is looked for The whole ac-
tion Is predicated upon the idea that Mr..
hchlhley is certain to be nominated, and
the sole desire is that these delegates shall
help bring that resdlt about handsomely
and well.
A Strong Second Choice.
Is this true in the case of any other as
rirant? The Mckinley mea say not. Their
faVorite, they declare, is a strong second
choice in the bailiwicks of all of his oppo-
nents. With MIR. Reed out of it. he would
sweep New England. With Governor Nor
ton out of it, he would sweep New York.
MI. quay Is but feeble resistance in Penn
sylVania The northwest has been taken
from Mr. Allison, and his own state of Iowa
prefers next after him the Ohio man. How,
then, the Mckinley men ask, will 1t be pos
sipie @ TO combine against this man whose
HTst choice strength is so great, and whose
second choice strength Is found everywhere
MS nrst choice strength Is not? Is it not
hhely that when the situation becomes thor
oGShly understood at ST. Louis some Of this
second choice strength, seeing the oppor-
tunity, will improve it and become available
at once as first choice strength? AS the
Ohio man Is to win. will II not be decided to
nominate him on the first ballot, and with
enthusiasm capable of being capitaIized all
through the campaign?
The Southern Contingent.
There has been threat Of throwing near
~ the whole southern contingent into con-
test, and In that way tying up considerable
Mckinley first choice support. 1t has also
been intimated tina. it will be difficult for
any Oh the candidates to operate with any
degree of security when southern support ia
a prominent factor in the equation. The
Mch1Eley men have now no misgiyings on
either OF these two heads. On the score of
contested seats, matters they believe have
gone beyond the danger line for their candi-
date They have no fear that he will be de-
prlved Of his rightful support in the south
by any means. Delegates from the south
favorable to Mr.. Mckinley will have the
same incentive to stand firm IS will Nc
kiniey men from other sections. The feel
ing is that the fight is not only to secure a
nomination, but the presidency itself. The
assumption is that the people at the polls
in November will be certain to ratify the
choice made at st. Louis What induce
ment, therefore, can be held out to man
having regard either to the instructions of
Ills constituents or to his mere personal self
ish interests to abandon his favorite with
the prize in reach for somebody else whose
chances would rest on the unsubstantal
basis Of a combination of the followers of
half & dozen men?