The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-04-02
MAJOR McKINLEY's PERIL.

just ten weeks off, and there is a great
deal of speculation as to who will be the
winner. For the past two weeks the
drift has unmistakably been toward
Major Mckinley, and if the convention
were held within the next ten days or
two weeks, we are free to say, we believe
he would be nominated. He has worried
Quay in Pennsylvania. He has disturb
ed Platts confidence of solid delega-
ton for Morton in New York. He dis
tanced Cullom in his own state, and
ratified the Davis followers in Minnesota
so badly that they were forced to pull
him of the presidential track altogether.
But the nomination is not won yet,
and many a horse has been defeated,
even after winning two heats in race.
No one in this community will be.
grudge Major Mckinley the nomination
if he gets it. He has a right to seek the
presidency. 1t is an honorable Office
and his ambition in this direction is ar
honorable one. He is our fellow-towns.
man and neighbor. Against his charac
ter, either as a citizen, soldier or states
man, the tongue of scandal can not wag
We do not agree with him in his theory
of protection for proteC ton sake, but VIC
are broad enough in our ideas to say
that he is sincere in his advocacy of it
For years he has stood for that principle
and during the many terms that ht
served in Congress he never wavered
faltered or lodged the issue when il
came before him. If he shall succeed al
st. Louis, we shall oppose him, as We
always have heretofore, and more par
ticularly so this time, because his nomi
nation means return Of the Mckinley
tariff and as long as we are here to es
pouse Democratic principles, our voiCt
will be raised against any protective
tariff whether it bears his name or not
1t must be apparent to all dispassion
ate observers, that the field is crystal
lizing against Mckinley, and that mean
next to certain defeat, for it is hardly Il
be expected that any one can command
nomination on the first ballot, 1t i
now square battle between McKinle,
on the one hand, without astute poll
ticians to manage his canvass, and tn,
field, embracing all the ablest politicians
of the country. on the other
The most exhaustive effort will b
made to demoralize his forces, and Il
wrest the Southern delegations from
him, as is already shown by contestin,
delegations from several southern states
The cause of this was brought about b,
the ill-advised action of his managers il
invading those states which had candi
dates of their own. Quay, Morton
Reed, Cullom, and Allison have become
angry and implacable. Human nature
is the same the world over, and the,
are sure to resent the intrusion by
combination of forces that will tend tt
defeat Mckinley in the convention.
The field is seldom defeated in a con
test for the Presidency. In 1876 the
field was crystallized against Blaine, and
defeated him; in 1880 the field was crys
tallized against Grant and defeated him
in 1884 the field was crystallized against
Arthur and defeated him, and in 1885
the field was crystallized against Sher
man and defeated him. In 1892 Har
rison was nominated against the field
but he had an overwhelming majority
of the delegates elected in his favor be-
fore Blaine entered the contest.
The contest for the nomination will be
memorable political battle The con
vention will be stubbornly contested and
every element of ambition, jealousy and
hatred will be an intensifying factor in
the contest. 1t will outrival the Grant
convention of 1880, and in the despera
ton it is more than probable that a can
didate yet unheard of will carry off the
honors.
Such is the aspect of the Republican
presidential nomination as it appears
today, and the gap between Mckinley
and the Presidency only widens and
deepens as the time draws near.