The Indianapolis journal., 1896-04-06

The Toledo Commercial says that
shortly after the election of Governor
Mckinley in 1893 some of the prominent
political bosses of the East approached
him with a view of arriving at satisfac-
tory understanding regarding his pros
pective candidacy for President. but did
not find him sufficiently pliable, and that
their failure. to make terms with him
accounts for. their present attitude of
hostility. There may be some foundation
for this statement. Hardly any person
believes there is any sincerity in the cam
didacy of Governor Morton or Quay, or
doubts that the New York and Pennsyl-
vania bosses will try to throw the votes
of those great States in such way as
to make them controlling factors in the
nomination. Whether they can do this
remains to be seen, and where the votes
of those great States will go when the
favoiite-son farce is played out is one of
the unsolved mysteries of the future. 1t
is pretty evident they will not go to Nc
Kinley If the so-called bosses can pre-
vent it. and the cause of their hostility
to him may be correctly stated by the
Toledo paper 1t has become quite the
fashion for presidential Warwicks to at
tempt to capture promising or prospec-
tive candidates in advance Of their nomi-
nation and to make terms with them
which will give the aforesaid Warwicks
special favors and privileges. If they
succeed in making such deals they are
apt to prove very embarrassing for the
candidate, especially If he is nominated
and elected, and If they do not succeed
they try to prevent his nomination and
sometimes sulk, even after it Is made.
1t takes an exceptionally strong and
self-respecting man to resist such over
lures as these skillful and experienced
political managers know how to make,
and If Governor Mckinley really did de-
cline to enter into any arrangement with
as political bargain it is much to his
credit. There is no reason to believe
that either Mr.. Allison or Mr.. Reed would
be party to any deal of the kind, and 1t is
well known that General Harrison fatty
refused to be in 1888. In 1892 the bosses
knew he was inaccessible to any PROPOSE
ton of the kind, and they contented
themselves with trying, Intellectually, to
prevent his nomination.
All this is largely conjectural, but it
leads to the remark that this is likely to
be bad year for Republican boss rule.
The rank and file of the Republican par
ty are reused as they seldom have been.
and under the Inspiration of high re-
solve they are determined to have their
own way and do what they think is best
for the party and the country. 1t is the
peoples year. The almost tragic expert
ence of the last three years has turned
their minds to more important things
than are aimed at by political hucksters
and bosses. They are not thinking so
much about patronage and places as
they are about principles and policies.
They are determined to secure the resto-
ration of the Republican party to power,
with all which that involves, and to this
end they are determined to nominate for
President man who is a sure winner.
That, the Journal predicts. will be the
dominant spirit of the st. Louis conven-
cute the decree of bosses, but to organize
Republican victory by doing the best
thing possible for the party. The choice
OF the delegates will doubtless be such as
the entire body of Republicans in the
United States would make at the time
and under the circumstances, and,
whether il shall be one Of the candidates
now prominent, a dark horse or some
great unknown. he will have the salts
of a majority of the party, and not from
a few political bosses or professional
President-makers. This is not the boss
es' year.