Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-02
What is the Real Strength Of Mr..
Reed in New England?
WHO INHERIqS HARRISON'S STRENGTH?
What the Friends of the Maine
Man Say.
COMPROMISE POSSIBLE

The wavering of the Reed line in New
Hampshire recalls 10 the minds Of the poll
ticians the stories that we're in circulation
full year ago about the Maine mans
strength in New England. At that time
Gen. Harrison was thought to be in the
race for the presidency, and current report
was that he had very considerable fol-
lowing in Vermont, Rhode Island and
Connecticut. and would he able to
hold it against Mr.. Reed. No explanation
of this was vouchsafed by anybody. The
Senators from those states would neither
deny nor confirm the report. Those who in
dulged In speculation On the subject fan
oied they saw in the influence Of Senator
Proctor, who had served in Gen. Harrison s
cabinet, an explanation of the Vermont
situation; but the situation in Rhode Is
land and Connecticut remained uneXplain-
ed.
The question now comes up, has Mr.. Nc
kinley inherited this Harrison strength, as
he appears to have inherited that in other
sections? And, if SO, will the fact appear
at the conventions, soon to be held, of the
three New England states namedo Yer
mont, Rhode Island and Connecticut have
yet to speak, but soon will do so. Their
action will be awaited with all the greater
interest because of New Hampshre's ac-
Mr.. Reed they ought to speak with great
distinctEess; that a copy of the New
Hampshire deltverance as to the candidates
would in effect be another Mckinley VIC
tory-or rather three Mckinley victories.
MIR. Reeds Position.
And If four Of the six New England
states go on record in this wavering way
tow ard the local candidate, where will that
place him in the race? At the outset he
land without break or qualification. His
strength elsewhere. as developed, is in New
York. Pennsylvania, and in several of the
southern states. He has no following so
far either in the west or the northwest
So that, If weakened in New England, will
he still be the best man upon whom the
anti mckinley forces can combine at ST.
Lo uis?
Mr.. Reed, his friends point out would
even In those adverse circumstances, be as
well Off as Mr.. Allison. The Iowan has lost
outright the whole of his surrounding ter
r.tory. Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Illinois, the Dakotas and Nebraska, which
stand in geographical relation to Iowa, as
Ma ssachusetts New Hampshire, Vermont
Rhode Island and Connecticut do to Maine
are all in the Mckinley column. AS a COM
promise man, therefore, the Maine candi-
GATE and the Iowa candidate. on the score
of positive strength to stand with, are
the ught to be about on par
As to Gen. Harrison.
AS part of this speculation about a
compromise man is heard again mention
of the name of Gen. Harrison. But che
talk awakens but faint echo Not that
Gen. Harrison has lost any of his hold on
the hearts of the republicans, but his
warlnest admirers insist that a serious
movement to make him a factor in the
fight now would be unjust to him and to
his fame. They have accepted his letter on
the subject of a denomination as final and
are satisfied that such was the way that
ne himself meant 1t should be accepted.
And, of course the Mckinley men accept
1t as final. Moreover, as they have won
since 1t was written in all the territory
which before the letter was written was
Claimed for Gen. Harrison, including In
diana, they express themselves as confident
Of their ability to hold their own there
new against all possible combinations.
They are confident that the men who tried
to defeat Gen. Harrison at Minneapolis
could not this year make any Roadway
With MIN as their unwilling candidate