The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-21
sIlnnsnpoII. aud ST. Louis.

In Its essential features the cam
paing leading up to the Minneapolis
convention of four years ago was iden-
teal with that which IS now leading up
70 the st. Louis convention. Mr..
Biaines old friends for the most part
we're ready to support him again, but
when he published his letter Of decllna-
ton they looked elsewhere. Most of
them turned to President Harrison,
whose administration had shown him to
be an exceptionally good man for the
highest once in the country. The I'M
mlstakable drift of Republican sentl-
ment was in that direction.
President Harrison was the party's
choice. But he was not the
shoice of dessrs. Quay Platt and Clark
sou. who set to work to prevent his nom
nation. They cast about in every 81
rection to find a man to run against
Harrison. while they were on their
voyage Of discovery they were busy try
ing 70 pick up anti Harrison delegates,
ana to help along on this line they were
Just as busy predicting the certainty Of
HarIson's defeat in the convention.
They hxed on Blaine as the man they
were looking for, but Blaine was not at
ali to their liking. When he wSs IN his
prime and before the edge Of his ambl-
tion had been dulled, they used against
him all the arts of professional politl
clans. But now they had use Tor him.
II has always been believed that they
intrigued to bring about rupture be-
tween President Harrison and Secretary
Blaine to gain the latter's consent to
have his name placed before the conren-
lion
Ataii events it was supposed that Mr..
Blaine's resignation of the secretafyshlp
would be 50 good a dramatic stroke as to
capture the convention. The lnslncerlty
OF the support the combine was CIV
ing to Blaine became apparent when the
same influences. convinced that Harrison
was about to be nominated, divided
Blaine's strength and gave part Of 1t to
Mckinley. who had no chance to be
nominated and whose nomination they
would not have permitted.
upto the last Messrs. Quay. Piatt and
clarkson insisted that Harrison could
not be nominated. Just as they are in
aisting now that Mckinley cannot be
nominated. The reason then was that
they were against Harrison. The rea-
SON now. IS that they are against Nc
Riniey. When a public caucus of Har-
rlson men was held in Minneapolis,
showing 521 votes for Harrison. 455 be-
ing necessary to nominate. Mr. clarkson
declared that the caucus was "a cold,
clammy bluff"
The history OF that convention is that
on the first ballot Harrison received
bSs i-1s votes. Giving the combine all
that went to Blaine. 1852, and all that
went TO Mckinley. 1921, and for Reed
and for Lincoln, Sss votes were all that
could be mustered for the field against
Harrison, and less than half that num-
Der could be centred on any one man.
Tho analogy will run along to the end
Of the st. Louis convention. The COM
blne viii never have a majority OF the
vote in the convention. and 1T viii never
be able to centre on any one man the
votes it is supposed to control.
The combines control of the fietd viii
be seen to be very shadowy in its char
acter whenever an attempt shall be
made to mass the forces for somebody.
At that moment McKinley's full
strength will develop. There will be a
break form the combine forces to the
people's fayorite.