The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-08
VICE E-PREsIDENCY AND RHODE
m ISLAND.

paper has avoided reference IN any way 10
the now somewhat widespread indi-
cations that the Republican National
Convention at St. Louis may look to
Rhode Island for its Vice Presidential
candidate, although We have been at
pains to repriut from our contemporaries
from all over the country such news and
comment on the subject as fell under
our eye and shears
And 1t is in pursuance OF the same pol
icy that we take the following sugges-
tive clipping from The Journals spec
ial New York correspondence, printed
this morning.:
"There is more ylce-Presidential talk
today..than gossip over the Presidential
nomination ut st. Louis. This is because
OF the prominence which minor candi-
dates are attaining. Eek Governor
BROWNS candidacy. among. Others, has
drawn attention, and there Is specula-
ton as TO the possibility of deals of i'm
portance over this office SO little valued
by the run of politicians. Another cause
OF the increased talk is the report from
friends of Speaker REED OF a surprise he
has in store. lie is, II is said, willing 10
allow the MCKINLEY men to delude
themselves into nominating him, put he
then intends TO administer the surprise
by declining the honor percmptorily, and
forcing the convention into naming a
second choice. The fact Is here overlook
ed that 1t is seldom the case at National
Conventions that a. man Is nominated
without his previoua consent, which con-
veys assent 20 the obligation to accept
the honor. The speaker cannot by pre-
cedents attempt to ridicule In this man
ner those who have defeated his candi-
daey. II Is not probable that he will
try il at all.
"The trend Of events Is held, tonight,
to lie toward the nomination of a man for
second place who shall De as far as pos
sible neutral man. Thus, 1t Is not be-
lieved that Senator PROCTOR has been
chosen for McKINIEv's companion in
case the latter is the nominee. This
would be slap at Speaker REBD, and II
there is anything clear about the policy
of the Canton com bine 1t Is that they are
not making enemies OF anybody, mot even
of democrats. 1t Is not believed
that they wish to go out OF their way to
make enemies OF the friends OF Mr.. REED
by the nomination of PROCTOR"
These views are interesting in two ways,
the first, of course, being the renewed
indication that a respected citizen Of
Rhode Island is viewed In the metropolis
as q possibility, as to which we have
already quoted great many fiattering
testimonials from the press from Maine to
California, believing that every Rhode
Islander would rejoice in the honor thus
accorded their feliow-citizen.
The other view OF interest is the opinion
expressed that, IL MCKINLEY Is selected
for President, the vice. presidential candi-
date will not be chosen nom the ranks of
the "McKINL EyIrEs." Rather, from the
anti-McKNLEYITEs, or, at least, as The
Journals correspondent expresses 1t,
from the neutrals. There Is, Of course,
nothing novel in this view. All political
history points It, and political judgment
approves 1t. Never, we believe, in the
history Of nominating conventions have
the President and the yice-prcsidential
candidates been taken from the oame
group or faction. The custom is
upon the securing OF the nomination
of their choice for President by
one faction, to withdraw and leave
another faction to name the man to I'LL
the second place on the ticket. AS
against McKISLEy's candidacy and the
candidacy Of the Western men generally,
REED stands as the most notable oppon-
ent. 1t Is highly probable, then, that in
the event Of the nomination of MCKINLEY
or any Western man, his supporters viii
turn to the REED forces for the naming
of their choice for Vice President. More
than that, 1t is highly probable that the
convention may look for its 'REED
man" in New England, the home OF
REED. And it 10 not at ali impossible, If
we may judge from what we have CLEANED
from our contemporaries, that the par
ticular State TO which they will look for
the particular "REED man" will be
Rhode Island W ith its sound money plat
form, stalwsrt REED delegation and
gentleman In view already so widely
mentioned, /" who is known to be strong
for REED, although not to be counted
with those who have shown a disposi tion
to make campaign on the unpardon-
able platform OF "anything to beat Nc
KISLEy."
EX-GOVERNOR RUSSELL has gone fish