New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-21
THE "FAVORITE son" CAMPAIGN.

THE "FAVORITE son" CAMPAIGN.
It will be some time yet before the lines are
distinctly drawn for the great battle at ST. LOUIS
for the Republican Presidential nomination. No
one can tell at this moment how many candidates
will be in the field, nor how any Of them may
stand related to the event Only one thing Is
certain and that is that the nomination will not
go begging Perhaps earnest Republicans might
add another certainty. that. whoever may De
selected as the candidate, he will be man IN
whom the party will have entire confidence ana
who will poll its full strength in the election
There was "A tine several months ago. when
there seemed to be in the minds OF some persons
a reasonable probability that the business OF the
National Convention would he so carefully ana
thoroughly set I'D in advance of the meeting mat
no one need have any anxiety about It, Ihcre
WAS AN IMPRESSION abroad that the candidates
would be selected, and. perhaps. the platform
nrcnored by the eminent men composing the
Republican National Committee, and that there
would be nothing left for the convention to do
hnt TO register in formal way the results
reached by the eminent men. 1t was some time
in October last that Messrs Carter and Clark
son and Quay and Fessenden and Platt ana
few others. most of whom are members OF the
wick Hotel in this city. 1t was an exceedingly
mysterious dinner. No one present would per-
nit himself to talk about it. Every one of them
walked tiptoc with fingers on his lips when ap
nroached upon the subject 1t came to be wills
pered presently, however. that AFTER the coiiee
and cigars the eminent men had settled do"h
to business and agreed upon who should Dc
President of the United States. There remaihel
some doubt in the public mind as to WHO precise
" had been agreed upon but it was quite evident
that the popular heart pulsated with uncommon
gladness at the assurance that Messrs. carter
Clarkson Quay. Fessendcn and Patt had con-
rorcouslv shouldered the responsibility ana set
tied the whole business. II relieved tension.
But that was four months ago Many things
havo honnened since then For one thing. and
not by any means Of the least importance, by the
combined efforts Of Mcssrs Thomas e. flat',
Chauncey NJ Depcw, Warner Miller and Frank
Uiscock with the occasional aid of Mr.. Edward
7 outorhach the reluctance of Governor Morton
TO continue in public life has been overcome ana
he has consented to round out his pubic career
as President of the United States. This created
at once different situation For. though IL was
never accurately known who had been agreed
upon by the eminent men referred TO- IL was
generally understood that it was not Governor
Morton, for the sole and sufficient reason that
his reluctance had not ut that time peeh OVER
come. Since the launching OF the Morton boom'
consequently there has been much CONFUSION
For the first two or three weeks after the pnphc
announcement that the Governors consent hau
been obtained the public mind was In some I'M
certainty for there was floating through IL Il
vague and shadowy suspicion that the statesmen
who had so eXerted themselves TO overcome MS
reluctance might have mental reservatiOns-ln
fact might not be absolutely sincere. Then, too,
there was an intimation that his age might be
an objection Even before this ntimatlOn had
| taken form Chauncey Depcw anticipated II,
| and with his marvellous enthusiasm combated
it with such persistency and force that many
| nersons who had never considered 1t seriously
| before began to have very definite impressions
| obont It. 1t is also worthy OF note that doubts
| which were at one time current In sceptical
| minds as to Mr. Platt's sincerity have been to
| q considerable degree removed. Until within
very short time hardly day passed after the
| Morton boom was launched that some friend OK
Mr. Plat did not publicly avow his faith in that
pentleman's sincerity and fout with noble scorn
any notion to the contrary. 1t is now more
than fortv-eigbt hours since we have observed
| any reference to Governor Mortons age or any
attestation Of Mr. Platts sincerity. This is
good sign 1t indicates that those two objections
| have been removed from the arena Of debate.
Meantime however. it should be noted that
| there has been an outbreak Of "favorite sons
| all over the Union. Even the eminent men who
settled everything at the Brunswick Hotel din
ncr have begun to appear in that role Mr. Quay
| has consented to be IA candidate. Mr. Clarkson
has been endowed with Favorable mention
Mr.. Carter is generally understood to be willing
70 see an effort made to conquer his settled
aversion to public life; and no one knows how
soon there will be Connecticut demonstration
| In favor of Mr.. Fessenden Besides these there
| are others too numerous to mention. In fact,
there Is hardly a political pasture in the whole
country in which "favorie SON. is not brows-
ing and waiting to hear his cOuntry's call 1t is
q trife confusing to think that II the devotion
of each State to its 'favorite SON Is as sincere,
determined and unconquerabie as it seems To be,
or. for instance, as we know the devotion OF
Messrs Platt Depew, Miller, Hiscock and
IAuterbach TO be to Governor Morton. there will
be a deadlock at st. Louis that is liable to con-
tipue until after the November election.