The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-03-04
MR.CLEVELAND'SVIEW
How He Thinks The Democrats
May Win.
SUGGESTION FOR A PLATFORM.

der which the President Would Run
For Third Tsrm-Gossip About the Re-
publican Aspirnnts For the Nomination.
WASHINGTON. March =. = Especial. =
Today the politicians OF the capital are
looking forward to the events Of year
hence. Twelve months from now new
president will be inaugurated, and the pol
iticians would give good deal to know
his name. Mr.. Cleveland has but year
more to serve. and 1t would be straining
the truth to say that any considerable
number Of people In Washington think he
has ghost of chance to be his successor.
But there are few who believe that the
presidents luck might yet carry him
through. talked recently with MEM
Der of the cabinet, who spoke of Mr.. Cleve-
lands future and intilnated that he should
not be surprised IL the president were to
break all records by getting third term.
There is very little of this sort of talk out
side the cabinet circle and not much in IL.
What there is may fairly be said to be sig
nificant
Mr.. Clevelands Opinion.
An official who Is very close to the presi-
dent indeed freely confessed to me today
that he could see combination of circum-
stances which might make Mr.. Cleveland
his own successor despite the prejudice
which exists in the country against third
term. This was only one mans opinion,
but 1t is interesting enough TO be quoted
in full:
THE presidents influence" said he
Twill be exerted to secure a sound money
declaration by the Chicago convention.
BY sound money / mean platform
against the free coinage of silver. Mr.
Cleveland believes the Republicans intend
to juggle with the silver question in their
platform-to adopt some such resolution
as that which was coined four years ago at
Minneapolis. II they do, Mr.. Cleveland
thinks the Democrats will have chance
to win by coming out as the simon pure
honest money party of the country. II
he can get such platform as he wants In
the Chicago convention, l should not be
surprised to see him nominated upon II,
and II nominated have no doubt he would
accept. / don't take any stock In the
stories that Mr.. Cleveland intends writing
letter renouncing the presidency. In all
the talks l have had with him he has
shown great anxiety about the future Of
his party. He breads to have the party
drift away from the principles of his adj
ministration. He might-mind you, /
put it only as a possibility-he might ac-
cept the nomination even In the face of
certain defeat in order TO hold Democracy
up to his notions of what the party ought
to stand for"
The significance of these remarks lay
largely in the identity of the man who
made them, which, unfortunately, am
not at liberty TO disclose. / can only as
sure the reader that he is very we'll
known official, who holds confidential re-
lations with the master of the White House.
A Different View.
The substance of the foregoing private
conversation 1 repeated TO man who is
prominent in Democratic councils, but
who belongs TO the Morrison rather than
the Cleveland wing of the party Il know
some of the men near To the president are
talking that way" he said, but it will
not go. There is no earthly chance for the
nomination or the election of Mr.. Cleve-
land. In the first place, the third term
prejudice Is insurmountable. Apart from
that, Mr. Cleveland Is not in sympathy
with majority of his party. He could
not be nominated IL he were to announce
himself candidate and bring all the pow
or of his administration TO bear upon the
Democrats of the country, and / know
whereof / speak Washington is a poor
place in which to judge public opinion.
Mark my prediction, If an effort is made
to nominate Mr.. Cleveland In the Chicago
convention, il will result in humiliating
failure.
Here we have two views Numerically
opposed, and the reader is free TO choose
between them.
Looking ahead IL manths for the iden-
tity of the man who will have tho pleasure
of riding up the avenue as we say in
Washington, at Mr.. Cleveland's right, to
take the oath of Office and deliver his in
augural address, one may fairly represent
the opinion of the politicianSjin the ma
tional capital by saying the odds are that
man will be- either William Mckinley or
william b. Allison. Many Democrats in
sist that their party will yet win the cleo
ton, but many others admit that the Re
publicans are too far ahead TO be over
taken. A large number of Republicans
think Mr.. Reed will I've the lucky man,
but IL were called upon to say what was
the prevalent opinion here should give il
as above The shrewd politicians, accus-
toned TO sizing up events far ahead Of
their actual occurrence, look either to Nc
Kinley OF Allison as the man who Is TO
take possession of the White House year
hence. And yet we all know how easy it
is for the prophets to be mistaken.
McKinley's Friends.
For the former 1t Is oontended that he
is undoubtedly the choice of the masses of
the Republican party. The political bosses
appear to be against him, but McKinley's
friends say the bosses are not in control of
the party this year. The unprejudiced
politicians with whom 1 have talked say
the odds are about even on Mckinley
against the field.
Senator Allison has tremendous ad-
vantage In his popularity with members
of the senate. All the senator's are his
friends They know him we'll and like him
amazingly. They all feel that II he were
In the White House they would have
friend at court, and a president who would
understand them, be approachable and
genial, and with whom they could get
along without the slightest friction. This
Is great force. 1t rami1es through many
states and works behind and under other
movements. could name senators who
are ostensibly for Mckinley or Reed or
some other candidate whose real choice Is