The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-19

tude Of interests that expect tariff leg
islation in return for the financial sup
port they are giving McKinley's candi-
dacy. 1t is not as easy to defend tariff
legislation in the interest of private en-
terprises as formerly. AS the result of
the revival of sound Democratic doc
trine under the gallant leadership of
Cleveland, Carlisle. Wilson and Bayard
the sophistries and fallacies Of protect
ionism have been so riddled with the
bullets of free trade truth that hun
dreds of thousands of voters have been
able to see what before was obscure to
them, the fact that the tariff is tax"
and that the people pay itand that when
1t is levied in the interest of private
parties and not the government, spe-
cies of robbery is perpetrated.
So a lot of Republicans do not wish to
talk about the tariff in the Mckinley
way.
In Allison, now that he has come out
in flat-footed way against free silver
coinage at Is to 1. all the eastern Re
publicans not for Mckinley can find
candidate they can unite on, and the
McKinleyites outside of the silver ex-
tremists can find no good reason for
boiling him IL he is nominated. He is
not magnetic, but he possesses the es
sentials of a harmonizer, and harmonic
ers make good candidates when there is
a hard battle ahead.
No, Mckinley has not a mortgage on
the nomination Of his party yet, and if
the following statement sent out by
Gen. James S. Clarkson, one of the
shrewdest politicians of the day, and
man whose representations are GER
tainly entitled to as much consideration
as those of Hanna. is worth anything,
he will not get any. Clarkson says:
The election of delegates to the ST.
Louis convention is now about closed,
and no candidate has majority. The
delegations to the convention stand
about as follows: Mckinley, 1854; all
other candidates, 452; number of con-
tested seats, 50; total, e1S; necessary to
a choice, $50. Mckinley. to be nomi-
seats. or all but 6. AS four-fifths of
these contests are Mckinley bolts from
regular conventions. he cannot gain
enough to be nominated nor can he pro-
cure enough votes elsewhere.
Then you do not concede Mckinley
a possible majority" Mr.. Clarkson was
asked In reference to this.
Hardly, as clear and strong major
ity of the delegates will not be for Nc
kinley, but Will agree on some safe can
dfdate who is sound on all vital ques-
tons. There will be 91S votes in the con-
vention for protection. AS to a major
ity on the currency question. it is not
so clear. and this will be the supreme
test for nomination. In view of this, it
is low estimate to say that at least 100
of the delegates now for Mckinley land
half of this number perhaps instructed
for him) are now hating between early
instructions and their duty to their own
convictions. to party interests and pub
lie credit While 100 gold delegates,
who are presumably for Mckinley, are
wavering because of his indecision,
nearly, il not quite, the same number of
silver delegates are wavering on &C
count of the same thing.
THE whole country east of the Mis-
souri, river is stanch on the currency
question. and these delegates will not
vote for candidate who is doubtful in
record or purpose on this question.
Thirty-one of the states, including all
the larger one except Ohio and Michi-
gan, have declared unequivocally for
sound money, and practically a gold
standard. There will be from $50 to 600
votes in the convention standing for
this sort of platform. and the candidate
must be a sound money man."
Then you believe that some candi-
date other than Mckinley will be nomi-
nated?"
Il certainly do. The judgment Of the
great majority of the most deliberate
and experienced men in the Republican
party Is against the nomination of Nc
Kinley, and the business and financial
circles of the country will have far more
power at st. Louis than any mere con-
test between politicians or rival bosses"
Then the fight has not been given up
by the field?"
The field has a majority and has a
good chance to win. All the men and
leaders whose Judgment is against the
advisability of McKinley's nomination
are loyal party men, and will do as much
or more for the election of the ticket if
they are defeated than the men who
may defeat them. But they are not de-
feated yet and 1 think they are going to
win."