The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-28
CAN M'KINLEY WIN?
nn," In Philadelphia Bulletin.

''Penn," in Philadelphia Bulletin.
If William Mckinley should carry off
the nomination at st. Louis directly on
the first ballot he would do something
that has never before been done In a
contested national convention In the past
forty years, unless the nomination Of Nc
Clellan in 1864 may be excepted. That Is
the only occasion in the political history
OF two generations when the winner has
come out Of the rivalries and struggles Of
Il preliminary canvass with a clear ma
tority on the opening showing of hands.
The claims to enough strength 10 sweep
the convention OF next June at the very
start which the Mckinleyites have been
making in Siew of the developments of
the past two or three weeks may possi-
bly, be realized. They are not altogether
extravagant in consideratio of the re-
bly, strong canvass which his man.
ayers have thus far made for him. BIT
II they should be realized, the result would
upset all of the convention precedents of
the Republicans, and nearly all of those
OF the Democrats.
--:ll:-
Moreover, the occasion is an exceptional
one, when candidate who at this stage
OF the canvass preceding the convention
has taken the lead or who has had the
general sentiment OF the rank and file be-
hind him In contest.has emerged the
winner. Tilden in 1876 and Cleveland N
1854 are Democratic exceptions. and Blaine
In 1881 and Harrison in 1892 are Republi-
can exceptions. Every other presidential
candidate since 1856 In u convention strug-
gle has been spawned from a compromise,
or at least has not been the popular IA
vorite in the preliminary running Nor
with the exceptions of both conventions
In 1892, has there been candidate who Sc
cured the nomination directly In face cf
the opposition Of the combina ton of politi-
clans such as now stands In the way Of
Mckinley.
--:ll:-
In 1850 William II. Seward was the ia
vorite who filled the popular eye; he was
far In advance on the first ballot. but the
combination of the politicians, who de-
cided that he could not carry Pennsylva-
MIA and Ohio, swung Lincoln to the front,
much to the surprise and chagrin of that
considerable number of Republicans in the
east who then seem to have regarded the
lllinolsan In about the same light In which
we now view prairie statesmen like Pef-
fer. 1t was sixteen years before the par
~ again went through a contest, and
Blaine, who, in the spring of 1876, had
a stronger hold on the affection and en-
thusiasm of the plain people than McKin-
ley now has went down. after seven hotly-
contested ballots, before the alliance
which summoned the nalne of obscure
Hayes to the desperate battle of defeat
Ing the Plumed Knight. 1t took seven
days TO dispose of Grant and Blaine the
two leaders In the race four years after
ward Blaine was the winner in 1884. but
with all his great popularity and with
most of his old enemies keeping their
bands off. three ballots were required be-
fore he was able to break down the lines
OF Chester A. Arthur. In 1888 John Sher-
many votes as any other candidate, and
there he stuck, Harrison having received
only incidental consideration up to the
final stages of the proceedings. Harri-
wllen the magnates of the party in the
usually controlling states found them
seEes helpless after seeking to storm the
co}vention at Minneapolis. first with
B4ine and then with Mckinley.
Ji'ancing over the Democratic past pref
tN much the same kind of results will he
foSinl. Pendleton was the favorite In 1863
ard Seymours nomination was thrust In
his face on the floor of the convention
d Tammany Hall against his protest. The
gavorite OF the Liberal sentiment of ls7.
was originally not Horace Greely. bur
CHARLES Francis Adams. Tilden's nominS.
lion in 1876. with all the commanding pres
tise which he had suddenly won for a
year or two previous and with the all
OF one of the most skilfuliy directly or
ganizations that any candidate for the
presidency has ever personally planned
and handled, came about only after u
fierce struggle. Hancock. In 1850, had been
secondary In the running to Bayara,
while ridden, who was undoubtedly the
real choice Of the party at large was |
forced 10 retire before the barking of the |
hounds OF faction. Cleveland. In 1851 had |
the first place In the opin- |
ton Of the Democracy beca use he was the |
ofe available man 10 carry New York; but |
the powerful arm of Daniel Manning dil |
not land him until three ballots had been !
taken. Eight years later or at this period |
in the canvass of 1882, Cleveland seemed |
only the remOtest possibility In face of the |
Hin organization with its seventy-two
New York delegates and with Gorman |
Brice and the veteran managers general |
ly in favor of anybody to beat Cleveland |
The history Of that convention. or rather
OF the canvass preceding it, completely |
all the axins and traditions of |
the old stagers and Is not likely TO be re.
peated. at least in the time Of this genera
ton. Such phenomenon Is as rare In |
politics az the great blizzard" had been
In the processes OF nature.
-:ll:--
There Is disposition now to liken the
outcome of the Mckinley movement TO
the fate Of Blaine in 1916. when the trained
bosses entered such candidates as Hawloy,
or Connecticut. and conkling. Of New
York. ana Hartranft, OF Pennsylvania
and Oliver J.. Morton, of Indiana. ami
Bristow, Of Kentucky. as well as Hayes.
NJ Ohio, to check-mate Blaine. as the
''favorte sons" of this year are now en-
gagged I'm blocking Mckinley. But tn. are
such q comparison must take Into corsI-
Grafton. He has no bitter and uncompao-
missing personal enemies with the dagger
Of revenge aimed al his vitnls and In
famed with the hatreds OF long-standiny
feuds. He has never said anything like
The turkey gobbler speech which arousei
Lhe unforgiying hatred of Roscoe Con.
king, and the effects OF which colored the
history of the party for seventeen wears
Blaine, like fate. in his am 5ltion to reach
he WhitA house: nor has hss stich a fna ne |