The herald., 1896-07-05
THE MINT JULEP AT HOME

there was very little of the humorous
was that of 1876, when Tilden was the
Democratic leader and Hayes the Re-
publican. Mr. Tilden was man whose
life had been sngulary free from those
foibles which attach to most men. He
was always thoughtful, sedate and mat
ter of fact. The romance of his life was
so small part of it that ii cannot be re-
called. He had charge of his own cam
paign, so far as advice was concerned.
if not in other respects, and 1t is gener-
ally conceded by politicians that the
campaign of 1876 on the Democratic side
was skilfully conducted.
Mr. Hayes was dark horse candidate,
but his personal life afforded the humor-
| lists and carica turists with little mater
| ial He was plain man of domestic
| leanings, and his wife a very clever
woman. was conspicuous on account of
her consistency in religious and temper
! ance work. In addition. it was in the air
that Tilden would win and there was not
| the same excuse for caricature and sa-
| tire as in some previous campaigns
, Greeley and Brown being the most
| noticeable-and in some that have fol-
| lowed.
| The campaign in which Garfield was
the Republican leader and Hancock the
| Democrats. There was more bitterness
in this campaign than humor, but the
| Republicans finally got the laugh on
| Tic DEIllOCidl ny ItdSOl VI d state
| ment alleged to have been made by
Hancock touching the tariff. 1t has
since been conceded that he was not so
very far wrong, but at the time it was
said to have been made it created loud
guffaw. The party was further handi-
capped in the candidacy of W. H. Eng
lish, the running mate of General Han
cock. Mr.. English was an Indiana law
yer of note and successful man. He
was very rich. His support of the ticket
in other than party way did not meet
the expectations of his party, and the
funny men of the country used that with
effect.
The bitterness of the contest was not
creditable to the press of the country.
A leading newspaper of the Republican
party undertook to ridcule Hancock on
the ground that he had been wounded in
vital part While he was leading q
charge in one of the best-fought battles
of the war. The record of Garfield was
dragged out and the attacks on it were
not more ferocious than the record it
self was vulnerable, but in spite of this
the 'guffaw' Won The laugh on Han
cock, and the satire on English told more
than facts against the opposition. The
assassination of Garfield had much to do
in cooling the political atmosphere, and
it was fortunate that the man who sue
ceeded him was highminded man
whose conduct at once won for him the
good Will or all the people.
The campaign of 1884 was the scandal
contest. Cleveland was the Democratic
nominee, Blaine the Republican. The
shortcomings of the personal life of the
former were played against the domestic
affairs of the latter, plus the latter's po-
litical eccentricities. The campaign was,
/ otherwise, brilliantly conducted. But
the country will long remember the
scandal of that contest and the carica-
turists of the country reveled in the
matter which it afforded them. 1t is
SAID that Blaine, old political fighter that
he was, accustomed to giving and talk
ing, WINGED under the cartoons of Puck.
and 1t is recalled that in the close of
the contest he sued newspaper for
SANDER, thing unheard of before in a
presidential candidate.
The Republicans were unfortunate
that year from the start and blunders
followed fast. The dinner given Blaine
at the very hour when victory seemed TO
be in his grasp was really the fatal feast.
The fool remark of a minister did it.
From the moment the minister saIuted
Blaine as the we'll known enemy of
Rum, Romanism and Rebellion" the
cry of the three Rs was on the winds
ana although superhuman efforts and
all the political craft of the party was
brought to bear to negative the state
ment it went on its way DESTROYING
The silly rhyme which had threatened to
upset Cleveland was lost and forgotten.
With what gusto and effect the Republi-
can marching clubs had chanted in ev-
cry town,
Ma, ma, where's my pa?
Gone to the White House.
Ha. ha, ha.
But the three RS came and the guffaw
was hushed.
In 1888 the issue was on high plane.
ana so were the candidates. Cleveland
was again candidate and Harrison
was the Republican candidate. The sill
ly attacks made upon Cleveland four
years before We're buried. Harrison's s
personal character was unfecked The
most the caricaturists of the Democrat
ic press could do was to minimize the
candidate by putting him under his
grandfathers hat. But there was no
bitterness. Tt was one of the cleanest
contests in the history of the country.
The campaign of 1892 was another busi-
ness contest. There was no mud in it.
1t was waged in a business way, and
the issue was one which interested busi-
ness men. Mr. Harrison's misfortunes