St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-04
HARRISON SAYS NAY.

It is the fault of some eminent poll
ticians of recent times, notably Of Mr..
Blaine, that destinations in advance Of
a presidential nomination are not ac-
cepted in the good faith with which
they were once received There is al
ways note of Interrogation; and the
exact language used by the modern
crown is scanned closely by the people
to see If the phraseoIogy will admit
Of subsequent reconsideration. It Is
this bad habit and example Of insin-
certify which Mr.. Harrison will have to
thank if the public does not accept,
in all its length and breadth and
depth, the declaration that he is not
candidate for the presidential nominal
ton which appears in the news columns
this morning.
We incline to the belief that Mr.. Har-
rison is in earnest, because we cannot
discover any reason in the world why
he should not be. If any man except
Grover Cleveland has been as complete
White house, we cannot think of his
name. His term of Office there brought
to Mr.. Harrison nothing but vexation
and sorrow and the loss Of personal
friends and political prestige. We do
not see how, being man, with ordi-
nary human feelings, he can mean
less than he says when he declares that
there has never been a moment since
he left the executive Office when he
wished to return to 1t. Private life
has certainly brought to him greater
emolument and UNNECESSARILY larger
peace Of mind and liberty of action
than can ever belong to a man who,
with a heart or conscience, fills the
presidential chair.
Nor is this all. While we do not
accuse Mr.. Harrison of forcing himself
unduly upon public attention in setting
aside an honor that has not been con-
ferred upon him, because his friends
are undoubtedly active in Indiana, still
he cannot be insensible to the fact that
there is not a probability, scarcely a
possibility, of either his nomination or
his election. He was selected last time
only by virtue of the votes ofoquestion-
able delegates from the Southern states.
He was defeated at the polls. It Is
possible to imagine many curious
things that might happen in such a
body as the next national Republican
convention will be, but nothing as wild
ly out Of all reason as the nomination
of Mr.. Harrison. He is not an altruist
in making this remuneration. It may
release his political friends from some
a barren sacrifice.
1t is not to be doubted that the men
who would have felt themselves bound
to support Mr.. Harrison will be re-
take him at his word. He has not
put himself out of the pale within
which lightning sometimes strikes. He
says that he cannot consent that his
name be used or come before the con-
vention." With this wording we are all
familiar. 1t does not stand proof
against a unanimous demand from
ones party representatives. No such
summons will come to Mr.. Har-
rison. There is not even the remotest
chance that his party could be in
duced to select him again as the leader
Of forlorn hope. In the desperate
struggle in which it's leaders are now
engaged for what they regard as
winning chance, he would not be con-
sidered outside of the Indiana delega-
ton. He has, probably, saved some
thing for his personal dignity by TAX
ing himself out of the lists. The effect
Of his statement upon current political
activity will be infinitesimaI, because
no live political leader has considered
him seriously as among the number of
candidates possible to be nominated
in any contingency.