Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-15
Mr.. QUAY'S PLANS
He Proposes to Hold the Delegation
of His State.
AN UNDERSTANDING With PLhTF
The Opportunity Of Becoming; Die
tator of the Nomination.
p OSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS

1fe announcement that Senator Quay is
a candidate for the presidency is regarded
by the friends of other candidates as an in
timation that they must deal with him
direct, and not encroach upon his preserve
in hopes of picking up a few delegates. 1t
has been stated, on good grounds of belief
that Mr.. Piatt ard NJ. Quay have an un-
derstanding as to the disposition of the del
egates from their respective states, that
their votes are not to go to any candidate
who is not bound to recognize these two
men as conspicuously after election as dur
ing the campa gn.
70 keep these two delegations together
and prevent them from being divided
among the several candidates, or going TO
the support of any cne CT them before an
agreement Has been reached ii is neccs.
sary that there should be figureheads Mr.
Piatt has named Mr.. Morton for New York
Inc common opinion is that in this his sli-
cefity Is measured accurately by his inter
est AIR. Quay is now named for Pennsyl-
Van1a. q. Around these candidates It is eX-
pected mat the respective delegations will
be rallied until such time as another dispo-
sitlon OF them IS decided upon
If this view of the situation is not correct
then some Of the best politicians OF the
country are deceived.
Why IEe Comes Out Himself.
1t has been known in certain circles for
some tine that Iir. Quay held himself in
readiness TO take the position of a candi-
date at any time it might become necessary
for him TO become a SORT of foil to prevent
the encroachElent of other candidates.
1t has been understood that he did not
particularly desire 10 accept this position
himself. He would have put III this posi-
uon most any one on whom he could rely
to do his bidding. His first choice was
cameron. Unless there is a serious mis-
Understanding of his position he had no
care one way or the other about Camieron's
views On the money question, and will not
IN the end be influenced in his selection Of a
serious candidate by any consideration of
how he may stand on that question
However, in the great fight in Pennsylva-
ia between Quay and the combine it be-
came evident that Cameron was not avail
able as a candidate to hold the Pennsyl-
vania delegation at the convention though
he would have had the advantage of the
support OF several of tie western and, per
haps, of the southern delegations Cameron
therefore, had to be abandoned. After that
according to recent published Statements
Dir. Quay offered to let Gov HASTINGS his
antagonist, occupy the position OF the Penn
syivan-a candidate under his chaperonae4.
ana guardianship. THIS, according TO tie
statement attributed TO Gov. Hastings him
self, the governor declined
Mr. Quay may have gone further to find
a man to hold the Pennsylvania delegation
away from outside candidates for a while,
ana ana iaiied. Finally, however, he was con-
fronted with the necessity of assuming that
position himself. This is believed To ne n II
there is in his candidacy
What Mr.. Quay Wants.
Mr.. Quay does not want the PENNSYLVANIA
delegation to go to st. Louis in the interest
Of either Reed, Mckinley, Allison or any
other candidate vino is seriously in the
field He wants their vote to be decided bv
circumstances which may develop hereafter.
He knows probably better than does any
other eastern politician what are the plans
and purposes of the western silver republ-
cans. He viii know how to avail himself
of their aid to prevent that being done
which is not satisfactory to him. If the
New York delegation are pulling one way,
the Pennsylvania delegation another and
all the delegates from the silver states still
another, the votes necessary TO the nomina-
ton Of any of the prominent candidates
may be held off until such time as Alessrs
Quay and Platt may fit to wave the
magic wand which is to bring the discord-
ant elements together. 1t may even be
necessary to contrive the bringing in OF an
entirely new man.
The situation is favorable to such a plan
as that attributed to Mr.. Quay. Many can
didateS are in the field, dividing the forces
Gf those who agree practically on all mat
ters of policy, and the party is SO divided
on the money question that the delegations
from between eight and twelve states will
oppose the nomination of any Of the candi-
dates who are prominently before the party
There is even threatened bolt from the
convention by tho delegations from these
western silver states. This threat of bolt
is encouraged by the prospect that there
Will be a similar bolt from the democratic
convention, which is to follow, thereby Of
ferlnS chance for a combination
Opportunity to BE Il Dictator.
With this delicate situation existing, the
hnl1inp Of ff,a JaIa e
New York and Pennsylvania from the sup
port of the principal candidates may be cal
culated upon to place the convention at
their mercy. The situation may develop at
any time when the votes of these two States.
or perhaps one of them. may decide the
nomination. Apparently Mr.. Quay does not
want to throw away this opportunity of be-
ing Dictator, by having the delegation either
divided or pledged beforehand TO one of the
candidates.