The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-08
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post
The presidential campaign this year
will be little shorter than that of four
years ago. The nominating conventions
Of the two great parties and of the Popu-
list as will all fall upon later date
than in 1892. In that year the Republican
convention was held at Minneapolis. be-
ginning on June 7. The Democratic con-
vention was held at Chicago. beg.hnt.:g
on June q. The Republican ,,Narty was
then in power. and thcSgii 1t had suffered
ceT.re defeats liz the elections Of 1880 and
1891, it followed the usual political Gus
tom which prescribes that the party in
power shall hold its national convention,
formulate the issues upon which 1t APP
peals to the country for continuance in
power, and name its candidates prior to
similar action upon the part Of the oppo-
sition. The Populists. In 1892 held their
convention at Omaha on July 4. This year
the Republicans held their convention at
st. Louis on June 16. nine days later than
in 1892. The Democrats hold theirs at
Chicago beginning on July Z, sixteen days
later than in 1892. The Populists will hold
theirs at st. Louis on July 22, eighteen
days later than in 1892. Another thing
that will help shorten the campaign Is
the fact that the day Of the general cleo
tion, the first Tuesday after the first Mon
day in November, will fall this year upon
the third day of the month, while four
years ago 1t fell upon the eighth, a diff
ference of five days. While the dates of
these conventions have been arranged
SO as to curtai) the length of the CAM
paign, those of the two minor parties, the
Prohibition and the Socialist Labor. fa-
vored a longer rather then shorter
contest. The Prohibitionists were the
first In the field this year, naming their
ticket at Pittsburg on May q. Four years
ago they met at Cincinnati on June 49,
and nominated their candidates on July /.
The Socialist Labor party met in New
York city In 1892. and named their ticket
on August 2s. This year they will meet in
the same city on July !, to make their
Intellectual nominations. Next in inpor-
tance TO the nominations and the plat
forms are the letters Of acceptance by the
respective candidates. These are the last
formal issues of the campaign. They
bring the prelirninaries to close, after
which comes the tug of war for votes.
Four years ago President Harrison sent
out his formal letter Of acceptance from
the white house on September 3, while
Mr.. Cleveland sent his forth from Gray
Gables on September %.
For twenty years In Democratic ma
tional conventions, excepting 1880, some
one candidate has had such q command
Ing lead that his nomination was pract!c-
ally foregone conclusion. Tilden in
1876 and Cleveland in 1854, 'SS and '92. In
the 1880 convention the Illinois delegates
supported William r. Morrison, who at
one time this year was rated as q posi-.
bility. Pennsylvania had two candidates,
Samuel J. Randall and Winfield & Han
cock. the latter finally carrying off the
nomination, but failing Of election. Ohio
had three candidates. Henry B. Payne.
Allen q. Thurman. and Thomas Ewing.
Had Ohio been united that year OH any
one Of these he would In all probability
have been nominated. 1t was In 1868 that
the Democrats ran to favorite sons more
than In any year since the war. Ohio had
Pendleton: Connecticut. English: Penn.
sylvania. Packer; New Jersey, Parker; In.
diana, Hendricks; Wisconsin, Doolittle;
Massachusetts, Adams. and California,
Field. Chief Justice Chase wanted the
nomination and Horatio Seymour. Of New
York got 1t. The convention of 1884 com.
plimented John G. Carlisle with her votes.
This year the compliment will be paid to
Joseph c. S. Blackburn. Carlisles bitter.
est political enemy In his own state. In
diana in that year sent delegation to
the convention instructed for Joseph Z.
Mcdonald, but, as said at the time, con-
structed for Hendricks. At all events. at
the first pretext the delegates abandoned
Mcdonald and voted for Hendricks. The
latter was nominated for vice president
on the ticket with Cleveland. In the same
convention Ohio cast n futile compliment
tory vote for Thurman. when they might
have nominated him four years before
had they voted soidly for him. Four
years ago Boies had lowa's vote, Carlisle
some of Kentucky's, and Hill all of New
YOrk's. In 1888 President Cleveland was
the only candidate for president men,
toned in the convention.