Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-25
7 TWENTY YEARS AGO
The Game Played to Keep M. Blaine From
Being Nominated.
The FavOrite Son Movement Was
Then WOrkcd-Republica Fears
of a Rope etftfOn Now.

The appearance of the favorite son move
ment in The present national campaign re-
calls the fact that just twenty years ago a
similar movement developed, and, as many
politicians believe. came very near to
wrecking the republican party. The strong
men We're all defeated in convention and a
man with only a local reputation was nom-
mated The result was so close a shave at
the polls in November that the services of
an electoral commission were necessary 20
determine the result.
Blaine in the Lead.
When the Cincinnati convention met In
1876 Mr.. Blaine had a strong lead for the
nomination. The masses of his party were
with him. But the managing politicians
were against him. The friends OF Gen.
Grant, particularly. held aloof from him,
or else openly opposed him. So to deprive
Mr.. Blaine of as much strength as possible
on the opening ballots, and thus pave the
way for combinations by making the choice
dlfncult, the opposition brought out a num-
ber Of favorite sons in different parts OF
the country. Marshall Jewell stood for
Connecticut, Gov. Hartranft for Penasyl-
vania, Mr.. Conkiing for New York, and SO
on.
troublesome for Mr.. Blaine.
The scheme as planned was well calcu-
lated to prove troublesome to Mr. Blaine.
1t drew away from him support which was
anxious to come to him, and which had he
been able to command it at the start would
have sufflced with what he had to nom-
mate him. Some Of the New Workers were
ardent Blaine men, and inasmuch as he
was native of Pennsylvania his managers
counted Oh many delegates from that state.
But In the one path stood Mr.. Conkling.
claiming New Yorks vote and deaf to all
frr, fIo Lot, It'll
the other path stood Gov. Hartranft, with
Don Cameron at his side, holding the Penn
sylvanians in check. Neither Mr.. Conkl;ng
nor Gov. Hartranft was a possibility be-
fore the convention but both were bent on
Mr.. Blaine'S defeat.
The Game Was Won.
The game was won, after a stubborn bat.
tie. Mr.. Blaine, Mr.. Sherman, Mr.. Morton
Of Indiana and Mr.. Bristow, all serious
candidates with substantial follow.ngs
went down. and Gov. Hayes was chosen
good deal Of lukewarmness followed
The leaders Of the party were all disap.
pointed. The campaign plainly showed this
There was no palpable shirking on any
body's part, but neither did anybody 1T.
tain in the canvass the high-water mark vi
zeal and effectiveness. Too many wounds
had been inflicted in convention, and t:,ey
were too slow in healing, to enable any OF
the leaders to appear at his best on tns
stump.
Some Differences Today.
There are differences between the situa
ton of 1876 and the situation OF to
day. In the spring of that year tn.
republican party was on the ragged
edge. The democracy had swept the coun.
try at the Congress elections Of 1874, and
was united and full of fight. The feeling
in republican circles was that the party
could afford no pranking or revenges IN the
work of its national convention, and yet al
of the savage scores Of ten years were
taken there and settled.
What Conservative Men Think.
The republican party of today is the party
of supreme confidence. 1t does not doub
its ability to win this year with anybody
1t may decide to put up. 1t almost riots ir
glorious expectations. And yet there ars
conservative men here and there who hinl
that another such slaughter of avowec
and serious candidates as occurred In 1876
would imperil republican success even Ihi:
year. They concede, of course, that it /:
ATfthin the province of any man to aspire tt
the presidency, but they are rather mis-
trustful of the effect on the party Of The
play Of those aspirants who appear to have
no other purpose but to keep somebody
else out Of the nomination.