The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-13


was plain tho Information was there Def, re
him. Yet there was no telegraph wire over
which il could have reached tho lobby soon
er than he brought 1t from that special
wire In the room up stairs And tho buzz
ing that went on in the lobby, ard the
huzzaing on tho street, and the general up
roar all over tho city which followed the
announcencnt--thatw was something worth
remembering. 1t WAS tho spirit OF the cam
paign of 1884 revived, and the chant OF
Blaine Blaine, James G.. Blaine" was
heard cchoing all through Minneapolis.
But this, as / have said, was before tho
convention. TWAS not convention ccenc
in the strictest sense, and yet it was a
scene incident to tho convention and one
that might have had very important
bearing on its results IL the campaigning
of Mr.. Harrison had not been done with
such consummGtc skill.
But the sccnc that will live in history as
memorable in the proceedings of the Ro-
publican national convention or 1892 was
the one that accompanied the casting OF
the vote OF the state OF Ohio when the bal
lot was being takens That sceno had a dii-
ferent significance for different people To
somo il was 'the rcnunciaton of the pres
idcnoy" by that favorite son Of Ohio, Major
William Mckinley, Jr. To others it was
betrayal by Major Mckinley of tho faith
he had pledged not To be u candidate be-
fore tho convention. There is cXaggcration
IN both these views, for whatever Major
Mckinley had done there is not the least
likelihood he could have had the nomina-
tioD, and whether he did all that could bo
done 60 prevent the vote Of Ohio being cast
for him IL is certain he did great deal.
But for the time thero seemed 10 hinge on
him the result of the ballot.
Major Mckinley Took Part.
Major Mckinley had come to Minneap-
oils an announced supporter of President
Harrison. Hc arrived at night and re-
mained in his private car till morning.
Then he went to the hotel, where he estab-
lishcd himself in his headquarters and gave
emphatic denial to the reports thai he was
to be candidate. Mr. Blaine's friends
saw already the futility Of pressing their
candidate in the hope of beating Harrison,
and they were looking around for some
compromise man who would demand tho
Blaine strength and ut the same time draw
from Harrison somc of the votes pledged
to him. They had hit on Major Mckinley
as the most likely candidate The Harri-
put Major Mckinley iD the chair of the
permanent presiding officer probably with
view to clinching his allegiance.
On tho l1th of Juna the ballot for the
nomination for president was taken. A
test vote had been taken oh tho admission
Of the delegates from Alabama, where
there was a contest, and the Harrison men
cast 46l votes against 423 east by their OPP
INT xxrkpp tLn i,.1l pti M haerar,
votes were cast by Alabama, the first state
on tho roll, for William Mckinley, Jr
Then followed Arkansas with I vote for
Mckinley, California with /, Connecticut
with s, Iowa with /, Kansas with o, and
SO it went until New York was reached,
and her delegation cast only 10 votes for
Mckinley. There was sigh of relief from
the Harrison men, but still the casting of
Ohio's vote was awaited with intense in
tercst. When the clerk called the state of
Ohio, the convention sat silent in deep cx-
pectancy while William Hahn, tho chair
man Of the delegation, took tho floor. Mr.
Hahn said hesitatingly, "In the cloudcd
state Of mind in which am at present 1
can only state that Ohio gives II votes for
William Mckinley, Jr., and 2 for Har-
rison."
hall and through the galleries Banners
waved and men sprang on their chairs
and waved their hats above their heads
But the chairman stooG thero, his mouth
tightly drawn, his wLite face little
chalkler than usual. Gentlemen of the
convention" he said, when the gavel had
brought something like order out of the
chaos of sound, Il challenge the correct
ness Of that announcement"
In u moment Foraker Of Ohio was on
bis feet No friend of Mckinley he, but
IN earnest foe of tho administration. Il
understood you had left the delegation for
higher place and had substituted an al
ternate, he cried.
liam member Of the Ohio delegation,
said Major Mckinley firmly.
"You have rctirsl from IL, and your al
ternate has taken your place, +" Foraker per-
sisted. I'VE do not know you in the dele
CATION"
At this there were laughter and some
cheering through the hall. But the gavcl
brought order again, and the chairman
said, The chair ovcrrulcs tho point of or
Ger and eslSs the secretary to call the roll. /"
And then, in the hushcd silence OF lis
tening thousands, the names of the Ohio
tho answer of each and every one of them,
with the exception of Major Mckinley
himself and man named Cooper. They
answered Harrison, and when Mcl<in-
lcy's vote was cast the convention hall
shook with the cheers OF The Harrison men.
1.-Two votes for Harrison and a. for WE
linn Mckinley, Jr., :" was the announce
ment Of the secretary. Then Cooper
changed his vote for Mckinley, making tho
number 30. And tlIcn the calling OF the
roll Of states proceeded.
And after this very interesting bitof Ivy
play tie ruli call showed 595 1-G votes for
Harrison, l62 5-e for Blaine and 1872 for
Mckinley.
Mckinley was never In tho race; that
was plain. Harrison was nominated before
tho roll call hcgan.
But 10 looked for O minute when tho vote
of Ohio was announced. as though there
might ho y stampede 60 the Ohio candidate.
Did McNiilcy's protest stop the stampede?
IL is not likely, hut IL Is possible.
GEORGE GEANTIAM BA1N. q