The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-05
AND HOW AEOIT M,IEAN?

When the pot boils the scum always
comes 10 the surface. John r.. Mclean,
owner of the Cincinnati Enquirer, is ac-
tuany q real candidate for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination. M1Lean
Is not known Of outside Of Ohio at all.
and lie would not be known OF there but
for the fact that he inherited from his
father that immensely valuable piece OF
property. the Cincinnati Enquirer. which
he proceeded to use to the injury OF the
Democratic party by turning it into a
free-siver journal
in spite Of the fact that the American
people have no idea who Mclean is. he
really thinks he has chance 10 be the
nominee Of the Democratic Convention,
his hopes being chiefly based upon his
advocacy Of free silver. the announcement
Of his friends that II nominated he will
contribute a half million of dollars 20
the campaign fund, ana the manipulation
Of the convention for him. which he looks
for from his friend, Senator A. +. Cor
man. This. his chief reliance. 10 seems. he
will be deprived Of as German an
nounces that he will not attend the con-
yention. But would McLelr get the sic
from him that he expects II German at
tended? He was sent from Maryland In
1899 to aid in securing the nomination OF
Mr.. Cleveland but the way ne sought to
prevent his nomination in oehalt OF that
Of German is now ancient history. Nc
Lean might. perhaps. learn useful les
son ia the premises by reading the fol-
lowing, which We take from that devoted
partisan Of Senator German. the Wash
ington Post:
Senator Germans skill as a political
tactician is illustrated by the way IN
which he got William Pinkney Whyte
out Of the State and himself in. Whyte
had been Governor. was ia the Senate.
and appeared TO have q life cinch on the
place lie had no thought or intention
Of withdrawing from public life, but one
day I'm private conversation he incautiOus-
ly limited, just barely hinted that per-
haps he might not be candidate again
for the Senate. lie said some OF those
derogatory things about public life OF
which men who think they are entirely
safe. or who have been retired against
their WILL are fond Il utteFng Wi'hput
attaching any meaning 10 them. German
heard of il. Ii was all he wanted 10 form
the basis of his campaign. lie took care
that the report was duly circulated and
secured its publication in the State news
papers. The result was that Senator
Whyte found himself committed to retir-
ing from the Senate. when he had not
the least intention or wish of so doing.
Mr.. German succeeded him. and has been
in the Senate ever since, Mr.. Whyte vain
~ endeavoring TO GUST him.
Perhaps Senator German knew or the
way in which Robert TOOmhs of Georgia,
managed to remove Alexander II. Ste
yenS from his path when be was elected
10 the Senate. The two were campaign
ing together in the early sos Both want
ed 10 be United States selLtJr, Stevens
was the more popular. and TOomhs was
anxious not 10 have him for an OPP
ponent. one day while they were resting
their horses and takiny lln,. Toomhs
brought the Senatorship up in an Indirect
way. Finally he pumped the direct
question az Stephens If De were a can
didate. stephens unsuspectingly replied.
'No Bob, I am not, but
''Well. as you are not a candidate,
Aleck. / am. and want your support"
TOombs was chosen senator IN conse-
quence OF this bit or sharp practice,
which may have served as a model for
GCrman IN his contest with Whyte
Germans friend the y3st calls t,at
"the skill Of a political tactlcian," other
people call il sharp practice.