The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-02-26
CHANCES FOR lSON.
He May Secure the Re plican
Nomination. Nj
HE OCCUPIES A MIDDLE en- uND.
The silver Question Ia the Predominrting
Factor In Both Parties, and Both Are
In Distress Over It-Characteristios' Of
the Iowa Senator.

WASHINGTON Feb. Is. - Special. -
Senator Allison Is now openly In the field
as q presidential candidate. There is
much more In the Allison movement tbHn
appears on the surface The Iowa senaiPr
has been SO often spoken Of for the Repup-
lican nomination and has cut so little he
ure In conventions that IL has become ,
sort of standing joke that he Is 9 promise
Ing candidate. Yes; he promises well,
but never pans out" have heard many
men say. But this year the conditions
are different The field Is we'll split up,
and there Is no great, commanding figure.
Besides the issues are different. This Is
the first presidential campaign In which
the silver question has been the predomi-
mating factor. That IL Is now the ques
ton of questions every one admits. 1t Is
SO In both Of the great parties, and both
parties are In trouble with 1t. 1t would be
difficult to say which Is In greater distress.
The leaders of both organizations fear
there may be a bolt from the national con-
vention. All are trying to find safe
ground which will avert the threatened
disaster.
Allison Openly In the Field.
This Is where Allison Is strong He &C.
cupies middle ground and could stand
on almost any sort of platform. While
his votes have nearly always been cast on
the side of what Is known as sound money.
he has at the same time been consistently
In favor of the largest possible use Of sill
YER. The sound money men do not greatly
distrust him. Some OF them do, but be-
tween him and an out and out free silver
man there could be but one choice. The
silver men, too, while they would prefer
one of their own number. will be content
with him. II the Republican party gets
itself into such position that it must
compromise In order to hold the two
wings together Allison's position becomes
promising one.
The friends of Senator Allison have
lately perfected in this city an organiza-
ton which Is TO look after the practical
end of the campaign. They have looked
about them and seen that Speaker Reeds
interests appear to be In the care OF Sena-
tor Quay, than whom there is no more
practical or skillful politician. Mr. Platt.
with more or less sincerity, Is looking
after the welfare of Governor Morton.
Ex- Governor McKinley's interests are re-
ceiving the careful attention of a very
bright and energetic man, Mark Hanna Of
Cleveland. Though plain, blunt bust
ness man and fond of calling himself SUCH
Mr.. Hanna is about as smart as they make
them In the political world. Ex-President
Harrison is being groomed by Colonel
John G. New of Indianapolis, and Colonel
New knew all about politics before most
Of the men of today took their first lessons
In the art.
In Clarkson's Hands.
Why should we not have an organiza-
ton, headquarters, a man TO watch
things, some one to send out to see the
right people at the right time, and the
money for all proper expeDsesS asked the
Allison men of themselves. Then they
came together, with an intention TO pro-
vide just such a machine. 1t is located
here in Washington and will cooperate
with that prince of politicians and past
master of the art of working up public
opinion, James s. Clarkson. In such
hands the Allison movement ought TO
thrive. Already 1t Is attracting much at
tention in the west, and predict you will
hear more o. il before the summer Is over.
There is great deal of curiosity here as
TO whether Mr.. Allison intends TO stand
upon platform which was erected for him
by some of his admirers a few months ago.
They said Mr. Allison, IL nominated and
elected president, would not veto any our
rency measure that the congress might
pass. In this Allison was TO take his
stand upon the theory that the veto power
was not intended to be used by presidents
except In the case OF hasty, or Ill oonsid-
cred, or mistaken Legislation; that 1t was
never intended to be interposed where the
people themselves had had opportunity 70
discuss the question, and where the con.
gress had been elected on that ISSUE That
would be making the president greater and
more powerful than the people, something
which the founders of the republic surely
did not contemplate. 1t would be making
him sort of dictator.
Mr.. Allison's friends argue that this Is
sound doctrine, wholly In accord with the
spirit of our institutions. They say the
people ought to have the right to express
their will at the ballot box In the election
Of representatives and senators, and that
the executive ought not have the power to
nullify that will when thus registered.
They contend that the veto power was
given the president only with the idea that
now and then congress would do some
thing rash or hasty that 1t would act upon
sudden passion or without full informa-
ton, and that in such Instances the veto
that this Is the scope of the power when
rightly used.
Allison . Bimetaiiist.
Senator Allison, understand, Is a great
believer In international bimetallism.
While abroad representing this country at
the Brussels conference he made careful
study of the currency question In Europe
and returned hume convinced that some
day the world will restore silver to equal
rank with gold as a money metal. 1t Is
argued In Allison's behalf that his election
to the presidency would command much
respect abroad and tend to bring the ques-
tion of International bimetallism to the
front. The foreigners who favor this meth.
cd of solving a question which is trou-
bling the whole world would say that the
opportune time for action had come and
the result would be vigorous movement
Personally Senator Allison is one of the
most lovable men in Washington public
life. IL he has any enemies, probably he
does not know who they are. Always af-
fable and courteous. approachable and un-
affected, he has the esteem and affection Of
all who know him. IL is a great mistake
to suppose that Mr.. Allison is man with
out strong convictions. He has decided
opinions and expresses them frankly. In