The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-26

in American political life. The Teud
between Jackson and Clay ended only
with death, and the personal strife had
great influence in moulding political re-
suits
The Tariff Compromise of 1888.
The protective tariff was now threat
ening to cause serious conflict between
north and south. In 1924 Clay had ap-
peared as the champion of a high pro-
tective tariff. In a series Of speeches
more remarkable for their elOqUence
than for their logic he had urged the
merits of the American system" as
he christened it. In 1928 a still higher
schedule of duties was imposed. and
then the agricultural south began to
get very FESTIVE under a system which
the sOUtheTners felt was benefting the
manufacturing north at their expense
When the tariff bill Of 1892 was passed.
South Carolina, under the lead of Cal
hOUn, made her famous notification
ordinance, declaring that the tariff act
was null and void within the bOundar-
les of South Carolina, thus asserting
the doctrine Of state sovereignty and
threatening secession. The spectre Of
disuniOn doomed large. and the coun-
try was in great agitation, when. in 1888
the statesman of compromise brought
forward a tariff bill proposing d grad
uai reduction Of duties during a period
of ten years, so that by 1912 the tariff
on dutiable goods would reach a uni
form level Of 20 per cent. The ad0p-
ton of the tariff compromise Of 1888
sOothed the south. and Clay had scored
his second triumph as the great pacif-
Gator.
The Struggle For the Presidency.
Clay had now entered the senate and
from that vantage ground he led the
Wing party in its fight against Jack
son and his admirers. Meantime he
was enacting the great tragedy of his
political life, his never-ceasing fruitless
attempt to attain the presidency. In
1924 he had the Office within his gift and
had given il TO Adams; in 1928 he had
not been a candidate, but in 1892 he
received the unanimous nomination Of
the Wing party only to be overwhel-
mingIy defeated by Jackson In 1896
the Wings were defeated and dispirit-
ed and went into the campaign with
out making a national nomination.
The result was Van Buren's election
by large majority.
In 1870 Clay had a plurality Of votes
IN the Wing nominating convention at
the outset, but by shrewd political
tTiokery he was turned down in favor
Of Harrison. The Wings won the cleo
ton. but their real leader was not in
the presidential chair We can svmDa-
thize with Clay's comment when he
read the news Of HarriS1n's nomina-
ton, = am the most unfortunate man
in the history Of parties; always run
by my friends when sure to be defeated
and now betrayed for a nomination
when l. or any one, would be sure Of
an election"
In 1914 and 1S4S his words were 70
receive confirmation In 1874 he was
nominated by reclamation as the Wbip
candidate and he lost the election bT
the detection Of the anti-slavery vote
IN the state Of New York. In 1913 he
Ialled 10 receive the Wing nomination
by narrow majority. and for the sec
ond and last time his party won fbe
presidency. This was his last fgbt
When nominations for 1852 were dis
cussed his health was much impaired
and his ambition was dead Three times
ne had been through hard-fought cam
palgns. only to meet defeat. and twice
he had narrowly missed uOuinatio,
when nomination would have meant
election. He had sacrificed much for
MS ambition. In the main he steered a
straight course during his long no.
lltical life. but occasionally he veered
from conviction IN . manner which
forces the conclusion that he was trim
ming his sails 10 catch presidential
breeze He had nobly declared in tbe
Oft-quOted phrase. I would rather he
right than be president" but his con-
cepuons of right were sometimes
NODDED, perhaps uneonsciously. by the
exigencies Of his candidacy.
one great political service remained
Tor the statesman who was now APP
preaching the end of his career. The
relations between north and south over
the slavery issue were undo CONSTANT