The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-22

they were instructed to vote as unit
and for John f. Hartrauft. they should
only do so when Hartraufts vote increas-
ed, and that whenever he dropped In the
race they should then vote as the ma
GRITTY directed. This proposition was
eagerly accepted BY the friends Of Blaine,
who believed that Hartrauft's strength
would soon be exhausted, and that then
they would get a solid vote for their can
didate But Mackey and Kemble, skilled
In the management Of politicians OF
every grade, arranged with number OF
delegations. chiefly from the South, to
have Hartrauft's vote slightly increased
on every ballot Thus, instead Of start
Ing Hartrauft with an exhibition OF his
full strength. part OF 1t was held back.
and. to the surprise and dlsmay OF the
Blaine men from Pennsylvania. Hart
raufts vote steadily increased with each
successive roll call The climax OF this
shrcwd manoeuvres came In q landslide
on the seventh ballot to Hayes, who up
to that time had not been thought
probable candidate.
Had Garfield kept the purpose he once
formed. not to attend the Republican
convention OF 1880, there Is little likeli-
hood that he would have wrested the
nomination from such giants as Blaine.
Grant and Sherman. Tilden in that year
was certainly the choice Of his party.
and the story OF how he failed to be made
It's candidate Is curious one. Tilden, In
truth. expected a denomination, but IN
the subtlety which characterized his
methods he did a needless and. as 1t
proved disastrous thing. He wrote
letter In which he protested to refuse to
be candidate. 1t was expected by his
friends that this letter would be read to
the full convention, when. with drama
tic SURPRISE, some one was to rise and
insist that the Democratic party ignore
this refusal and nominate Tllden, IN
spite OF 1t. The letter was committed to
Andrew H. Green. an old and tried
friend of Tilden, but William c. Whit
ney knew 1t had been written and was
permitted to read 1t while on the way to
Cincinnati, where the convention was
held Through his manoeuvering the let
ter, instead of being laid before the con
vention as It was on the eve on making
n nomination was read to the New York
delegation the day before. and the dele
gates induced to take Tilden at his word
and agree not to make him formal can
didate. Whitney. as tho sequel proved,
was working In the interest CT his father
in law, Henry B. Payne. OF Ohio. and ex-
pectcd to see the latter nominated as
soon as the Generalization caused by the
action of the New York delegation had
manifested itself among tho delegates
from ether States who favored Tilden.
Whitney. however, met opposition where
he did not expect to find 1t. The Ohio
delegation refused to present Payne's
name unanimously. and In the end an
eloquent speech by Daniel Dougherty, OF
Pennsylvania. caused the ill-starreG nom
Inatim OF Hancock.
The convention surprises since 1880
may be said to include the first nomina-
lions OF Cleveland Harrison and Bryan.
The accidental or unexpected sincumbents
of tho Presidency thus make up goodly
roll, and recalling the story OF past
struggles for that high office. one Won
ders whether In 1904 history Will repeat
itself II 1t does, the next President will
be man whose name is not now on
peoples lips.
RUFUS ROCKWELL WILSON,