Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-04

MEN WHO REALLY CONTROL THE
DEsTINIEs OF MANY AsPIRANTS.
Senator Cullom the Nestor-Co1. Hep
burn Senior Convention Delegate
Others of Equal Note.

Many American Warwicks will be on the
floor of the Senate when President and
President-elect Roosevelt enter the cham
Der today to witness rthe swearing in of
Vice President-elect Fairbanks and the new
senator's. Under the American electoral
system and the national political conven-
ton practice which has developed from it
the national elections are only indirectly
the result of the popular vote, although
except in two or three instances the cleo
toral and the popular result have been in
accord.
In the Senate and House assembled to
witness the induction of the new Vice Presi-
dent and the preliminarieS of the inaugu-
ration of the President will sit many men
who have played conspicuous parts in ma
tional conventions, and voted in more than
one electoral college-thus actually partici-
pating in the presidential result, instead of
indirectly doing SO, as is the case of the
everyday voters of both great parties. Some
of these bark back to remote conventions
and far distant elections. Others have
played prominent parts in the more recent
national contests. All these may be prop
erly called American President-ma
Warwicks.
Both the President and the viee President
have appeared in evidence in great nation
al
as candidates and as factors in the selec-
ton of other candidates. The President was
Il elegate-at-large TO the republican con-
vention at Chicago in 1884 Ga youth, but
twenty-siX was he, when on that stage he
trod'') and sixteen years later at Philadel-
phia delegate-at-large in the conven-
ton which named him for Vice President.
The new Vice President has been con-
spicuous factor in several republican con-
Xentions, although his experience does not
go back SO far as his chief He was tenn
porary chairman of the republican conven-
ton al ST Louis, In 1896; chairman of the
committee on resolutions at Philadelphia
in 1900 and a nominee of the convention
at Chicago in 1904. In the convention of
1884 Theodore Roosevelt made speech
supporting the nomination of George F.
Edmunds. and in that of 1896 one seconding
the nomination of William Mckinley.
Cullom the Nestor.
The Nestor of all the Warwicks of Con-
gress is Shelby n. Cullom. 1t is a mere
trife of thirty-three9 years "a gereratioD
since he, on behalf of the Illinois delega-
ton, placed General Grant in nomination
for his second term at Philadelphia. Sem
ator Cullom was chairman of the Illinois
delegation. Four years later he support ed
John A. Logan in the great convention of
1880 at Chicago. But even in those days
Senator Cullom was, no spring chicken in
politics. The whig party has been dust
for half a century, hut the senator Was
an active member! of that party in his
young manhood and was defeated as d
candidate for elector on the wing ticket as
long ago 1856, (which was two years
before President Roosevelt was born.
Col. i"Pete'' Hepburn of Iowa is believed
to be the senior convention. delegate, and
the only congressional survivor of the
great "wigwam" convention at Chicago IN
1860, which named Abraham Lincoln over
William II. Seward. He was also Hayes
and Harrison elector, and again deia-
gate in 1876 and 1883. .a-
Some others whose records reach back
into political misty ages are Senator Ba.e.
who was Breckenridge and Lane electur
in 1860, and a delegate to the democratic
conventions at New York in 1868 and st.
Louis in 1888, and Senator Morgan, who
voted for Breckenridge and Lane in the
electoral college of 1860. Both senators
entered the confederate army and rose to
be generals.
There are several members of the two
houses participating In the Inauguration
exercises who themselves have ''essayed to
break feeble lance in more or less siren
uOuS efforts to secure the presidential
nomination. Senator Allison was a promi-
nent candidate before the conventions Of
1850 and 1883. and at one time his candidacy
before the latter body looked very formid
able, as he was one Of the leaders in the
race. which was finally non by Benjamin
Harrison. He has been considered a possi-
BILE dark horse in several other conventions,
but age has now put him out of the list.
Senator German has doomed fully as large
before democratic conventions for nearly
as long a period, apd has been regarded
good democratic presidential timber for
twenty-five years. He was warmly sup
ported by many leading men of his party
last year, but would not consent to make
the race, thus repeating in some measure
his attitude in 1892, when he was President
Cleveland's most formidable opponent be-
fore the Chicago convention. He has been
a delegate to and an important factor in
many conventions. and his familiarity with
those bodies dates back to 1852, and per
haps a little farther. Senator Chauncey NJ.
DepeW was a candidate in the republican
convention at Chicago in 1888, ''the farmers
choice if you please to remember, and
polled as high 80 votes, but dropped out
in one of the early heats of that notable
contest. He has appeared in many republic
can national conventions and was delegate
at-large in the last four.
At Minnea polls. in 1892, he made speech
supporting President Harrisons nominal
ton; in 1896 at st. Louis, he presented Levi
p. Morton's name: at Philadelphia in 1900.
he supported the denomination of President
Mckinley, and at Chicago, last summer,
frally struck a New York winner when he
spoke for the nomination of President
Roosevelt. Senator Depew's connection
with republican politics dates back to the
birth of the party-he was twenty-one that
year. He headed the successful republican
state ticket In the second Lincoln cam
pain, forty count 'em) years ago, and has
been trying for more than thirty years to
Horace Greeley in the Parker-like cam
paign of 1872.
Senator Alger.
Gen. Russell A. Alger cast his first vote
in the Fremont campaign, but did not be-
come active in national politics until twen-
ty years later when, after serving as
Blaine delegate in 1884, and as governor,
he made a sizzling race at Chicago. in 1888,
coming second under the wire. His candi-
dacy had some interesting features, dupli-
Gated in at least one other party in very
recent year, and was of the most energetic
character. He took his defeat in good
part and, on returning TO Michigan was
placed al the head of the state electoral
ticket, was elected in state then consid-
cred close. and cast his vote for his sue
cessful rival in the electoral college. Gen.
Alger first delegate-at -large in the Nc
kinney convention at Philadelphia in lHA
The remarkable republican convention OF
1880 was presided over by George T. Hoar,
whose benign countenance has just disap-
peared from the Senate. Nearly all its
great rival candidates and leaders have
passed away, but their memories still lin
se@. Some eminent participants will, low
ever, be present on Saturday. President
Pro Tempora Frye. who had been q Lin
coin elector. and a delegate to the republi-
can national conventions of 1872 and 1876,