The Washington herald., 1907-08-11
By DEXTER MARSHALL.

the national conventions that are 10 give
the voters a certain narrow choice when
they go TO the polls in November. 1908. be
marked by some great political overturn
as in 1886, when Bryan and Free Silver
Unexpectedly captured the Democratic
party? Or win the ante-convention year
be noted chiefly because of the steady de-
velopment of situation already deter
mined. as in 1893. when Roosevet's eandi-
dacy was the only one possible for the
Republicans? The answer viii be easy q
year from now.
There are no end OF wise men to-day
who declare the political situation at this
time 10 be the most remarkable In his
tory. Some of these wise men seize upon
the Overworked word unique" whenever
they try 10 express themselves upon this
subject Yet certain other men with
memories. who have been active in the
last four Presidential campaigns. will tell
you that each Of them had as distinctive
features as any likely to develop in the
campaign of 1908. while, if consulted, the
newspaper files will show that the early
August situation in each of the years
1881, 1895 1893, and 1903 was accounted
quite as much out OF the ordinary as It Is
in the year of our Lord 1907.
In August. 1891. Benjamin Harrison was
President There was a strong movement
for his denomination by the Republicans.
but there was no certainty as yet The
Federal officeholders leaned his way as a
matter of course, but there were many
prominent Republicans who did not be-
heve he should have a second Presiden-
tial nomination. It was not denied that
he had made a good President from the
Republican standpoint. but there was no
popular enthusiasm for him. He was
cold man. lacking in personal magnetism.
Besides, there We're not a few topliners IN.
his party who thought his nomination
would mean Republican defeat an1 told
him so One Of them advised him to re-
tire for one term and come to the front
again in 1886, but neither he nor his
friends would listen to any such advice.
James G. Blaine, Harrison's Secretary
Of State, who had been defeated by
Grover Cleveland in 1854, had an ardent
following: there was a Mckinley senti-
ment that plainly had 10 be reckoned
with, and there were other possibilities.
Besides, there was some dissatisfaction
with the Mckinley tariff; a Democratic
majority. the first for years. had been re
turned 10 Congress in November. 1890, and
Mckinley himself had been retired from
the House of Representatives. II was
clear that the election of the Republican
candidate was 10 be no ''walkover," who
ever he might be
But there was little doubt in August,
1891, as to who would be the Presiden-
a
In fact there was practically only one
candidate considered seriously at all
Grover Cleveland, who had won in
1884. largely on the civil service reform
issue but had lost in 1883 with tariff
reduction for his war cry, was prac-
tically as certain of denomination by
his party In 1892 as Mckinley was in
1899. or Roosevelt in 1903. Cleveland
had laid down his Presidential duties
with immense relief on March 4, 1889,
and was not unwilling to remain a pri-
vate citizen for the rest of his days.
But a remarkable campaign of Cleve-
land publicity, with his nomination for
the third time in view, had been begun
by his admirers, even before he left
the White House. He never had been
particularly ACCESSIBLE 10 reporters and
correspondents, but somehow, newspa-
of and printed a great many cleverly-
worded paragraphs about him which
not only kept him in the limelight but
increased his popularity almost daily.
In the three years and four months
between the end Of his first term and
the beginning Of August more Of his
addresses. treating a greater variety OF
topics. had been printed IN every news
paper OF prominence, from ocean 70
ocean. than the addresses Of any other
man whatsoever. and his name was
upon every Democratic, every Inde-
pendent, and many a Republican lip
despite his defeat IN 1SSS, as the one
pre-eminently desirable candidate.
Yet the active, visible. organized
movement TO gather delegates for him
and TO secure State Endorsement. did
not begin until early in 1892 BY that
time IT was as certain that he would
he the Depocratic candidate as II was
when the Chicago convention, which
named him, adjourned in July.
The only opposition 70 Cleveland's nom
inatiOn worth any sort Of consideration
was made by David B. Hi and his
friends in the State Of New York. Early
IN 1892 they met. chose anti-Cleveland
delegates 10 the national convention, and
secured the adoption Of the famous unit
rule" by which the entire New York
delegation was 20 vote sOIidly, in the con
venti0n, as determined by the majority
vote of the delegates in the caucus. Thi:
kicked up no end OF row among Cleve.
lands followers and led to the sO-caIled
anti-snap convention. which was held
under the direction Of the late William
c. Whitney. Charles s. Fairchild-stfl
llving-the late William r Grace anC
0sEare v-ho had lone ha,, v,or,.--F,,T e
tors in the New York Democracy. This
convention was held on February %. the
same day that Cleveland delivered hi.
famous Washington's Birthday address a.
Ann Arbor, seat of the University Of
Michigan.
Hill and his followers fought fercely
from that time on until the convention
against the tide Of Cleveland sentiment
but it was irresistible. there being little
or no anu-Cleveland sentiment IN tn,
Democratic party outside the State Of
New York. Cleveland won by an over
whelming majority. although Hilrs hgh
for the nomination was a stiff one
The Political Death of Hill.
Hill had been elected to the United
States Senate in 1891 after completing hi:
term as governor Of New York. succeed
ing Cleveland In that Office. But while
IS Senator. HiH was somewhat of a ma.
tional figure until 1897. when his tern
expired. the result of his opposition L
Cleveland's third nomination, together
with the free silver movement of 1896
caused his slow political death. He hai
been so entirely out of It for the last ter
years that many an active young Demo
z-ga -