The sun., 1907-12-18
The Fairbanks Campaign.

The decision Of the Republican mana
gers in Indiana to hold their conventions
early in February and instruct the dele
gates to the national convention to sup
port Vice. President FAIRBANKS is likely
to bring Mr. FAIRBANKS formally into
the field ahead of any other candidate.
Mr.. FAIRBANKs's 8 campaign will not begin
with this action. however, for il has been
in progress at the least from the day he
took the nomination for the office he has.
OF the plan of that campaign the public
has heard little. Mr.. FAIRBANKS does
not open his heart and mind to all. An
idea Of his political methods may be
obtained from the Life and Speeches of
Charles Warren Fairbanks" Qndianap-
oils, 1904, by WILLIAM HENRY SMITH,
author Of History of Indiana"
Mr.. SMITH tells of Mr.. FAIRBANKs's
decision in 1888 TO support WALTER 2.
GRESHAM for the nomination for Presi-
dent against BENJAMIN HARRISON. On
May 8 Mr.. FAIRBANKS wrote to General
HARRISON telling him of his adhesion to
Judge GRESHAM. On May II General
HARRISON acknowledged the receipt of
the letter from Mr.. FAIRBANKS, assuring
its author that political differences could
not interrupt their friendly relations, and
adding Il am sure that you will know
how TO advocate his Judge GREsHAM'sl
claims without unkindness to me-" MIR.
FAIRBANKS took charge Of tine Gresham
fight for delegates, and his biographer
says:
An the old party leaders and the whole party
machinery were for General HARRISON. whose
didacy was supported by nearly all the Republican
papers of the State. In marshalling the
Gresham forces Mr.. FAIRBANKs displayed wonder.
ful skill in the handling OF men. SuAve and pleas
ant with every one. listening TO all suggestions
nevertheless he kept his own counsels. He dis
played prOdig gous activity, yet never appeared TO
be hurried. He refused to join In the attacks made
on General HARRISON. and did what he could TO
discourage them especially those made In regard
to the Generals attitude on the labor question.
lie talked to newspaper reporters. TO editors gave
them suggestions. but never divulged his plans.
Tie wis always ready TO make combinations, but
would not make any TO which a bargain was at
tached. He carefully avoided saying or doing
anything that might by any possibility be dIs
torted into a promise tO bind his chief. lie had
corps of effective neutenants ana to them d,vulged
Just enough OF his plans to put them to intelligent
and earnest work. He kept them busy, and when
the convention opened 1t looked as n he would be
able 10 nominate his candidate one Of the early
ballots"
Judge GRESHAM did not get the
nomination, and Mr.. FAIRBANKS at once
offered his services to General HARRISON.
Mr.. SMITH says that there were those
who advocated ignoring Mr.. Fairbanks,
but General HARRISON put
quietus on it by saying that a man who
had shown the political skill and force
flIlness Of Mr. FAIRBANKS could not be
ignored with impunity." In this cam
paign Mr.. FAIRBANKS tried, so far as
his voice and example could go, to lift
party politics from the low marsh of
detractiOn and corruption up to the high
plane of reason and argument. IT. is
asserted by Mr.. SMITH that in all the
speeches Mr. FAIRBANKS had ever made
up to 1904 mot one word of abuse of
political opponent or of the opposing
party can be found" and that mo speaker
of the opposing party has ever ut
tered one word of detraction of Mr..
FAIRBANKS"
These extracts from the biography of
Mr.. FAIRBANKS throw friendly light on
the course ne has adopted with such
successful results in his political career.
They have their value in exhibiting the
causes of his selection for the Office OF
Vice-President. They suggest, too, that
the Hon. CHARLES WARREN FAIRBANKS
may have accomplished since July of
1904 some things that as yet are not
divulged to his opponents in the Repub-
lican party.