Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-12-19
MEMBER OF associated PRESS.


THE PRESIDENTIAL OUTLOOK
u Speaking Of the parallel between the |
Conditions political between, the presi-
Dental campaign Of 1883 and that of
the present time, the St, Louis Globe
Democrat says
when, ii the latter part Of january,
1855, James CT Blaine. writing from
FlpFence, Italy. to Chairman Jones OF
the Republican National Committee.
announced that for reasons personal
TO himself, his name would not be
presented osthe national convention
then only a few months distant, he
threw his supporte who :consti-
tu1ed q large majority Of the party,
into Confusion, and he changed the
whole face of affairs for the. eonyen-
sltion. Blaine had been beaten BY
GleVeland in 1884, but the. defeat was
drought about by "a series Of accidents
such would not be likely to come.
fogefRe1. again in a century. Clevs-
!. land, first term aroused dissatisfac-
tion throughout the country. His tar
LII message OF December, 1887, raised
up niany new enemies against him,
the fspub lieans fell confident that
& they could carry the country in 1883,
and large majority Of them turned
5insstinctiVely to- 81 3 aine for lead ership,
!. the. appraaehing campaign The
sfitgaa d: .off 1884 was to be fought over
again, under the standard bearers of
that year, with the chances this time
all in favor of the repub Leans The.
country expected in 1888 to have a
repetition of the canyasses OF 1860
and 1928, when victory came to candi-
dates who had been beaten four years
earlier. Something like constrena-
4 tion, therefore, was caused in the
ranks Of tthe republican party when
8 Blaine abruptly but peremp torily took
himself out of the race. Had he re-
manned on the track he probably
would have won by a large majority
on the first ballot in the convention
D Of 1888. And, as the sequel showed
when Harrison became the candidate,
Blaine would have carried the coun-
ig 4.
IN 1897 the situation is some What
NJ different The withdrawal IN Roose-
Welt 8 case had been made before the
new term began In repeating now
that he will remain out Of the can,
yass for 1908 the pres dent has mere
reiterated a previous pledge The
country had no right To suppose that
the president had changed his mind
81 since the election night Of three years
ago. NeYerthe less, the fact that he
has ken pains to renew the avoWal
and to do it. in as emp lie language
as he could enlplo has a large in
Is 1erest for the country It removes
whatever uncertainty there mag have
been felt in any quarter reg arding his
attitude, and viii bring forward I
larger field Of local faTorites Wher
Blaine took fime5lf out Of the con
test twenty years ago he immediatsl,
Increased the list OF presidency seek
eFs With Blaine's commanding per
senality out Of the fight every as
pirant, new and old, felt that he haf
ss as good d chance as anybody else Il
set the candidacy It was anybody
race then and the list Of entries be
came larger than has ever been seer
IN presidential convention before o.
since. At one time and another abou
III twenty persons were voted for In tn,
publican convention Of 1883. /
was the longest convention which haJ
ever been held by the party. LASTING
six days The man who stood fifth il
the tally at the beginning Of the bal
lot gradually worked his way FOR
ward, and won on the eighth balloa
This was Benjamin Harrison 1T i
altogether possible that the beginnini
Of the lineup in Chicago In 1903 vii
IS see very nearly as much uncertaint
ragarding the result as the Ghicag
convention of 1883 saw From tlli
time forward the nianoesxe ring for pe
sition among the aspirants viii be az
THE list Of aspirants. which I
already fairly long, stands q chanc
4 10 be heightened farther in the con
ing four or FIVE months. This Is
faaastily sign fer the party The ri
publleans were never better equippel
with leaders BIZ presidential size thai
they are at this moment, and tlle con