Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-08
SURPRISES IN POLITICS.

SURPRISES IN POLITICS.
The game of politics is full OF sur
priscs. says the Boston Globe. Each
presidential year there is much ex-
element In advance of the nominal
tlon, then there is spirited canvass,
and last and most important comes
election day. The result is conjec-
tured until the votes are counted.
Mlny voters during the excitement
feel so positive what the outcome is
to be they feel like wagering money
ON II. Is 1t not best. however. to keep
cool and not allow election matters to
drive all other business from the
mind?
The uncertainty of the result OF no.
litical bnttles also warrants people in
keeping good tempered. In many
presidential contests the unexpected
has happened in spite OF the machn-
atoms OF the most astute political
generals. A few illustrations will
serve to show the absurdity of count
Ing too much on the success OF ones
political idol
Some of the most popular candidates
never reached the goal of their am
billion. Henry Clay. for example, was
almost n sort of permanent candidate
for the presidency and his biogrupher
states that IL the country had been
polled to answer the simule question.
WHO is your personal choice for the
presidency" the replies would have
shown nm ample majority for Clay.
1T was one of the many contradict
lions in which his story abounds, that
all his long enduring popular backing
never produced the result which seem.
ed natural and original" And his
torians generally agree that the pos
session of the presidency would prob
ably have added nothing to his use
fulness or his fame. He was twice
regularly nominated for the presi-
dency and defeated.
President Abraham Lincoln did not
doubt that he would be renominated
in 1864, yet just before the convention
lie slid to Col. A. *. Mcclure. the
noted political writer: - do not
quite forget that was nominated
first by a convention that was two
thirds for the other fellow"
MI Lincoln referred to his nomna-
ton in 1860. At that time. MS Colonel
Mcclure accurately states, William
II. Seward was the confessd Repub-
licnn leader of the nation. He was
admittedly It's first champion and was
among the earliest supporters of the
Republican party. He had been long
in the Senate. and was the peer of
any In the discussion of all the grave
questions which then aeitated the ma.
tional legislature
TO quote Col. Mcclure: 1.-TWO thirds
OF all the delegates elected to that
convention were friends of Sewurd
and expected to vote for him. and his
nomination would have been newt
able on the first ballot had not the
convention been restrained by con-
siderations of eXpediency, which were
most reluctantly accepted"
IL was not believed that Mr.. Sew
ard could carry the then pivotal
ard could then carry then pivotal
states of Indiana and Pennsylvania.
hence there was stampede In favor
of Mr.. Lincoln, who was nominated.
me popular James G. Blaine liken-
ed his chances of securing the presi.
dency TO those of Mr.. Clay. Mfr.
Blaine was fatGlist and believed he
would be beaten second time as Mr..
Clay had been.
IL Is possible Mr.. Blaine could have
been elected had he secured the nom
nation in 1876 instead of Mr.. Hayes.
me uncertainty attending political
pans was exemplined Mt that time
when MIR. Blaine. whom every one ex-
pected to be nominated--in spite of
DIS slight attack OF sun stroke--was
defeated In the convention 1y the
votes of Kentucky. The late Senator
Hoar believed that IL there had not
neen so much bitterness between Mr..
Biaine and Mr.. Brlstow the "a votes
or Kentucky, which We're controlled
by Mr.. Bristow's friends, would have
been cast for Mr.. Blaine. and that
would have been sufficient to nomi-
nate him. Mr. Blaine had received
Jos votes and Mr.. Hayes l13 on tho
sixth ballot. but when the Kentucky
delegates went for Mr.. Hayes they
started stampede In his favor and
he was nominated.
among other surprises in presiden-
!iai years were the nomination OF
James A. Garfield. the two successive
nominations and defeats of William J.
bryan. and the election of Grover
Cleveland. his defeat and reelection.
!! NATIONAL conventions resemble