The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-16

too insistent upon the expression of the same views he was defeated for reelection of 1888. MT. Cleveland was the only resident who ever devoted an entire annual message to Congress to the discussion of oen subject. The Fiftieth Congress was the second Of Mir. CleveIand's first term. and the Democratic majority in the House had been reelected. while the Republican
 majority in the Senate had been d. unfinished.
 The President believed that the result of the 1888 elections meant that the | people wished him to carry out his | ideas on the tariff. Therefore. he de- voted his entire annual message 10 the | tarfff. discussing nothing else and piac. l Ing the tariff question in position or | paramount importance never before oc- 1 cupied by any issue in the Legislative | history of the country. That message vas pret ared and sent against the ad- vice of the leaders of the party. IL | did not meet with the reception hopeo | for, and the tide turned against the Democrats But even with that com plication in the way. Cleveland would | have been reelected but for the treach- cry of Tammany Hall.
 The Republican candidate was Ben | jamin Harrison of Indiana-grandson | of William Henry Harrison. "Old Tip | pecanoe." and great-grandson of Vir- | ginia signer of the Declaration of ln- | dependence, a direct descendant Of Po- | ca hontas, and connected with all Of the l prominent old families of colonial days; l he was the first successful candidate | for President'sipce Zachary Taylor who
 might claim to be of "aristocratic" | lineage.
 Memories of the famous "Tipreca- 1 noe" campaign were revived by ardent Republicans. and facetious Democrats
 poked fun at him they were pleased to call the midget grandson in the giant l grandfather's hat Every cartoonist ac- | cepted the "grandfather's hat" as the | badge of Harrison's candidacy. As | result. the campaign of 1888 became the l campaign of hats.
 | The Republican marching clubs and | ''rooters" affected big hats of the bee | hive variety such as were worn py l Crandfather 'rippecanoe" Harrison .n
 the campaign of 1S4o. The Democrats | adopted the white felt topper" which was a favorite of MT. Cleveland. All over the country rural Democrats who would have tainted at the notion Of black silk top-hat bought the white | s1Cleveland hats" and wore them gum mer and winter. day and night. Tne l Democratic candidate for Vice-Presi-7 | dent was Allen c. Thurman or ono, whom men loved to call the "Old Ro-
 man. Senator Thurman's inseparable companion was a red bandana handker- | loyal Democrat added the equipment Of a red bandana. Then he was ready l to hike and hurrah and harangue Tor Cleveland and Thurman.
 So far as Is known there are but two living men who wear Cleveland white hats. One Is John G. Carlisle, three times Speaker of the House of Repre- sentatives. sometime Senator from Ken- tucky and Secretary of the Treasury in Cleveland's Cabinet. The other is
 Doc" John George of Dallas County Missouri. who swore he would never
 leave it of until Cleveland and Thur man were elected. Cleveland again came into office after four years out, but Thurman was not elected and Doc" George still wears the hat, being the only gold" Democrat in his whole bailiwick.
 The campaign of 1888 was vast im-
 provement over the scandal-mopgering
 contest of four years before. MT Cleveland had gained the respect of
 the country by his administration of aaffirs, whether he had its approval or not Mir. Harrison had both the re- spect and confidence of the country.
 The campaign was conducted with great dignity. The rivalry between the two parties was sharp, there were many doubtful States and in none of
 them was victory for either side over
 whelming. It was, however. battle
  tariff issue was a real issue. Neither
 of the candidates appealed to the en- thusiasm of the masses of their fol- lowers There was no great popular outburst for either one. It was the coIdest of the close Presidential con- tests.
 Benjamin Harrison was one of the
 greatest of the men who have occu- pied the White House. His state pa- pers are fit to rank with the best in the archives of the Republic. not ex- cepting those penned by Washington. Jefferson or John Quincy Adams. His administration was far from tranquil, vet its sharpest conflicts arose from
 the fact that Harrison, in the interest
 of the whole people, opposed the
 schemes of certain of his party leaders.
 advocates of the interests of very
 few.
 Better campaign speeches have new
 CT been made than those which Ben-
 jamin Harrison delivered at his home
 in Indianapolis. originating the front
 porch" campaign system. other can
 didates had spoken from their veran-
 das, but Harrison was the nrst wno
 did it systematically and to whose
 home special trains brought thousands
 of excursionists every week. mat these exeursionists were often maoe up with free passes and paid deiega- lions. for the effect the reports or the
 
 distant States, Is undoubtedly true, put politics was becoming advanced In that day. .h
 Harrison won his nomination In the Republican convention as the cholce of those clements opposed to the nom ination of John sherman of ohio. sher- man went into the convention With more than twice as many votes as ms next highest competitor. Waiter v. Gresham. of Indiana. Third In the race was Chauncey M. Depew. of Ne" York: fourth was General Russell A. Alger, of Michigan; fifth was Benla- min Harrison: sixth was William B. Allison. of Iowa and then dozen other smaller ones. each of whom hoped to be the successful dark horse" James G. Blaine. the Henry Clay of the Republican Party" wanted the nomination. But he had written letters saying he wouldn't take It. and although he wavered and wabbled In his messages to his friends. he final ly cabled from Europe that he was not in the race. His State voted for him to the last, notwithstanding his with drawal.
 John sherman was the organization
 candidate. He was backed by the powers of the old-llne machinery and according to all rules of political gam ing, ought to have won. But the South ern delegates, always a purchasable commodity in Republican conventions.
 which Mr. sherman had carefully and
 expensively bought up. sold themselves
 over again to General Alger Ager
 al a would