The Washington herald., 1908-05-17

= ANA2EaAs
possibilities of other days.
he had made himself famous as a par
liamentarian and presiding officer, and
the knowledge that 1t never was struck
emhittered the closing years OF HIS life.
As most followers Of national conven-
ton history will remember, Reed was one
/ of the leading Republican candidates in
1895 He, in fact. was second In the con
/ vention balloting, receiving S4ik votes
/ 10 Mckinlsys 661h; but before the only
/ ballot of the convention was taken. II
was evident TO all that Reed would not
/ secure the coveted prize. which some Of
/ his old friends who survive believe he
could have carried away at the Mlnnea-
/ polls convention four years before had
/ he then risen TO the opportunity present.
| ed 10 him IN q most unexpected manner
When the Harrison cohorts and the
Blaine partisans were all but at each
others throats on the floor OF the con
vention, Reed whose struggles with the
Democrats IN Congress had given him
worldwide fame slipped on TO the plat
/ form. at the back. 10 view the conven-
uon- The hundreds OF excited delegates
and thousands Of equally excited spec
tators caught sight OF him The Blaine
men lost all though OF the Harrison Uen.
the latter left of shaking their fists In
the faces Of the former, and every moth
er's son OF them began an ovation TO the
big Maine man that did not die away IN
til many minutes had passed-an ovation
that would brook no checking by chair
men or band
Reed was so overcome by the spon-
taneity Of the reception that he hardy
could control himself when he was all
but pushed forward by the chairman to
give the convention the address II de-
manded, And perhaps Il was because /
his highly sensitive soul had been so /
deeply touched. say these old friends /
that he signaliy failed 70 seize hold OF /
the psychological moment and. by catch /
ing the fancy OF the crowd with his |
speech. secure for himself the plum over /
which the Harrison and Blaine men were !
Wrangiing- Garfeld secured his nomina- /
Iion by his manner Of nominating John I
sherman. That speech clearly riveted 1
the attention-caught the fancy Of the
delegates and when they got tired Of
voting for Sherman and Grant and Blaine
they turned with a wh0op to the man
VINO had impressed them by his speech
ana bestowed upon him the highest honor
IN their power 10 give.
blaine fn Many Contests.
Among other great Presidential pos
sibilities Of other but recent DAYS. Blaine
was the only one whose name was bal
loted on at FIVE national conventions IN
succession. In 1876 he ran only SS votes
behind Hayes on the deciding ballot. I'm
I'll the last ballot Of the 1880 convention
when the stampede set in for Garfield
Blaine was second only TO Grant. The
convention of 1884 nominated bir-and
he went down to defeat When that Of
lSSs met he withdrew his name in favor
of Harrison. but four years later. when
Harrison was seeking denomination. il
was around Blalne's name that the Pres
ident's opponent rallied.
In point OF years, John Sherman had
his Presidential rod up as long as Blaine
had his. but sherman's name was seri-
ously presented to only three conventions /
those of 1880, 1854, and 1855 He felt !
reasonably sure. before the convention Of
1888 met, that az last he had the long-de-
sired nomination in his grasp Indeed.
on the first ballot his strength was 299.
while HarrisOn's was only So Until the
sixth ballot Sherman led; on the seventh
he fell Il behind Harrison. who won out ,
on the following ballot Thereafter. sher-
man was passive candidate This he ,
almost to the day that he en- ,
tered President McKinleys Cabinet as )
Of State
His failure TO secure the Presidential :
nomination has been called the saddest !
IN the history Of either party in recent /,
times. Certain it Is that John Sherman :
onged for a nomination above all poll Z
lcal honors Of this earth, and his failure !
70 secure it clouded the whole OF his lat ;
Ter life
Russell A. Alger who died only a year
'r two ago. Arthur Pue German. for
iears Senator from Maryland; Walter Q.
Gresham, of Indiana, who was one OF
he prominent Republican candidates in g
SIS and later on Democratic Secretary G
u State under Cleveland; Thomas F. q
8ayard, first ambassador to England. n
Who was a close second TO Hancock. the :,
lominee, on the first ballot of the Demo- ;,
ratio convention Of 1880, and also second
It the convention four years later: Rich %
-rd p. C'SilYer piek'D Bland. of Mis-
ouri, who led Bryan by 16 votes on the -
rst ballot in 1S96-these. also, were some :,
L the great possibilities OF other but y
eeent days who prayed more or less .
arnestly and long for the Presidential .
ghtning 10 strike them. And practically =
III OF them went to their graves griey- =,
usiy disappointed that It did not -
Copyright, 1905. by the Associated Literary PresS]