Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-05
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
XII-The Era of "Normal'' Politics.
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

between Conkling and Blaine and because
of internecine strife concerning the man.
,ner of distributing pie.
The democrats sought to appeal to the
north by nominating war hero and
they chose for President Gen. Winfield
scott Hancock. For several years the
agitation for revision. of the tariff had
been becoming more and more acute.
trine of protection. their legitimate in
heritance from their WING and federalist
ancestors. The democrats were demand
ing reduction of duties. and many of
them went so far as to declare for free
trade. The protectionist element in the
democratic party was still strong enough
to keep Samuel j. Randall. of Pehnsyl-
vanias I'm the Speakers chair in. the
the Hayes administration. The. two
wings of the democratic party were
about to come to open warfare. over the
tariff when Hancock was nominated.
Being more of a soldier than a politi-
clan, Hancock told the truth about the
tariff apd thereby insured his own de-
feat. He said it was a local ISSUE. !,
In September the democrats. by means
Of fusion with the greenbackers, carried
Maine. elect
Democrats Elect ing Governor
Governor in Maine. tb ,sr''eo o. the the
Col Plaisted elected Governor of Maine
this year. The Maine election inspired
the democrats with complete confidence
and struck terror to the hearts of the
republicans But the republican organi-
cation was sufficiently under discipline
to permit a compromise. which brought
a united party to the polls and which
elected Garfield, carried the House and
reduced the democratic majority in the
Senate to one.
The republican quarrel was net settled.
however, and Garfeld's first act was
calculated to renew it. His appointments
in New York opened the war between
the "stalwarts' and the "half-breeds'' in
that state. Conkling and Plat opposing
the administration. Garfield was MUIR
dered, and was succeeded by Gen. Ar
thur, a practical politician, but not a
man of sufficient strength of character to
reunite his party forces.
Two years later the democrats again
carried the House. although the Senate
went republican. Thus, during the Gar
field-Arthur administration there was
never complete accord between the ad-
ministration and Congress, the Senate be-
ing democratic during the first two years
and the House during the last two years.
In 1884 the republicans nominated James
g. Blaine and the democrats Grover
Cleveland. 1t was an exceedingly bitter
campaign, in which both sides resorted to
mud Singing of the vilest character. The
Independent, or mugwump. vote was cast
for Cleveland. and he was elected. carry
ing with him. a. democratic House. In
1885 the House again was democratic
but during both Congresses of the first
Cleveland administration the Senate re-
manned under republican control Follow
ing the tariff bill of 1888. the tariff had
become the chief issue in the country.
the high tariff men having completely
captured the republican Organization,
while the democrats Endorsed tariff re-
duction under one name or another. The
republican Senate defeated as a matter of
course every attempt to pass tariff bill
during the first Cleveland administration.
In 1883 party spirit reached the climax
of ardor. Cleveland was opposed for re-
election by Ben
Trial Of Strength, jamin Harrison.
in 1888 Campaign. ms, ree t .uadsn = Of
the previous campaign were abandoned,
and the campaign was waged throughout
the country cstensibly on the tariff IS
sue, but in reality 1t was only a trial OF
strength between two party organiza-
tons. The democrats demanded -four
more years of Grover" while the
republicans wore grandpa's hats and
sang all over again the stirring songs
that had elected Tippecanoe and Tyler,
too, in 1910. Harrison was the grand
son Of Gen. W. H. Harrison. and the
glamour Of the great wing landslide of!
forty-eight years before aided in his cam
paign. The result was a complete repub-
lican victory, although by a small mar
gin. Harrison went into Office March, 4.
1889. having republican majority IN both
houses of Congress to support him. For.
the first time In fourteen years the gov
eminent machinery was entirely In the
hands of one party.
Tomorrow - CONGRESSIONAL CAM
PAIGN0.
xIII-THE LANDSLIDE OF 1890.