Evening journal., 1911-12-26
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Historic Political Quarrel
That Gould Have Been
kVcrted
By Holland.


told Saturday the hitherto unpub-
lished story Of the manner in which
the frs suggestion Of the nomination
Of General Chester A. Arthur for
vice President upon the ticket with
General Garfield was made. II was
really made by Senator Roscoe Conk-
ling although the Senator did not
realize at the time that within few
hours Arthur would be the candidate
for Vice President.
MY authority for the story, the late
John II. Starin. was a very intimate
friend Of General Garfield, as he was
also one OF the most intimate Of the
personal and political friends of Sena-
tor Conkling. Mr.. Starin was always
OF the opinion that, had it not been
for overzealous friends. or for bad
advice given by politicians, some of
whom We're malicious and some of
whom were imprudent, II would have
been easy TO have brought General
Garhelc and Senator Conkling into at
least superficial harmony. following
the formers nomination for the Pres
idency, TO which COnkling was on
posed, so that the relations between
them would not have been strained.
as they were Immediately after Gar
field became President.
Il know" said Mr.. starin TO me.
that II would have been easy to dis
abuse General Garfield before his in
auguration Of the feeling which he
had that Conkling was his political
enemy and had no great admiration
Tor his ability as a politician or as a
public man. The truth was that
Senator Conkling really had no per-
sonal animosity and certainly no vim
dictive feeling for General Garfield
prior to the latters election to the
Presidency.
within an hour or two after Gar
fields nomination, a few of the warm
personal friends of Senator Conkling
were with him in his parlors at the
Chicago hotel where he was staying
for the convention, and the conversa-
tion naturally turned upon the
strength which Garfield would show
as presidential candidate.
Senator Conkling was asked what
his opinion was of Garfield as a man
and as public man. can recall
vividly the substance Of what Conk-
ling said. These are practically his
words:
General Garfield is a man of many
very loyable qualities. As have
fathomed his character, he is. man
who is dominated by the desire Of es-
teen. In my observance of the var
ious manifestations of the qualities of
human nature. / have not failed TO
notice that any man who greatly and
constantly courts esteem is inevitably
afflicted with certain weaknc->cs They
Pare weaknesses OF character and not
of intellect. Considered as a man OF
] literary attainments, a reader and
master OF the classics, Garfield has
no superior; but literature is some
thing wholly apart from the business
which comes to the hand of a man in
public life. AS public speaker. he
is gifted with very great qualities.
But his speeches must be heard: they
do not contain abiding strength, for
those who read them
81 approhcnd that this weakness,
not of intellect but of temperament,
which may be traced TO Garfeld's
dominant desire for cstecm. may lead
him into many mistakes if he enters
the White House They will not,
however, affect his candidacy. since
he is am astute enough politician TO
realize that candidate for President
must say few words ana that IL is best
;hat he speak in public not at all.
! For these reasons should have
been glad if man OF great firmness,
Indifferent to the froihy tribute of the
crowd finding his own best approval
i'm the consciousness of deeds well
done, had been nominated for the pres
idency. The more so, because man
Of the qualities OF General Garfield
is not likely to distinguish between
time serving, adulation and insincere
tribute and solid uncelfsh, honest
loyalty and support, on the part of
those whom he may call ahoul him
as his constitutional or personal ad-
visers'
'Now." said Mr.. Starin, don't you
see that If General Garfield could
only have been led to believe that
Conkling had no personal feeling to-
ward him, that Conkling recognized
his great qualities. and especially
those which attached so many strong
friendships to him, then It would
have been possible have brought these
two men together in harmony all
though they never could have been
thoroughly congenial? But if super
fetal harmony had been established
between them we should haze escaped
the factional troubles which began
early in Garfpld'e administration and
led to Conkling's and Platt's resigna-
tion from the Senate"
Copyright, 1911, by r. j. Edwards.
u rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell 0t
"Blaine's Formula for Keeping a Sc
cret."