Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-11-02

The preiiminaries OF the presidential
contest Of 1880 had many points similar
I to those OF the one now ending. Gen.
Grant was a candidate for a third term
not a third consecutive term. but a third
term after a break Of four years. He
had made a trip around the world and
wherever he went had been received with
that same acclaim and welcome that
characterized the European visit of Theo-
dore Roosevelt at the end Of his African
hunt.
The republican party was divided sharp
ly into the Grant and the anti-Grant fac
lions. At one time there was as much
bitterness as there was last summer just
preceding the final fight for the presi-
Dental nomination at the republican ma
tional convention. The bitterness of the
anti-Grant sentiment is illustrated by a
tale that Is told Of the preacher who
was exhOrting his hearers to be prepared
for the fulfillment Of Mother Symptoms
prophecy that 1.-The world to an end will
come In eighteen hundred and eighty
one" While he was declaring that this
probably would happen a member Of his
congregation exclaimed. Thank Cod"
The preacher wanted to know the reason
for his sudden burst of thankfulness and
ne replied, Anything to beat Grant,,
And that was the attitude of every anti
Grant republican in the country.
On the other hand, with Roscoe Conk-
ling, the leader of the Grant forces. it
was q case of using the name of Grant
to defeat Blaine. Conkling had prevented
Blaines nomination in 1876. and now was
equally determined to circumvent it in
1850. One cannot tell whether ne was
more earnest in his hatred of Blaine Or
in his affection for Grant, but certain it
is that he hated Blaine as much as the
human heart may hate, and loved Grant
as much as one great man may love an
other.
| His hatred of Blaine arose when they
were both members of the House OF Rep
| resentatives. Their
Origin of purposes crossed
Personal Feud. s @pDn a aIst'a the 'i im-
perious. overbearing attitude of ConkliEg
| aggravated Blaine, who, in a speech in
| which he called Conkling a "singed cat
and whining puppy" declared that
his contempt is so whiting, and his
naughty disdain and overpowering, tur-
key-gobbler strut so crushing to myself
and to all the members of the House.
that 1 knew it was an act of the greatest
temerity for me to venture upon a con-
| troversy with him." Conkling was a
great hater and never spoke to Blaine
after that. although they served together
| in Congress for fifteen years. Conk-
| ling's hatred cost Blaine two presidential
nominations and was the means of his
defeat when he finally was nominated.
Hayes was not a candidate for re-
| election. He had incurred the enmity
| of both sides. Coming into the White
| House with clouded title to the presi-
| dency, he was handicapped from the
| beginning. lie broke with his own
| party, to large degree, because he
| recognized the democratic state govern
! ments in Florida, South Carolina and
| Louisiana. His party associates declared
| that in doing SO he recognized the fair
| ness of the democratic contention that
| Tllden was defrauded out of the votes
| of these states. Hoar says that Hayes
| had only three or four sincere supporters
| In the Senate. He knew it not
| worth while to aspire to a denomination
| although his administration was OF
| much credit to himself.
When the republican convention met
| Conkling. fearing that if Grant shoulc
| be nominated there would be a bolt Of
| fered a resolution binding every dele
gate to support the nominees of the con,
| Vention to withdraw beforehand. II
| passed, 119 to J. and then he sought tt
| drive the three out of the convention
| just Bryan sought to drive Belmont
| Ryan and Murphy out Of the Baltimore
| convention last summer. But COnklns
did not press his point. just as. and FOL
| the same reason, Bryan failed to pres:
his at Baltimore. Another resolution Wa
| passed which put an end to the uni
| rule, and that took ninety votes from
| the Grant column at single swOop.
| X
Soon after the balloting began min
Ohio delegates who were pledged t
| Sherman bolted hin
Ohio Delegates and went to Blaine
Some of the part.
erward that the bolt to Blaine so an
gered the Sherman forces that it pre-
! vented Blaine from being nominated
The very morning of the day the noml
| nation was made Garfield, who was lead
ing the Blaine forces, declared he wa
| afraid that Grant would be nominated
after all. and that it would destroy tn
republican party.
| Garfield's speech nominating Sherman
| in which he declared that the fine frenz
| Of the Grant adherentS reminded hin
of the pillows and the spray of tenn
| pest tossed ocean, but that all height
| and depths are measured from a still
| smooth sea, riveted the eyes of the con
| vention upon HIM. When he finally wa
nominated such observers as Senate