New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-04

best known and most famous NOM
nator OF Republican Presidential candidates;
a man who for more than half century has
been coming 70 Republican National Conven-
lions. sometimes as a delegate and occasion
ally as a candidate man who has refused
every place in the Cabinet"
It the permanent chairman Of tire Repub-
lean National Convention. which IS to nee,
within the next few days at Chicago, make
this announcement to the assembled multitude
and i; is not improbable that he Willie
won't have to mention any name. for there
is only one Republican in the United States
who fits that description to +. and that is
Chauncey NJ. Depew.
To be absolutely accurate, Mr. Depew has
5een attending Republican National Conven-
ions for ffty-two years, mis- first task in that
direction being the denomination Of Abraham
lincoln. 'n 1864 That wasn't his first di?
MO The political arena, however. Eight years
before in 1886. with the inn hardly dry on his
parchment from Yale, he plunged into the cam
aaign FOR the election Of John c. Fremont, and
,tumpcd the country from one end to the other.
Mr.. Depew is a delegate to the coming con
vention: as A matter Of fact, he will be dean
OF the faculty" Just twenty eight years ago,
in the convention of 1888, Mr.. Depew was
candidate for the Presidential nomination, and
l.. Il tAoto TOO q
was the favorite son of the Empire State and
had the entire delegation back Of him, with
some support from the outside.
The 1888 convention hasn't been duplicated,
although the coming gathering Of delegates at
Chicago bids fair TO turn the trick Favorite
sons this wear are almost as numerous as they
we're in 1888, and for the first time since TINS
latter convention, or twentyeight years, the
convention that will meet in Chicago will 60
beyond the first ballot in the selection OF
candidate For twenty-eight years the Re 4,
publcans have been nominating their Presl-
Dental candidates with practically no contest.
The uncertainty that preceded the conven-
ton OF 1885 as to the candidate likely to ne
nominated differs in no wise from the uncer-
iainty that now exists. When the ballotlng
began there we're fourteen favorite sons at the
post. with John Sherman, of Ohio, in the lead
with 229 votes. Walter Q. Gresham. Of Ind.
ana. was second with III votes, and Mr. De
pew was third. with 90 Fifth on the list was
BENJAMIN Harrison. Of diana with 80 votes.
There isn't much doubt that the support OF
the New York delegates was responsible for
Harrisons ultimate nomination, and IN TINS
connection the candidacy of Mr.. Depew fur
njshed some interesting sidelights. At first
Mr. Depew did not have the support OF the
Republican organization in this state. Its
leaders. among them Thomas G. Plat, went
50 far as to accuse him of building up an or
canization of his own. They told him that his
candidacy was embarrassing that 1t threat
ened TO interfere with the large influence tbs
Empire State should have in the selection of
candidate.
Mr.. Depew declared, however, that his can
d,dacy was not Of his own making. He wasn't
building up a rival organization; he wasn't
seeking the nomination. Finally, Mr.. DepeW
agreed 10 make public announcement that he
was not candidate for President. This was
duly made in the newspapers, out the districts
continued to elect delegates pledged TO his
nomination Efforts were then made TO have
him announce that he would not accept the
nomination if it were rendered to him, but he
declined Finally, M. Platt and his fellow
leaders got behind the candidacy of Mr.. DepeW,
more in self-defence, it was put, for the
piatt organization was beginning TO wabble
At the convention the friction broke out
anew. When Mr. Depew withdrew from the
contest the question of candidate was put
m Ia the New York delegates themselves, but
fhev couldn't agree. Finally, the decision was
left to the "Big Four" which was composed of
Platt Depew, Warner Miller and Frank His
cock. It proved just as hard, however, to get
them together as it did the delegates, and the
friction was constant. Plat and Hiscock were
Cor Allison. Miller was firm for sherman. while
Depcw was for Harrison. They could not
agree. Finally. Depew took the bull by the
horns. As the favorite son, he believed 1t his
province to have the say. and he won.
The election Of Mr.. Harrison is, of course
history. but the campaign had many things
about it which made conditions at the present
time almost parallel
The international situation was equally
prominent in the campaign, and it had an i'm
portant place in the Republican platform. par
.;..i,.. ot.o,t;or beiney lied 10 the weak and