South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-28
TWO ELECTIONS
WERE IN DOUBT
Cleveland in 1884 Defeated
Blaine Only When Returns
Were In.

NEW YORK. Nov. 2s.--Only two
parallels are found in American his
tory TO the long suspense experience
ed this year i'm determining the re-
suit OF the presidential election.
In 1884 it took three days to learn
that Grover Cleveland had won by
gaining New York states electoral
vote from James G, Blaine with only
100 majority. In 1876 il took an
electoral commission 10 decide the
famous Tilden-Hayes contest.
1t is interesting 10 note that the
contest Of 1876. 1854 and 1916 were
contests OF men. in which dominat-
ing personality played a large part.
This is particularly true of the 1884
and 1916 Roscoe Conkling. the bril-
liant senator from New York, had
much to do with the eventual out
come of these two countries.
In the case of the Tilden-H Hayes
fight. il was said Mr.. Conkling was
Of the opinion Mr.. Hayes had not
been elected president and therefore
should not be declared the victor.
If Senator Conkling had acted on
this view he could have marshalled
enough votes in the senate 10 throw
the electoral vote of Louisiana to
Mr.. Tilden. But he failed 10 act on
the matter, and tradition says that
in so doing ne was influenced by a
brilliant woman who took that
means Of venting upon Mr.. Tilden
her anger because he had caused the
defeat of her father, Salmon =.
Chase, in the democratic presiden-
tial convention of 1863.
Most Sensational.
Prior TO 1916 the Blaine-Cleveland
campaign of 1884 was easily the
most sensational presidential cam
paign in so years. Blaine was the
idol of the republican hosts and
undoubtedly would have been presi-
dent had it not been for the unfor-
tunate Rum, Romanism and Rebel
lion" utterance of DR.. Burchard In
the Fifth Avenue hotel on the even
ing Of election. Mr.. Blaine neglect
ed TO repudiate his sentiment, and
as a result more than enough votes
were turned in New York alone to
defeat him. The BUrchard episode.
coupled with the relentless hostility
of Roscoe Conkling, made the defeat
of Mr.. Blaine, as it afterward turn
ed out inevitable.
The enmity between the two men
of dominating personality went back
TO their rivalry for the leadership
Of congress. Efforts were made by
friends at various times TO patch up
the quarrel but Mr. COnkling was
implecable. His bitterness toward
Mr.. Blaine caused more than 1000
of his supporters in his home coun-
", Onside TO vote directly for Mr.
Cleveland, thereby furnishing
enough votes TO turn the tide OF bat
tie.
AS it became evident that the race
would be close to the last the ex-
element throughout the nation
and particularly in New York, was
intense. on the day after election
il was announced that Mr. Cleve-
land had carried New York, Indiana.
New Jersey and Connecticut, togeth-
CT with the solid south" thereby
winning 226 electoral votes to 10
for Mr.. Blaine.
Figures We're Disputed.
The republican managers disputed
these figures. They said that late
returns from upstate New York
would show a plurality for Mr.
Blaine. And. indeed. for a time it
looked as if their predictions would
be fulfilled The democrats charged
that Jay Gould. a warm friend and
political supporter Of Mr.. Blaine.
was using the Western Union Tele-
graph Co, which he controlled. to
hold back the election returns.
The situation became so serious
that A. p. German. chairman of the
democratic executive committee. on
Friday. Nov. 4, issued the following
statement:
The national democratic commit
tee announces TO the people of the
United States that Grover Cleveland
and Thomas a Hendricks have car
ried 219 electoral votes for the CT
hces of president and vice president.
The states which have declared
in their favor are Alabama. Arkan-
sas. Connecticut. Delaware. Florida.
Georgia. Indiana. Kentucky, Louis
lana. Maryland Mississippi. Missou-
Ii, New Jersey. New York. North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee.
Texas. Virginia and West Virginia
carrying all PIG electoral votes-1S
votes more than sufficient 10 elect
NO fraud or cOnnivance can de-
feat the will of the people of the
United States thus publicly and de-
Eberately declared"
Late that afternoon the belated
returns from upstate came through
and they issued the election OF Mr..
Cleveland. jay Gould was one Of
the first to congratulate Mr.. Cleve-
! land on the event