The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN, Director.
Washington, D. @.
PRESIDENTIAL. CAMPAIGNS.
The Cleveland Harrison Weaver Racs
of 1892.

of 1892.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 1.-THE
Democratic landslide of 1892 which
placed Grover Cleveland for the Sec
ond time in the presidential chair
marked the failure of the most
extraordinary efforts every made by
any party to perpetuate itself in
power. When the Republicans came
back into their own after the end of
the first Cleveland administration,
they left no stone unturned, so far az
legislation was concerned, to make
their power absolute and to prevent
the possibility of another Democratic
president.
The first thing the Republicans did
under the Harrison administration was
to admit six new states to the Union.
thereby subjecting themselves to the
charge that they sought to assure
their party of twelve additional Re-
publican senators and twenty addi-
tional votes in the electoral college.
The house of representatives was Re
publican by a very narrow margin.
The Democratic members were I'M
seated by wholesale to give their
places to Republican contestants,
without regard to the merits of their
claims.
Then followed the attempt to enact
the Force bill. Its authors and pro-
ponents called IL the federal election
bill, but it was SO odIeus to the ma
jority of the people of both parties
that, the name applied by the Demo-
Gratis stuck to it longest. This bill
provided that all elections for federal
offices, that is, representatives ana
presidential electors, should be
under the direct control of the federal
government. That meant carpet
bag" returning boards in the south,
supported by bayonets of federal sol
diers and pistols of federal deputy
marshals, and "solid south" which
would have been solidly Republican,
The fact that the negroes were not
permitted to vote freely, OF that their
votes were not counted, was the prin-
eipal argument used for the bill, and
the only argument which gave the
cause a shadow of justification.
Beating the Force Bill.
The Force bill was passed by the
house and went to Republican SEN
ate. There the absolute freedom of
unlimited debate gave the Democrats
a chance to fight the majority, The
Republican senators from the far west
were not heartily in sympathy with
the Force bill advocates. The western
Republicans had long since ceased to
wave the f'bIoody shirt in campaigns,
and the westerners had not known the
bitterness of armed conflict. The
Democrats held caucus after caucus
and decided upon their plans with the
greatest care. 1t was matter of life
and death to them, and they knew it.
Southern senators of the old rebel
brigadier" type-men OF culture ana
polish-were assigned, man for man,
to pay court to the rough diamonds OF
the west who were their colleagues on
the other side of that chasm marked
by the center aisle of the senate cham
Der. The talk went on increasingly for
days and night. The whole country
was discussing the probability of the
| aps ri nf1 n
it debate.
Finally. about o'clock one morn
ing Senator Daniel of Virginia left his
crutches in the cloak room and SNUFF
fled on the floor. Senator Vest of Mis-
souri, was speaking. He had been
Speaking for hours and hours. Daniel
whispered to him, Its all right, we
have enough votes to beat it. Senator
Stratford of California is with US"
Let me finish my speech said Vest
And he went on to put proper <rhe-
torical and oratorical finish one the
speech that was meant for nothing but
to gain time. The Force bill was dead.
Its advocates knew it and did not press
for a vote.
Quay Disgruntled.
In that fight the Democrats were
aided and abetted by two eastern Re-
publicans, and their victory was due
in great part to Matthew S. Quay and
rock-ribbed Republican STATE of Penn
sylvania. Quay was to figure greatly
in the coming events. He had elected
Harrison over great difficulties, and
he naturally supposed that he was to
be rewarded for his efforts in the
manner that politicians are ever re-
warded. He found to his surprise that
Harrison credited Providence and not
Quay with the victory. of 1888. Har-
rison MORALLY offended Quay on his
II
the inauguration. Harrison also for
got to reply to a telegram of congfat-
uIation sent to him on the day after
his election by Gen. w. w. Dudley of
Indiana, treasurer of the national
committee, who in 1880 had organized
the famous 'blocks of five" system.
The Republicans believed that they
had been returned to power on the
great issue of protection. The prom
Use was redeemed and the Mckinley
bill, the tariff of 1890, was passed.
Major Mckinley was chairman of the
house committee on ways and means
and thereby gave his name to the bill,
but many of the schedules went in
over his protest.
Rightly or wrongly, the whole
country rose up in protest and in 1880
the house of representatives was
turned over to the Democrats once
more, giving them the largest ma
jority that any party had even had in
that body That tremendous victory,
disheartened the Republican and gave
courage to the Democratic hosts.
Then came the great fight for nomi-
nations.
Harrison was renominated at Min
neapolis by an overwhelming vote.
The federal office holders machinery
was loyal to him and the opposition
was divided. Blaine had made the
great blunder of resigning his position
as secretary of state to make the race.
It was as hopeless as was Clay's can
didacy for the Wing nomination in
1913. William Mckinley was made
permanent chairman of the conven-
ton, and at the last moment the wav-
ering opposition settled him. But
Harrison was named on the first bal,
lot, BlaiHe's- and McKinley's vote beA
ing equal. The blow was too much
for Blaine and he died soon, broken in
heart and spirit.
A Fighting Convention.