Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-07

Washington, ID. c., Oct. 7.--Grover
Cleveland WAS elected President the nrst
time because of his view on the tarin ques-
ton. Because he WAS too ins'stent upon
the expression of the same views ne WIS ue-
scated for reelection In lSSS- MT. Sieve-
land was the only President who ever ue-
voted An entire annual message to Ion-
.,rnss 10 tho discussion of one subject.
1'bc Fiftieth Congress was the second OF
MIR Cleveland's first term. and the Demo-
cratic majority in the House had been re-
elected, while the Republican majority In
the Senate had been diminished. =.
The President believed that the result
of the 1856 elections meant that the
pcople wished him to carry out his IDEAS on
he tariff Therefore he devoted his en-
tire annual message TO the tariff, discus
SING nothing else and placing the tariff
question in n position of paramount I'M
nortaDce never before occupied by any
,ss,,e in the legislative history OF the
country. That message was prepared anu
sont against the advice of the leaders OF the
narty II did rot meet with the reception
boncd for and the tide turned against the
Democrats. But even with that compbca-
tion in the way. Cleveland would nave
been reelected but for the treachery oil
Tammany Hall.
Tho Republican candidate was Ben
iamin Harrison OF Indiana GRANDSON
Of William Henry Harrison, Old Up
pecanoe. and great grandson of q VIZ
ginia sirncr of the Declaration OF lnoe-
pcn,lencc. a direct descendant ot foca-
hontas. and connected with all OF the
promincnt old families OF Coioniai Gays.
lie was the first successful candidate LOT
President since Zachary TAYLOR VINO
might claim TO be OF aris'ocra'c
lineage.
Memories az the famous '"rippecanoe
cannaign were revived by ardent Re
p,Ihiicnrs while facetious Democrats
poked fun N the candidate They were
pleased 10 call him the midget grandson IN
thc giant rraudfatheris hat. Every car
toonist accepted the grandfather hat
rs the badge of Harrison candidacy. As
result. the campaign Of 1883 became q
campaign of hats.
A CAMPAIGN or HATS.
The Republican marching clubs and
"rooters" affected big hats OF the bee
hive variety such as were worn by Grand
g,tbcr "Tippccanoe" Harrison IN the
camn,ipp n 1910 The Democrats adopt
"a the white felt topper which was a
f,vnr,tc with Mr. Cleveland All over the
ra,ntr,. rural Democrats who would have
f,,ntci ~ the notion Of black silk top
I'M bcpcht the white Cleveland hats
and wore them summer and winter, day
and night The Democratic candidate
for Nlcc- President was Allen g. Thurman
af Oh,o. whom men loved TO call the Old
Roman senator Thurman S lnseparabie
8, mpani.n was a red bandana handker-
,hirf - To- the white top-hat, every
loNM Democrat added the equipment OF a
rrd hanGaua Then he was ready TO hike
and hurrah and harangue for Cleveland
and Thurman
movement over the scandal-mongermg
contest of four years before. Mr.. Cleye-
land had gained the respect OF the country
hv his administration Of affairs, whether
he had its approval or not. MIR. HARRISON
had both the respect and commence
"a the country. The campaign was con-
Quoted with great dignity. The rivalry
between the narties was sharp: there
were many doubtful states and in none
a them was victory for either side over
whelminr. II was, however, battle OF
rsrtics and not of candidates. The
tariff issue was a real issue Neither of
ne candidates appealed to the en-
shusiasm of the masses Of their followers.
There was no great popular outburst for
,ithcr one. 1t was the coldest of the close
presidential contests
THE FIRST PORCH CAMPAIGN.
BENJAMIN Harrison was one of the
ablesi Of he men who have occupied the
White House His state papers are fit
= rank with the hest IN the archives OF
lh, Repubhc. not excepting those penned
pV Washington. jefferson OF Quincy Adams
Ills administration was far from tranquil
Vet is sharpest conflicts arose from the
fnct that Harrison. in the interest OF the
whole people. opposed the schemes OF
certain Of his party leaders, advocates OF
the interests OF a very few.
Better campaign speeches have never
hccn made than chose which Benjamin
Harrison delivered NJ his homo IN In
annapolis. originating the front porch
campaign system Other candidates
had spoken from their verandas, but
Harrison was the first who did 1t system
aticallv and 70 whose home special trains
brought thousands Of excursionists every
week. That these Excursions were often
made up with free passes and paid del
cgations. for the effect the reports OF the
tremendous outpourlng would have on
distant states, is undoubtedly true,
but politics was becoming advanced in
that day.
Harrison won his nomination in the Re
uuhlican convention as the choice OF
those clements opposed 20 the nomination
of John Sherman of Ohio. Sherman went
into the convention with more than twice
AS many votes as his next highest com
Ietitor, Walter q. Gresham, of Indiana
THIRD in tho race was Chauncey NJ Depew