Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-08
16. The Cleveland-Blaine Race of 1873
. BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN -

WASHINGTON. ID. C.-Disgraceful
because of the scandal mongerIng and
mud-slinging, exciting because of the
intense partisanship displayed, and be
cause It was 30 close, the campaign OF
1884 stands as. one Of the most interest
ing of our history 1t resulted In the
elevation of Grover Cleveland to the
presidential office, the first Democrat 10
be elected after the. Civil War. whose
two terms o. office were the only In
terruptions in ffty-two years OF Re
publican ascendaney.
Long before the campaign was over
II was realized that the candidate who
carried New York would be elected.
Cleveland carried the State by only
1.149 plurality over Blaine. A change OF
600 voters in New York would have made
Blaine president The narrow margin
resulted In & thousand Ifs" and, It is
by some OF these ifs that the cam
paign viii be remembered longest.
The aggressive action on the part OF
the Democrats began with the election
OF 1882 Garfield had allenated COnkling
by making Blaine Secretary OF state
Then followed the appointment OF
Robertson TO be collector of the port
Of New York. Conkiing was so furious
tnat he resigned his seat in the Senate.
being initiated by Thomas &. Platt his
Junior colleague who thereby gained for
himself the sobriquet Of Me Too =
Conkling and Platt were sorely disap-
pointed in that they were not tri-
umphantly reelected.
The assassination Of Garfield did not
end the fractional disputes In the party
President Arthur was Conkling's friend.
l.. Il n. ian4
New Yorker. Blaiue was the popular
leader and the idol Of the masses Of the
Republican voters. Yet his enemies were
m-ny and powerful. both within and
without the party. The Democrats
looked upon him as the next nominee for
President and trimmed their sails ac-
cordingly. In 1852 the Democrats swept
the country and elected a majority OF
the House of Representatives.
JAMES G. BLAINE
NOMINATED FOR SLAUGHTER.
More than that. they carried the piv-
otal state of New York by majority
OF almost 100000. with Grover Cleveland
as the nominee for Governor. Cieveland's
career as mayor Of Buffalo and his veto
Of extravagant appropriations had
brought him into notice In New York.
His great victc y. contributed to by
Republican factionism. caused the whole
country TO look to him. When the Dem
ocrntic national convention met In 1884
he was easily nominated on the second
ballot, receiving the necessary two
thirds vote. despite the violent and even
disorderly protests Of Tammany Hail,
then led by John Kelly.
The administration opposed Blaine with
all its force, and Attempted 90 win the
nomination for President Arthur. But
Blaine was the leader from the begin
ming and received the nomination on the
fourth ballot The powerful influences
which had defeated him in the conven-
lions of 1876 and 1880 were still at
work. but their force was expended and
Blaine was nominated--for slaughter.
Again there was Il third party factor
in the problem. The Grcenbackers re
appeared as the anti Monopoly party and
nominated for President no less a per
sonage than Gen. Benjamin f. Butler Of
Massachusetts, the premier acrobatic
clown OF the political circus. Six weeks
efter taking the anu-Monopoly nomina-
ton. Butler appeared as a delegate In
the Democratic convention actually try
ing to get the Democratic nomination
and bidding for Southern support by
offering a plank fayoring Federal pen
sions for Confederate soldiers.
Scandals affecting Blaine's integrity
had been aioat for years, and had been
used against him in two national cOnyen-
tons. The Democratic press hailed his
nomination with the Credit Mobilier
scandal and the Mulligan letters. The
charge was reiterated that Blaine, as
speaker Of the House of Representatives.
had been Influenced in his rulings by
financial considerations.
FATAL MISTAKE
OF THE BLAINE FORCES
When the campaign was fairly started,
scandal about Mr.. Cleveland's earlier
life was unearthed-the Halpin affair.
The Blaine forces made n fatal mistake
In lending official countenance to the
spread Of the scandal. When the Demo-
cratic committee considered publishing
the Blaine scandal broadcast, Mr.. Cleve-
land vetoed the proposition. That did
not prevent, Of course, the individual
Democrats from taking up and repeat
ing the old charges against Blaine which
had been current for eight years. The
result was a bitter, nasty. mud-slinglng
campaign.
Everybody looked upon New York as.
the pivotal State. There Mr.. Cleveland
and Mr.. Blaine both labored under great