Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-30
PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGNS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN
XVIII. The CleVeland-Ha
son-Weaver Race of 1892

VIZ ASHINGTON, D. c.. Oct. s.
W. The Democratic landslide
w of 1892 which placed Grover
Cleveland for the second
time in the presidential chair mark
ed the failure of the most eXtraordi-
nary efforts ever made by any party
to perpetuate itself in power. When
the Republicans came back into their
own after the end of the first Cleve-
| land administration, they left no
stone unturned, so far as legislation
was concerned, to make their power
absolute and to prevent the posi-
| bility of another Democratic presi-
| dent.
The first thing the Republicans did
under the Harrison administration
was to admit six new states to the
union, thereby subJeoting themselves
to the charge that they sought to
assure their party of twelve addi-
tional Republican senators and twen-
ty additional votes in the electoral
college. The house of representa-
tives was Republican by very mar
row margin. The Democratic men,
bers were unseated by wholesale to
give their places to Republican con-
testants, without regard to the merits
of their claims.
Then followed the attempt to en-
act the Force bill. It's authors and
proponents called it the Federal
Election bill, but it was so odious
| 10 the majority OF the people OF
both parties that the name applied
by the Democrats stuck to it long
est This bill provided that all cleo
tons for federal offices, that is, rep
rescntatiYes and 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 soldiers and pistols Of
federal deputy marshals, and solid
| h ~ y, iT1N r1i n
ly Republican. The fact that the
negroes were not permitted to vote
freely, or that their votes were not
counted, was the principal argument
used for the bill, and the only argu-
| ment which gave the cause a shadow
of justification.
Beating the Force Bill
The Force bill was passed by the
| house and went to Republican sem
ate. There the absolute freedom of
unlimited debate gave the Demo-
| Gratis a chance TO fight the majority
Far West were not heartily in SYM
! pathy with the Force bill advocates.
The western Republicans had long
since ceased to wave the bloody
| shirt" in campaigns, and the west
erners had not known the bitterness
of armed conflict. The Democrats
hald caucus after caucus and decided
upon their plans with the greatest
care. 1t was a matter of life and
death to them, and they knew it.
! Southern senators of the old rebel
| brigadier' type-men of culture and
| pol;sh-were assigned, man for man,
| to pay court to the rough diamonds
of the west who were their col
chasm marked by the center aisle
of the senate chamber. The talk
went on increasingly for days and
nights. The whole country was dis
cussing the probability Of the sem
| ate's adopting cloture rule to limit
| debate.
Finally, about 8 o'clock one morn
ing, Senator Daniel, of Virginia, left
! his clutches in the cloak room and
shuft1ed on the floor. Senator Vest,
been speaking for hours and hours.
Daniel whispered to him, Its all
right, we have enough votes to beat
it. Senator ,Suratfo of California,
speech" said Vest. And he went on
to put a proper rhetorical and ora
torical finish on the speech that was
meant for nothing but to gain time.
The Force bill was dead. It's adVo-
Gates knew it and did not press for
vote.
Quay pisgrunted
In that fight the Democrats were
aided and abetted by two eastern
Republicans. and their victory was
Quay and Don Cameron, senator's
from the rock-ribbed Republican
state of Pennsylvania. Quay was
to figure greatly in the coming
events. He had elected Harrison
over great difficulties, and he natur-
warded for his efforts in the manner
that politicians are ever rewarded.
He found to his surprise that Har-
rison credited Providence and not
L, s%+H Nf
rison mortally offended Quay on his
first visit to the White House after
the Inauguration. Harrison also for
got to reply to a telegram OF con-
graduation sent to him on the day
after his election by General 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
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
was turned over to the Democrats
once more, giving them the largest
majority that any party had ever
had in that body. That tremendous
victory, which swept over states
that had never elected a Democra-
to any office, disheartened the Re-
publicans and gave courage to the
Democratic hosts. Then came the
great fight for nominations.
Harrison was renominated at Min
neapolis by an overwhelming vote.
The federal office holders machin.
cry was loyal to him and the opposi-
tion was divided. Blaine had made
the great blunder of resigning his
the race. 1t was as hopeless as was
Clays candidacy for the Wing nom
ination in 1848. William Mckinley
was made permanent chairman Of
the convention, and at the last mo-
ment the wavering opposition settled
on him. But Harrison was named
on the first ballot, Blaine's and Nc
Kinley's vote being equal. The blow
was too much for Blaine and he died
soon, broken in heart and spirit.
A Fighting Convention
C1eve1and's third nomination was
accomplished only after one of the
hardest ante-cOnvention fights ever
known. He was opposed by the solid
New York delegation, Governor Hill
and the Albany machine joining
hands with Tammany to play their
common enemy. Hill had held con-
vention very early in the year,
SNAP" convention as it was called,
and it had instructed the New York
delega ton for him.
In the convention BOurke Cochran
leaped into fame as an orator, by his
famous speech denouncing Cleveland:
General Bragg, of Wisconsin, voiced
the sentiments of the Democratic