The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-03
BY RODNEY BUTCHER,

BY RODNEY BUTCHER,
UTASHINGTON, Oct. S-The
w widest, weirdest, wooziest po-
litical campaign in American history
was the log cabin-hard cider battle
of 1910 which ballyhooed President
Martin Van Buren, out of Office and
installed "Tippecanoe and Tyler,
too"
The victorious Wings were purely
an opposition party, with no issues,
no logic, no program and not much
of a candidate. The Democrats had
been in power for forty years. Van
Buren, had been weakened by the
panic of 1887, which he inherited
from Jackson and the bank fight,
but was stronger than ever with his
party.
But the Wings waged campaign
of Noise, Numbers and Nonsense"
and hordes Of new voters were at
tracted.
But the year is also notable for
the successful political maneuvers
which beat Henry Clay out of the
Wing nomination and established
the doctrine of availability which
has since barred many great men
from the presidency in favor of
comparative mediocrities.
The Wing convention met in q
Lutheran Church at Harrisburg, Pa,
resolved on harmony. Clay had said
he would rather be right than
President" though few believed
him. He was a distinct majority
choice at the outset; he had con-
tinued to lead his party in Congress
and nationally.
Thurlow Weed of New York had
come determined to defeat him.
New York and Pennsylvania
delegates were preaching that Clay
couldn't carry their States.
The anti-Clay groups arranged a
series of private informal ballots,
introducing the unit rule into them.
Clay led on the first ballot, but
after three days Harrison had been
maneuvered into majority.
Clay lost because he was a
Freemason. With the nomination
Of Harrison and Tyler of Virginia,
the Wings began their great orgy
Of ballyhoo.
They had no platform and they
dared not oppose the Democratic
doctrine of non-interference with
slavery, but they sang, shouted and
paraded to victory.
Monster parades were held eyery-
where. Some fool in Congress hac
sneered at Harrison's birth in
log cabin and the cabin with bar.
relied hard cider, the generals ia.
vorite drink, became campaigl
symbols.
Brass bands led long procession
of cabins, coonskins, cider KEY
brooms (to sweep clean), and ev>
thing that might be identified
odd Tip" hero of the Bait.
Tippecanoe against the Indians
The Democrats renominated Val
Buren, unanimously. They adopted
a platform denouncing abolitionists
and endorsing the Constitution
Thomas Jefferson, equal rights 0or
mem and economy.
The party in power had laughed
at all the antics of the Wings, call.
ing them animal shows" But fin.
ally they worried
Wing orators were appealing t,
the masses by comparing log cabil
fare with Van Buren's sumptuous
style Of living. They ridiculed
Little Van" as a sweet little fell
low" and a weasel"
The Democrats hurled "imbe-
Gle" and "old woman" at the agec
Harrison and "abolitionist" when
they heard he had once said the
people had a right to petition Con-
greSs on slavery.
The noise increased through
summer and fall and the nation
pdooCQ AlOIll llySbGI1d lIlLO centrum.
Even Clay supported the Wing
ticket, although Harrisons nomi-
nation had thrown him into
drunken rage.
Van BWen's defeat was terrific,
especially in the electoral college,
but he had 100000 more votes than
he had against Harrison in 1886 and
more than any candidate up to that
time. Ballyhoo, corruption or both
had boosted the popular vote 40 per
cent In four years.
The significant new Abolitionist
or Liberty party, having nominated
James G. Burney of New York,
polled 1000 votes.
Thousands Of Wings poured into
Washington for the Inauguration,
many of them after jobs. Harrison,
refusing a carriage, rode down
Pennsylvania avenue on a white
charger. All the log cabins and
coonskins and cider kegs were
brought on for the jamboree.
After that. the job-hunters be-
gan to pour into the White House
and a month later Harrison had
died in the rush.
NEXT: How the dark horse,
James X. Polk, gallOped out of