Evening star., 1936-10-31
By William G.. McCIoy.

III pICSluClllldl IdulpulSlo' kLe
facts are patent to present-day voters
still under 40 years of age.
Before the nominations OF the
Harding Coolidge and Cox-RooSevelt
combinations in 1920, Herbert Hoover
loomed big on the political horizon as
a potential candidate for the presi-
dency. Nothing that he had done
politically gained that position for
him. 1t was due solely to the shot
that was Unexpectedly fired at Sara
jevo in June, 1914. Hoover's relief
work in war-torn Belgium brought
him into the Gmelight.
When his name was first mentioned
It was not known whether he was a
Republican or Democrat, but the
formation of Hoover-for-Presi
clubs all over the country caused the
President-makers to sit up and take
notice.
Ambitious well-wishers of Hoover
indicated that he would accept either
nomination if offered. A Quay or a
Hanna might easily have placed him
on either ticket. But it looked like
q Republican year and regular party
men did not take kindly to the NOM
ination of a man of doubtful fealty-
one who might develop queer ideas as
to which men were entitled to the
best jobs.
In the Democratic party things
we're slightly different. The titular
leader, Woodrow Wilson, to whom the
faithful looked for guidance, seemed
to be far more interested in putting
over the League of Nations than in
naming a successor. Some thought he
dreamed of becoming the Leagues
head and thus winning everlasting
fame for himself.
In their bewilderment, certain
hopeful Democrats turned their eyes
toward Hoover. But their hopes were
rudely dispelled. Shortly before the
Republican convention it was an
nounced, definitely, that Hoover was
O Republican-if anything.
THE announcement came too late
L to have any effect upon the
Republicans. Had Hoover's friends
changed it to read: Hes Demo-
crat-if anything" the Democrats
might, at that time, have nominated
him. Well-no dreams are more
tridescent than the Ifs" Of history.
Subsequent facts show how rapidly
the political fortunes of men change
in our democracy. Hoover waited
eight years for the Republican NOM
nation for President and then was
triumphantly elected by plurality OF
6,375,747. Four years later he tried
again and the man who was defeated
for the vice presidency in 1920 by a
plurality of 004,847-Franklin D..
Roosevelt-replaced Hoover as Presi-
dent by plurality Of 7,oS0,O16 in the
popular vote.
The vagaries of our presidential
campaigns exceed the most intricate
detective stories-and they are far
more fascinating to follow. The spec
tacular rise of Grover Cleveland, now
q marble saint in the Democratic Hall
of Fame, is an outstanding example.
Few now remember the bitter invec-
tives, the cynical criticisms that
accompanied the rapid changes in his
political fortunes from his election as
mayor of Buffalo in 1881 to his elec-
ton to the presidency three years
later, in 1884.
An army of men were more promi-
nent in his party than Cleveland IN
1881. Indeed, he was scarcely known
outside his own home town, and
there, chiefly, because he insisted in
performing the unpleasant sworn
duties of his Office as sheriff (prior
to his becoming mayor. He appeared
to be nothing more than a plodding,
painstaking lawyer, scrupulously hon.
est. There we're thousands such all
over the country.
But that particular era was marked
with political corruption in high
places. Cleveland's commonplace vir-
tues stood out in sharp contrast. His
record as mayor, brief though it was,
procured for him, a year later, the
nomination for Governor of New York.
Quite frankly. and Enthusiastically,
he said he doubted his capability or
his knowledge to fill so important a
post as Governor of the Empire State.
"A CCIDENT-(or was it the divinity
a that shapes our endSO-worked
for him. The opposition party. in
power both in the State and Nation,
was engaged in bitter fight for con-
troll of its fortunes in New York State.
President Arthur, who had called to
his cabinet a judge of the Court of
Appeals to be Secretary of the Treas
ury, later forced this mans nomina-
ton for Governor on the New York
Republicans.
The followers of James G. Blaine,
outstanding Republican candidate for
the presidential nomination, revolted
silently against President Arthur's in
terference in the politics Of the State.
Thousands of them refrained from
taking part in the gubernatorlal elec-
tion-with the result that the COM
paratively unknown Mayor of Buffalo
was elected by an unprecedented
plurality. He was at once hailed as
the Moses who would lead the Demo-
cratic party out of the wilderness,
where there we're no public offices, to
the land where honors and jobs grew
upon every bush.
still, the victory was more of a left
handed one for Blaine than direct
triumph for Cleveland. A year and a
half later, when the national Demo-
Gratis nominated Cleveland as their
presidential candidate. with Blaine as
the Republican nominee. all chances
pointed to the election of Blaine, one
of the most brilliant statesmen of his
time.
Clevelands nomination for President
was chiefly geographical-it expressed
the forlorn hope that through him the
Democrats might carry New York and
30 win.
The defeat of the Arthur faction
still rankled among regular Republic
cans, but this was Offset by feud
in the Democratic party where objec-
tions to Cleveland as the regular