Towardtheendoftheconventionthismobshoweditselfevenworsethanbefore。ItbecameevidentthatlargepartsofthegallerieswerepackedintheinterestofthelocalcandidatefortheVice—Presidency，GeneralLogan，andthismassofonlookersdidtheirbesttoputdownalldelegatessupportinganyother。
Nomoreundemocraticsystemwaseverdevised。Thetendencyofthis``wigwam’’planofholdinggreatmeetingsorconventionsistostationavastmobofsensation—
seekingmenandwomeninthegalleriesbetweenthedelegatesandthecountryatlarge。Theinevitableconsequenceisthatthe``fog—horns’’ofaconventionplaythemostef—
fectivepart，andthattheyseekmainlytheapplauseofthegalleries。Thecountryatlargeisforthemomentforgotten。Thecontrollinginfluenceisthemob，mainlyfromthecitywheretheconventionisheld。Thewholethingisamonstrousabuse。AttentionhasbeencalledtoitbythinkingDemocratsaswellasbyRepublicans，whohaveseeninitasignofdeteriorationwhichhasproducedmanyunfortunateconsequencesandwillproducemore。ItistheoldstoryoftheFrenchConventionoverawedbyagallerymobandmistakingthemobwhimsiesofacityforthesoberjudgmentofthecountry。Oneresultofitthewholenationsawwhen，inmorerecentyears，ayouthfulmemberofCongress，withnotrainingtofithimforexecutiveduties，wassuddenly，bytheapplauseofsuchamob，imposedupontheDemocraticNationalConventionasacandidateforthePresidency。Thosewhorecallthewayinwhich``theboyoratorofthePlatte’’becametheDemocraticcandidatefortheChiefMagistracyoverseventymillionsofpeople，onaccountofafewhalf—mawkish，half—
blasphemousphrasesinaconventionspeech，canbearwitnesstothenecessityofareforminthisparticular——areformwhichwillforbidasensation—seekingcitymobtousurpthefunctionofthewholepeopleofourRepublic。
Inspiteofthesemobhysterics，theIndependentspersistedtothelastinsupportingMr。Edmundsforthefirstplace，butinvotingforthesecondplacetheyseparated。
FortheVice—PresidencyIcasttheonlyvotewhichwasthrownformyoldCornellstudent，Mr。Foraker，previouslygovernorofOhio，andsincethattimesenatorfromthatState。
Inspiteofsundry``defectsofhisqualities，’’whichIfreelyrecognized，Iregardedhimasafearless，upright，downright，straightforwardmanofthesortwhomustalwaysplayagreatpartinAmericanpolitics。
ItwasatthisconventionthatIsawforthefirsttimeMr。McKinleyofOhio，andhisquietself—possessioninthemidstofthevariouswhirlsandeddiesandstormscausedmetoadmirehimgreatly。Calm，substantial，quicktoseeagoodpoint，strongtomaintainit，hewasevidentlyabornleaderofmen。Hisspeechesweresimple，clear，forcible，andaidedattimesinrescuingtheself—respectofthebody。
ThisRepublicanconventionhavingadjourned，theNationalDemocraticConventionmetsoonafterwardinthesameplaceandnominatedGroverClevelandofNewYork。
HewasamanwhomIgreatlyrespected。Asalreadystated，hiscareerassheriffofErieCounty，asmayorofBuffalo，andasgovernoroftheStateofNewYorkhadledmetoadmirehim。Hehadseemedutterlyincapableofmakinganybidformobsupport;therehadappearednottheslightestgermofdemagogisminhim;
hehadrefusedtobeamerepartizantoolandhadsteadilystoodforthebestidealsofgovernment。Asgovernorheshowedthesamequalitieswhichhadwonadmirationduringhispreviouscareerassheriffandmayor。Hemadeasmanyappointmentsashecouldwithoutregardtopoliticalconsiderations，anditwasremarkedwithwonderthatwhenanumberofleadingDemocratic``workers’’
and``wheel—horses’’cametotheexecutivechamberinAlbanyinordertodictatepurelypartizanappointments，hevirtuallyturnedthemoutoftheroom。Mostamazingthingofall，hehadvetoedabillreducingthefareontheelevatedrailroadsofNewYork，inthefaceoftheearnestadviceofpartizanswhoassuredhimthatbydoingsohewouldsurelyarrayagainsthimtheworking—classesofthatcityandvirtuallyannihilatehispoliticalfuture。
Tothishisanswerwasthatwhateverhissympathiesfortheworking—peoplemightbe，hecouldnot，asanhonestman，allowsuchabilltopass，and，comewhatmight，hewouldnot。Hehadalsodared，quietlybutfirmly，toresistthechief``boss’’ofhispartyinNewYorkCity，andhehadconsequentlytobravethevialsofCelticwrath。Thescenesattheconventionwhichnominatedhimwerestirring，andaneminentWesterndelegatestruckachordintheheartsofthousandsofRepublicansaswellasDemocratswhenhesaid，``Welovehimfortheenemieshehasmade。’’Haditbeenaquestionsimplybetweenmen，greatnumbersofuswhovotedforMr。BlainewouldhavevotedforMr。Cleveland;butwhatevertemptationImightbesubjectedtointhematterwasovercomebyonefact:Mr。
ClevelandwastoomuchliketheTrojanhorse，forheborewithhimanumberofmenwho，whenoncebroughtintopower，weresuretolaborhardtoundoeverythingthathewouldendeavortoaccomplish，andhispredestinedsuccessorinthegovernorshipoftheStateofNewYorkwasoneofthosewhomIlookeduponasespeciallydangerous。
Thereforeitwas，that，afterlookingovertheground，I
wroteanopenlettertoMr。TheodoreRooseveltandotherIndependents，givingthereasonswhythoseofuswhohadsupportedMr。EdmundsshouldnowsupportMr。Blaine，andinthisviewMr。Roosevelt，withalargenumberofourIndependentfriends，agreed。
Ihad，however，smallhopes。ItwascleartomethatMr。
Blainehadlittlechanceofbeingelected;that，infact，hewastooheavilyweightedwiththetransactionswhichMr。
Pullmanhadrevealedtomesomemonthsbeforethebeginningoftheconvention。
ButImadeanefforttocommithimtotheonlypolicywhichcouldsavehim。For，havingreturnedtotheuniversity，IwroteWilliamWalterPhelps，anoldfriend，whohadbeenhischiefrepresentativeatChicago，anearnestletterstatingthatthereseemedtomebutonechanceofrallyingtoMr。Blaine’ssupporttheveryconsiderablebodyofdisaffectedRepublicansintheStateofNewYork;
that，almostwithoutexception，theywereardentbelieversinareformofthecivilservice;andthatanout—and—outearnestdeclarationinfavorofitbyourpresidentialcandidatemightdomuchtopropitiatethem。IremindedMr。Phelpsoftheunquestionedevilsofthe``spoilssystem，’’andsaidthatMr。Blainemustsurelyhaveoftenobservedthem，sufferedunderpressurefromthem，andfeltthatsomethingshouldbedonetoremedythem;andthatifhewouldnowexpresshisconvictiontothiseffect，takingstronggroundinfavorofthereformandbasinghisutterancesonhisexperiencesasastatesman，itwould，inmymind，domuchtosavetheStateofNewYorkfortheRepublicans。
Afterwritingthisletter，feelingthatitmightseemtoMr。PhelpsandtoMr。BlainehimselfverypresumingforamanwhohadsteadilyopposedthematChicagothustovolunteeradvice，Ilaiditaside。ButithappenedthatI
hadbeenchosenoneofthecommitteeofdelegatestogotoMainetoappriseMr。Blaineformallyofhisnomination，anditalsohappenedthatmyoldstudentandfriend，JudgeForaker，wasanothermemberofthecommittee。ItwasimpossibleformetogotoMaine，sincethecommencementoftheuniversity，atwhichIwasboundtopreside，cameonthedayappointedforMr。Blaine’sreceptionofthecommitteeatBangor;butJudgeForakerhavingstoppedoverattheuniversitytoattendameetingofthetrusteesasanalumnimemberofthatbody，Imentionedthislettertohim。Heaskedtoseeit，and，havingreadit，askedtobeallowedtotakeitwithhim。Iconsented，andheardnothingmorefromhimonthesubject;butthefollowingweek，attheYalecommencement，whilesittingwithMr。EvartsandJudgeShipmantoawardprizesinthelawdepartment，Isaw，lookingtowardmeovertheheadsoftheaudienceintheoldCentreChurch，myfriendFrederickWilliamHollsofNewYork，anditwasevidentfromhissteadygazethathehadsomethingtosay。Theawardofprizeshavingbeenmadeandtheaudiencedismissed，Mr。Hollsmetmeandsaid:``Mr。
Blainewilladoptyoursuggestioninhisletterofacceptance。’’Bothofuswereoverjoyed。ItlookedlikeapointscorednotonlyfortheRepublicanparty，butforthecausewhichwebothhadsodeeplyatheart。
Butasthecampaignwentonitwasmoreandmoreevidentthatthisconcession，whichIbelievehewouldhaveadheredtohadhebeenelected，wastobeinvain。
Itwasperhaps，onthewhole，andonbothsides，thevilestpoliticalcampaigneverwaged。Accusationsweremadeagainstbothcandidateswhichshouldhaveforeverbroughtcontemptonthemenwhomadethem。Nothingcouldhavebeenfurtherfromthewishofeithercandidatethanthatsuchaccusationsshouldbemadeagainsthisopponent，buteachwaspowerless:thevilefloodofslanderragedon。
ButIamgladheretorecallthefactthatwhen，atalaterperiod，oneoftheworstinventorsofslanderagainstMr。
BlainesoughtrewardintheshapeofofficefromPresidentCleveland，hewasindignantlyspurned。
InpoliticsItookverylittlepart。DuringthesummermymainthoughtsweredirectedtowardacontroversybeforetheBoardofRegents，inregardtothesystemofhighereducationintheStateofNewYork，withmyoldfriendPresidentAndersonofRochester，whohadvigorouslyattackedsomeideaswhichseemedtomeessentialtoanyproperdevelopmentofuniversityeducationinAmerica;andthiswashardlyfinishedwhenIwasaskedtotakepartinorganizingtheAmericanHistoricalAssociationatSaratoga，andtogivetheopeningaddress。This，withotherpursuitsofanacademicnature，leftmelittletimeforthepoliticalcampaign。
ButthereoccurredonelittleincidenttowhichIstilllookbackwithamusement。MyoldfriendsandconstituentsinSyracusehadsentmeageneralinvitationtocomeoverfromtheuniversityandpresideatsomeoneoftheirRepublicanmass—meetings。Myanswerwasthatastothe``hackspeakers’’ofthecampaign，withtheirvenerablegags，stalejokes，andnauseatingslanders，Ihadnodesiretohearthem，anddidnotcaretositontheplatformwiththem;butthatwhentheyhadaspeakertowhomI
caredtolistenIwouldgladlycome。TheresultwasthatonedayIreceivedaletterinvitingmetopresideoveramass—meetingatSyracuse，atwhichMr。McKinleywastomakethespeech。IacceptedgladlyandontheappointedeveningarrivedattheSyracuserailwaystation。ThereIfoundthemayorofthecityreadytotakemeinhiscarriagetothehallwherethemeetingwastobeheld;butwehadhardlyleftthestationwhenhesaidtome:``Mr。
White，Iamverysorry，butMr。McKinleyhasbeende—
layedandwehavehadtogetanotherspeaker。’’Iwasgreatlydisappointed，andexpressedmyfeelingssomewhatenergetically，whenthemayorsaid:``Butthisspeakerisreallysplendid;hecarriesallbeforehim;heisathoroughKentuckyorator。’’MyanswerwasthatIknewthebreedbuttoowell，andthatifIhadknownthatMr。McKinleywasnottocomeIcertainlywouldnothaveleftmyworkattheuniversity。BythistimewehadarrivedatthedooroftheGlobeHotel，whencethespeakerenteredthecarriage。
Hewasatall，sturdyKentuckian，andhisappearanceandmannershowedthath...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：