CHAPTER XX.

SKETCH OF GARRET AUGUSTUS HOBART.

HE nomination of the Hon. Garret A.

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Hobart, of New Jersey, by the St. Louis National Republican Convention for VicePresident was not a surprise or accident. His name was prominent from the first, and after the certainty that William McKinley would be the Presidential candidate, the tendency to call upon the leading Republican statesman of New Jersey to take the second place was marked.

The conspicuity of Mr. Hobart in the public affairs and business interests of New Jersey has been for several years a matter of national distinction, and that he had a large share of the credit for the revolution that placed New Jersey safely as a Republican State is common fame. Given the divided condition of the New England States and of New York, in regard to personal preferences, and the solidity of New Jersey for Hobart, and the result that has been so pleasantly received was in sight and inevitable, though there were many candidates of high qualities.

Ex-Judge J. Franklin Fort made the nominating speech that placed Mr. Hobart before the St. Louis Convention, saying:

"For forty years, through the blackness of darkness of a universal triumphant Democracy, the Republicans of New Jersey have maintained their organization and fought as valiantly as if the outcome were to be assured victory. Only twice through all this long period has the sun shone in upon us. Yet through all these weary years, we have, like Goldsmith's Captive,' felt that—

"Hope, like the gleaming taper's light,

Adorns and cheers our way;

And still, as darker grows the night,
Emits a brighter ray."

"The fulfillment of this hope came in 1894. In that year, for the first time since the Republican party came into existence, we sent to Congress a solid delegation of eight Republicans, and elected a Republican to the United States Senate. We followed this in 1895 by electing a Republican Governor by a majority of 28,000. And in this year of grace we expect to give the Republican electors a majority of not less than 20,000.

"I come to you then, to-day, in behalf of a new New Jersey, a politically redeemed and regenerated State. Old things have passed away, and behold, all things have become new.

"It is many long years since New Jersey has received recognition by a National Convention.

"When Henry Clay stood for Protection in 1844, New Jersey furnished Theodore Frelinghuysen as his associate. The issue then was the restoration of the tariff, and was more nearly like that of to-day than at any other period, which I can recall, in the nation's political history. In 1856 when the freedom of man brought the Republican party into existence and the great 'Pathfinder' was called to lead, New Jersey furnished for that unequal contest William L. Dayton, as the Vice-Presidential candidate. Since then, counting for nothing, we have asked for nothing. During this period Maine has had a candidate for President and a Vice-President; Massachusetts a Vice-President; New York three Vice-Presidents, one of whom became President for almost a full term; Indiana a President, a candidate for President and a Vice-President; Illinois a President twice and a Vice-Presidential candidate; Ohio two Presidents, and now a candidate for the third time.

"We would have carried our State at every election for the past ten years if the count had been an honest one. We succeeded in throttling the ballotbox stuffers and imprisoning the corrupt election officers, only to have the whole raft of them pardoned in a day, to work again their nefarious practices upon an honest people. But to-day, under ballot reform laws, with an honest count we know we can win. It has been a long, terrible strife to the goal, but we have reached it unaided and unassisted

from without, and we come to-day promising to the ticket here selected the vote of New Jersey, whether you give us the Vice-Presidential candidate or not. We make it no test of our Republicanism that we have a candidate. We have been too long used to fighting for principle for that; but we do say that you can by granting our request lighten our burden and make us a confident party, with victory in sight, even before the contest begins.

year

Will we carry Colorado, Montana, and Nevada this if the Democracy declare for silver at 16 to 1? Let us hope we may. New Jersey has as many electoral votes as those three States together.

"Will you not make New Jersey sure to take their place in case of need? We have in all these long years of Republicanism been the 'lone star' Democratic State in the North. Our forty years of wandering in the wilderness of Democracy are ended. Our Egyptian darkness disappears. We are on the hill-top, looking into the promised land. Encourage us as we march over into the political Canaan of Republicanism, there to remain, by giving us a leader on the National ticket to go up with us.

"We are proud of our public men. Their Republicanism and love of country has been welded in the furnace of political adversity. That man is a Republican who adheres to the party in a State where there is no hope for the gratification of personal ambitions. There are no camp followers in the minority party in any State. They are all true

soldiers in the militant army, doing valiant service without reward, gain, or the hope thereof, from principle only.

"A true representative of this class of Republicans in New Jersey we offer you to-day. He is in the prime of life, a never-faltering friend, with qualities of leadership unsurpassed, of sterling honor, of broad mind, of liberal views, of wide public information, of great business capacity, and withal a parliamentarian who would grace the Presidency of the Senate of the United States. A native of our State, the son of an humble farmer, he was reared to love of country in sight of the historic field of Monmouth, on which the blood of our ancestors was shed that the Republic might exist. From a poor boy, unaided and alone, he has risen to high renown among us.

"In our State we have done for him all that the political conditions would permit."

The orator proceeded to sketch rapidly and forcibly the career of the Hon. Garret A. Hobart, and named him as the candidate of his State for the Vice-Presidency. There was a personal tribute and assertion in the nomination of Mr. Hobart when once the Convention was in possession of his name that resembled the march of McKinley to the front, moved by the irresistible force of public opinion. There was a common characteristic in the nominations, showing the representative and executive capacity of the Convention.