152 The Campaign of 1896 



very men who were most bitterly opposed to the 

 nomination of the successful candidate for Presi- 

 dent. Sometimes this consolation prize was awarded 

 for geographical reasons, sometimes to bring into 

 the party men who on points of principle might split 

 away because of the principles of the Presidential 

 candidate himself, and at other times it was awarded 

 for merely factional reasons to some faction which 

 did not differ in the least from the dominant faction 

 in matters of principles, but had very decided views 

 on the question of offices. 



The Presidency being all important, and the Vice- 

 Presidency of comparatively little note, the entire 

 strength of the contending factions is spent in the 

 conflict over the first, and very often a man who 

 is most anxious to take the first place will not take 

 the second, preferring some other political position. 

 It has thus frequently happened that the two candi- 

 dates have been totally dissimilar in character and 

 even in party principle, though both running on the 

 same ticket. Very odd results have followed in 

 more than one instance. 



A striking illustration of the evils sometimes 

 springing from this system is afforded by what be- 

 fell the Whigs after the election and death of the 

 elder Harrison. Translated into the terms of the 

 politics of continental Europe of to-day, Harrison's 

 adherents represented a union between the right and 

 the extreme left against the centre. That is, the 

 regular Whigs who formed the bulk of his support- 

 ers were supplemented by a small body of extremists 



