The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1876-10-12
Sca.ping Jim Blaine.

The Columbus correspondent of the
Cincinnati Enquirer writes: Every
body who was at the Cincinnati Con-
vention which nominated Hayes will
recall TO mind what bitter and uncom-
promising fight Uncle Ben Eggleston
made against Blaine, and particularly
that he made after Blaine's sickness.
Ben fairly danced up and down in his
delight at the thought of being able TO
defeat Blaine, and there was good deal
Of talk about the matter among the peo-
pie who were acquainted with Benja-
min best, and knew that when he went
to scalping it was on his own personal
account, and not because of his fealty to
the party. And so it seems it was in
this case, at least, as heard the story
the other day. Everybody knows that
Jim Blame used to teach school down
about Harrodsburg or Nicholasville,
Kentucky. This was matter in his
history which was fully elaborated in
the campaign be made, though Bob In
gersoD forgot to allude to it In his
speech.
Well, after Blaine had taught down
there for his regular term, and got
through like most Yankee school mas
tiers, he wanted to go back home, and
like good many who had preceded
him, he found his supply of money a
little short. But he wasn't to be dis
couraged by this, and he set out at once
TO go to by the way Of Cincinnati. That
must have been away back about 1852
or '53. At any rate, when Blaine ar
rived in Cincinnati, General Z. W.
Strader was acting as, general ticket
agent for the Little Miami Railroad, and
to him did Jim apply for @ pass. 1t
surprised the General to have a stranger,
and most of all, Yankee school master,
apply 10 him for o pass-that was be-
fore the art OF free travel had reached
its present beauty of proportions ; but
the very audacity of the thing rather
pleased him, and he gave him pass to
Cleveland, and letters that would in
sure him similar courteslcs all the way
home, and so Jim got home without hav-
ing to pay cent af railroad fare. Time
passed, and Blaine got into politics and
into Congress. Then he got to be Speak
er, and then the Mogul of the party in
power. Time passed, too with Strader,
and in 1868, he was elected to Congress
over Ben Eggleston. twas fair elect
ion, and everybody knew that be was
elected, but Ben thought with Repub-
lican House to appeal to, he could upset
Strader. Both went on TO Washington,
Stradcr with bis certificate of election by
two hundred and eleven majority, Egg
glston with his contest papers and Re-
publican House to appeal TO. In those
times betting would all have been in
Ben's favor, and, naturally enough, he
felt very sanguine. However, Jim
Blaine happened TO be speaker at the
time, and he hadn't forgotten the favor
he had received from General Strader.
A word from him to the committee on
elections was enough to ensure their
making fair report in the Cincinnati
case, and when it came it gave Strader
tho place. He took bis place, and served
with credit to himself and the city Of
Cincinnati, while Uncle Ben took his
carpetsack and went home gritting his
teeth with vcxation. He then vowed
he'd never forget Jim Blaine. And he
didn't for get him either, when the time
came to get even.