Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-05-03
An Anti-iSIaine Organ Alarmed at
Blaine's Strength.
Washington Correspondence of Springfield
Republican.
WAsHINGroN, Tuesday, April -.

Republican.
WAsHINGroN, Tuesday, April -.
With the Chicago convention only five
weeks away, the politicians at the capital
never felt greater doubt as to its result. | Il
til week ago there had been a steady
growth of opinion that Grant would be nomi-
.nated-incrcasing confidence on the part OF
his managers, diminishing hope of defeating
the third-tcrm scheme on the part Of its OPP
poncnts. 1t had generally been accepted
that Illinois would be carried for Grant as
Pennsylvania and New York had been. and
that the South would turn up practically
solid for him. This would make a majority
of the convention, and leave as the only hope
of preventing his nomination the chance that
the third-term managers might be frightened
out of the job by the fear that it would cost
the party the election, and there did not
seem much prospect of that. The result of
the Georgia convention was the worst set
back that the Grant movement has suffered.
1t not only lost its votes that were sorely
needed but it exposed the holowncSs of the
claim that southern republicans were CRYING
for Grant and has revived the latent OPPOSE
ton to his nomination in other States of that
section, which was already more threatening
THAI in Georgia. Arkansas will doubtless
turn out a solid Grant delegation on Wednes-
day. and possibly one or two others of the
southern States that are still to elect dele
gates but there is every reason to believe
that quite n number of anti-Grant men will
turn up. Meanwhile the news from Illinois
is most discouraging to the third-termers
Despite all their efforts and despite the re-
turn of their chief himself Blaine continues
to get almost, if not quite as many delegates
as Grant and it has become evident that a
.plf1 Grant 1alpUatipn only. no
at all, by the most desperate expedients
While Cameron, Conkling and Logan still
profess confidence that Grant will be nomi-
mated, they are evidently more worried over
the prospect than at any previous stage of the
canvass. On the other hand. many opponents
of the third-term scheme begin now for the
first time TO feel n comfortable assurance that
the great danger of its success has passed.
Bat while the auti-Grant and anti-Blaine
men hope that they have escaped the danger
| of n third-term nomination, they are confront
ed with the more imminent risk of
Blaine's capturing the convention. One does
not need to accept the blatant claims of the
Blaine literary bureau to realize that there is
a substantial basis for their confidence. At
the rate things are going now, it does not ap-
pear ut all unreasonable to suppose that
Blaine will 90 into the convention with at
least third of the delegates for him as their
first choice. If he has only $50 votes at the
| start, he will lack but 1919 of majority Now
even if Cameron, Conkling and Logan can
persuade or drive their delegations into cast
ing one solid vote for Grant nobody believes
that they can hold them long. Neither can
they turn them over to Sherman or ANYBODY
else. The moment they have perfunctoriiy
discharged their duty to their masters bv vot-
ing for Grant unless he is nominated. they
will desert him and go for the candidates of
| their choice There is no doubt that Blaine
is the real choice alike of Pennsylvania re-
publcans and of nearly all the delegates
whom Don Cameron made his convention in
struct for Grant. While the Blaine feeling is
not so strong in New York, a large element
in the delegation from that State will support
the Maine senator at the first opportunity.
The sentiment of Illinois is evidently very
strong for Blaine, and that sentiment will as
sert itself in the convention unless Grant
sweeps it ut once. Everything indicates that
at least half of the 10 delegates from these
States will drop Grant for Blaine at the first
opportunity, and this would bring up the lat
ters strength, supposiug that he starts with
only third of the convention. dangerously
near a-half There will be other Grant dele
cations honey-eombed with Blaine men.
while Ohio. although nominally united on
Sherman. will send good many delegates to
Chicago who will desert to Blaine if they find
that there is no chance for the secretary of
the treasury.
This review of the situation falls far short
of allowing what the Blaine men are claim
ing. They declare that the Maine senator
will go into the convention with nearer $50
than $50 delegates. and that he is sure to be
| nominated on the second ballot. Any impair
tial observer must admit that the danger of
Blaine has now come to be greater than that