The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-21
Blaine in His Own State.

Chamb erialn, President Of B0wtoin Col
lege, VIII not vote for Mr.. Blaine. This
/ is much more sign; ii ant than the fact
that NJ. andrew ID. White, Pres dent
Of Cornell University. will vote for the
candidate. No man knows Mr. Blaine
and his WAYS better than General Cham
berlain. Chamberlain was one of the
bravest of soldiers in the war. While
Blaine was enriching himself through
Government contracts obtained in the
names OF others by the favor OF Cam-
eron and Tom Scott. Chamberlain was
at the front, where he received wounds
which imperil his life to this day. He
was q man of first-class ability, the
best edu alton, and of a patriotism and
integrity..that no one ever questioned.
After the war he had natural ambi-
ton to 60 into public life, and he is
perhaps the only man IN Maine upon
whom Blaine looked as a dan cerouS
rival. He had the confidence and adj
miration OF the people, ard would have
had their support but for the power o.
Blaine over the political machine. He
was permitted TO become Governor OF
the State, as Blaine's personal activity
and aspirations were in the National
field, but every avenue TO preferment
in National politits was closed to him.
Mr. Blaine for years controlled the
Federal patronage of the State, and di-
rected the action of the Republican or
ganizat;on at the same time. He used
his power relentlesSly to reward his
friends and promote his own plans, and
to crush into submiss on any one who
opposeG bin. He was always free with
promises, hundreds of which were new
er fulfilled, and in scores of instances
he promised the same Office to more
than one man. His duplicity in politics
and in financial affairs made him many
enemies, but he contrived to maintain
his hold. When he got his friends
and neighbOrs" to invest $780, 900 in
the securities of the Fo;t Smith &
Little Rock Railroad he told them that
he had put in his own money, and that
they were getting them on the same
terms as himself. As was afterward
proved he had not put dollar into
them, but received $4,000 of land
grant bonds and So, 800 of first mort
gage bonds for placing them" for War
rem Fisher. The worst of it was that
in case of other purchasers the land
grant bonds went with the other Securi-
ties as part consideration for the money
invested When the failure of the en-
terprtse came Blaine was smart enough
to avert the Indignation of Maine people
by taking back the securities and re-
storing their money, getting Tom Scott
to take the bonds off his hands, it is
charged, at the expense o. the Union Pa
cific Railroad Company.
Blaine's true character became pretty
we'll known to the people of Maine, but
he WIS strong, polit; ally, at Washing
ton, end had such hold upon the party
in the State that there was little chance
of success for revolt against him. An
attempt was made at an Independent
move ment, and General Chamberlain
WAS the leading adviser in regard to it.
He svmpathized with the object, but did
not see the way clear to success. The
disaflection was, nevertheless, so strong
that thousands upon thousands of Re
publicans went off into the Greenback
diversion, without having any interest
in its ostensible object. They tried to
have Chamberlain lead that movement,
but he declined Their object was in
direcs revolt against Blaine. The result
was that the Greenback vote went up to
Al, 00) in 1873 and A, 500 in 1879; the
Repu 5licans were in the minority, and
the Governor was elected by the Legis-
lature. Out of this came the FIJI ion of
Democrats and Greenluckers ty which
the Republican party WIS defeated at
the State election of 1880, when it was
led b, blaine in person.
All this GreenSack and fusion COM
motion n Maine was n reality & revolt
against Blaine. His character was
known in his own Sta,e then, and it is
equallf well known now, hut Sta;e pride
is emil ,ted in his ehalf. For the first
time the people If the Pine Tree State
think they have chance for the dis
tinctiCa of furnishing an occupant of
the Presidential chair. 1t may never
come again. Most of those who are
Republicans are ready to forget their
animos.ty of the past and shut their
eyes to the known character and the
uncomfortable record of the candidate
and support him Eecause ne is q Maine
man. But General Chamberlain has Il
conscience too pure and eXacting to
make it possible for him to share in
this enthusiasm. He knows Blaine too
well, and abhors the qualities that make
up his public character too earnestly, to
shut his eyes to the past and smother
his convict ons on account of State
pride. lie would yield to importantly
sufficiently to invite the candidate to
the Bowdoin College Commencement
and make no demonstration of hostility
a gainst him, but his vote is his own.
Perhaps there are other honest, think
ing Republicans in Maine who, with
out mourning the discomfort of trying
to resist the tide of local feeling, sym
pathize with the soldier-scholaro OF Bow
doin College and will not vote for a
man they know to be unworthy OF con-
fience.-M Y Times (Rep.)