The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-26
THE PRESIDENCY. .
Why MIR. Blaine Cannot Be the Nominee of
the Chicago Convention.

the Chicago Conventions
New York Herald.
Mr., Blaine cannot be nominated at Chicago,
That much seems to us certain. He could not
carry either New York OF Ohio in the election,
and the Republicans know that they cannot af
ford to lose those two States, OF, in fact either
of them.
But if this is true, or probable enough to be
so positively stated, how comes it, then, that Mr.
Blaine reputed to be shrewd politician, does
not see this and withdraw from a contest in
which he would receive his third defeat for
nomination.
We have no doubt Mr.. Blaine sees the situa-
ton precisely we have stated it. He has all
along very prudently given out that he is not a
candidate and thus provided for a safe retreat
but many Indications combine to show that he IS
collecting the delegates who are getting
drummed together under his banner, to use
them to secure the nomination of candidate
who shall thus be under the greatest obligations
to him and whose character he will take care
shall be weak enough to leave Mr. Blaine the
master of his administration, as he made himself
the master of the too cOn6ding and unsuspicious
Garfield.
Mr. Blaine. that is to saw hopes to transfer
to Washington, and to establish within the fed
eral government. that system of boss rule which
Mr. John Kelly has skillfully and persistently
applied in this city, greatly to the injury of
economical and efficient government hero. That
is the real meaning of this otherwise prepos-
ferrous Blaine ''boom." The taste of irresponsi-
BILE political power which Mr.. Blaine got while
Secretary of State under the lamented Presi-
dent Garfield has given him an incurable and
eager appetite for more of the same kind. He
sees what Mr. Kelley has long known, that far
better than to be responsible Chief Executive
is to be the irresponsible, unseen master OIL the
Executive.
Mr. Kelly has been wiser in his generation
that Mr. Blaine He has always promptly and
unhesitatingly refused to be mayor of New
York The Herald has often asked him to &C
cept the candidacy 1t has even engaged to
c11nn him and helm t0 his election. be-
cause in our Judgment. it would be better for
the city to have Mr.. Kelly in that responsible
place than to- suffer him to nominate man of
straw with the foregone agreement, or, as 1t is
called, understanding that Mr. Kelly should
be the mayors boss"
We believe it useful to direct public attention
to the scheme which Mr.. Blaine has on hand
He cannot be elected President-that much no
one knows better than he does His nomination
is, therefore, extremely improbable, and its re-
suit, if he could be nominated would be the de-
feat of his own party, and his permanent retire
ment to private life But if, by getting together
considerable and compact body of supporters
to fling to some other candidate he can nominate
his man, then he can play the part
of Boss Kelly in federal politics; can
dictate alike appointments and policies; can
reward his friends and punish his enemies and,
In the secrecy of the State Department, prepare
more strange surprises and more malodorous
trickeries than even those the exposure OF which
is still fresh in the public mind.
Some weeks ago Mr.. Mills Tribune gave a
summary of the qualifications needed in a Repub
lican candidate, and, among others, it thought he
ought to know why President Garfield was shot.
We are not always so fortunate as to agree with
our contemporary, but in this case we believe
the Tribune spoke wisely. President Garfield was
shot, everybody knows, because he had, in
the simplicity and frank trustfulness of his
heart allowed boss to take the reins of
government out of his hands; because that
F'boss, Mr.. Blaine bos-slike, at once began to
reward his friends and punish his enemies, and
in a few short weeks created such turmoil in
the party and in the country flung both into
the most peculiar and extraordinary excitement
they had ever known-an excitement eX-
IRENE as to upset the weak mind of demon
allied wretch who thereupon became an as
sassin
Boss-like, Mr.. Blaine contrived that President
Garfield should be held responsible during his
life for Mr.. Blane's misdeeds, and he did not
even scruple to lay upon the dead Garfield, so
far as he could, the blame of acts of his own
which had the just condemnation Of the coun-
try