The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-11
BLAINE's SONS
Young Men WHO Have Inherited Some of
Their Fathers Ability.

'Byetander, in Detroit Times.
Emmons Blaine. the second son of the Repub-
lican nominee, was, | see, his fathers represent
alive in Chicago. Doubtless he had no small
share in the management which produced such
big results. The young mamie Is under thirty
is as shrewd a politician as can be found. |
recall an illustrative instance that occurred dur
ing his college DAYS. During the long vacation
between his freshman and sophomore years
Emmons-he WAS always called Mons at school
went abroad and spent his time i'll a secluded
French village. where he learned to speak the
language with tolerable ease. About those days
the Greenbackers were making things lively for
the. Republicans in Name, and every vote
counted. Now, the Northwestern portions of
the State are largely settled by French Cana
dams who speak no English, and who vote, when
they vote at all, the Democratic ticket. To
these settlements young Blaine went as a politi-
cal missionary, and by his eloquenee, and.saga-
city, and French brought them into the Repub-
lican fold.
In college young Blaine was a fairscholar; with
a fondness for history, in which study one Of his
instructors was Henry Cabot Lodge, who led the
anti-Blaine forces in favor of Lynch. On one
occasion Mr.. Lodge assigned to Blaine the part of
unfolding John C. Calhoun's position on the
question of State rights, a task which was cred
irably performed. The little circle of admirers
whom Blaine generally kept about him earned
for him and them the name of "Blaine and the
twelve apostles" Later in his course he went
into the Porcelain Club, a small band Of wealthy
students, who dined in dress suits and after
wards drove into Boston to the opera Or theater.
Even in college he had the reputation of being
extremely shrewd in political affairs. His room
mate was Nj. Phi Ely, of Marquette. Young
Roosevelt was graduated at Harvard, in 1880,
two years after Blaine. After graduating
Emmons went to Chicago to enter the railroad
business.
Mr.. Blaine's eldest son, Walker, who is now
employed on the Alabama claims commission in
Washington, is q very different kind of fellow
from his younger brother. Walker is tall like
his father, while Emmons is rather short and
chunky. Walker Blaine is, or was when | knew
him. habitually tired. One evening in 1873,
when he was9 a freshman at Harvard, he was
dropped by a friend on the outskirts of the little
town of Bradford, the seat Of a famous young
ladies' academy. Seeing a hack drive by on the
road, he patiently sat himself down on the stone
wall to wait the return of that vehicle. 1t was
an hour in coming back, but he had saved a walk
Of fifteen minutesi Once in the hack, however,
a happy thought struck him. He
had the driver stop, exchange over
coats and hats with him, and then get
inside the carriage. Then Blaine drove up the
winding drive to the academy. rang the bell and
insisted on seeing a certain one of the young
ladies', a request which the unsuspicious prinei
pal-Miss Johnson, so well known to Detroit
young ~ladies-readily granted. After a year
at Harvard. Walker Blaine went to Yale in
order to be with his friend Dawes, a son of the
Massachusetts, Senator. After graduating he
opened a law office in st. Paul, where his
clothes were the admiration of the town He
did no law business, and soon turned his face
further West. Suddenly there appeared in the
New York Tribune a page article on Alaska,
signed, Walker Blaine. The article was widely
copied, and IN a short time the author was
furnished a government position, which he has
since occupied.