The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-11-18

TO any cause he eSpouSeS, possessing d great
faculty for organization, with marked ability
and untiring energy. Gen Kerwin, of The
Tablet, has in a large degree the same char
acteristicS and is Il far-sighted and able
man, with a fine record, and a Union soldier.
Alexander Sullivan and John Finerty were
very powerful on the stump, and did royal
service.
But did you not lose correspnndingly in
the German vote"
Not at ALL" replied Mr. Blame "All
through the west the Germans supported me
nobly. How else could have carried Chi
cago by 5000, Cincinnati by 5000, Cleveland
by 500! Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, and
Iowa have the largest German population in
the west, and | carried them by splendid
ma joritias. Such able and influential Ger
man editors as Markbreit in Cincinnati;
Kaufman, in Clevelaai; Praetorius i'll St
Louis, and many others, brought great
strength 10 the Republican cause.
The cony er'ation here driftsd back 90 New
York, and Mr.. Blaine was askcl 4 h
Il ought the ProhibitioniSts were honct il
their support Of s.. JohG. Il have never
during the campaign said Mr. Blaine, re
fiected upon the notions OF any man, and
shall not do So. content myself with say
ing that thinl, the Prohibitionists were mis-
led, and thar they did not cor
rectiy measure the possible result
of this course. | received from many of
them the assurance that my candidacy
made their action difficult, because they
really wanted to vote for me, but they
seemed to be under the strange delusion that
the temperance cause could be promoted by
supporting their own presidential ticket, and
by their course they influenced prejudicially
the national issues which were really at
stake
"You attribute the close vote in New York,
then, Mr.. Blaine, solely to the action of the
Independents and the Prohibtionists"
"No, not SOLELY" replied Mr.. Blaine. "Ac-
cording to numerous letters | have received
from central and western New York it
would seem that the rainy day lessened the
Republican vote The Democratic majorities
lie in the cities; where by a few minutes
walk on good pavement man reaches his
polling place. The Republican majorities
are in the country, where large numbers live
three, four. OF even more miles from the
polling place, which on election day had to
Le reached over muddy roads, and in
a rainstorm. Had the day en- fair, the Re
publican majorities in the rural counties
would have been increased, one good judge
writes me- by probably 10000. The actual
| difference between the two parties in the
| final count will perhaps, not exceed 1,0a@-
| about one-tweftb of l per cent. os the
| total vote, or ono voter in every 12U
| for the entire state 50 if The Depo
crafts have really carried New York hy
| this small margin, as the latest news III
| dicateS. you can see how easily a fai1
day might have reversed the result; but
| great political battles, like military battles
are often lost or won by an apparently trivia
incident or accident which no human fore
sight can guard against
Mr Blaine appears to enjoy excellent
health. He spoke cheerlully throughout
| although his best friends do not deny that he
| is suffering the greatest disappointment o
his life lie says himself that he has entirely
recovered from the fatigue resulting from
his stumping tour. He will Immediately
resume work on his second volump of his
book, and spend tie winter in Washington
City writing it. He expects this volumn to
be ready for publication by June next.