The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-07-04

EiS Khow tas miiois state rs u Eff ~ hrs o4s.f
dooryard, and was acquainted with
tne leadlng men In every town. He brought
the canvass down 20 the school dIsUrieus Inc
hurrah work OF professions, banners and big
meetings he estimated at its proper value
but he never depended on it to produce re,
suits. The real business of q CAMPAIGN was
TO perfect local organizations, ASCERTAIN who
We're Inc doubtful voters and bring argu-
ment and personal influence to bear unon
them through the efforts of their Republican
~neighbors
Saturdays we special correspondents used
to manage TO get back TO Augusta if we
could TO spend a quiet Sunday afternoon
with Blaine at his house. In the evening
some musical friends of the family would
usually come in, and we had a good time
singing old-fashioned church tunes. for
which Blaine had a fondness, and in which
he would join with his children and with all
the members of the company who could
make any show of a voice.
Blaine has always had a dislike of being in
terviewed, perhaps because he has himself
been behind the scenes of a newspaper office.
Yet he has put more of his own ideas In the
press OF the country than any other man In
public life. His way is to treat journalists
with perfect f~rankness n good-feuowship.
giving them his opinions freely and the bene-
nc Of his knowledge on all public questions.
but 20 nave an understanding VIII them That
they are to use what he tells them in any
way bucy 1lhS, DEOftut0 bucy uO uOb DIlub ~
as coming from him. Very rarely has his
confidence been betrayed. Many a Washing
ton correspondent has obtained a reputation
for skill in forecasting party or congressional
action and for wisdom in the discussion of
the topics of the day, based on a ~judicious
use of the information and opinions he has
got in little talks in Blaine's library or
bedroom late at night Blaine never asks
fayors or commentator from correspondents
or resents their criticism. With a high esti-
mate of the power of the press he does not
regard it as omnipotent. and knows that
while it can lift up a weak man into tenn
porary prominence it cannot pull down a
strong man. He has stood as much newspaper
and abuse as any man of this genera
ton, but, after all, not muchmore than Henry
Clay endured, andnOt as much as pas heaped
upon Andrew Jackson. We are disposed to
think that the statesmen of the earlier peri
DDS of the republic We're far above the reach
of calumny and moved about i'm an atmos-
phere of serene patriotism. A perusal of the
files OF old newspapers will dissipate this no.
ton. They were one and all denounced as
corrupt, ambitious, self-seeking men. To
borrow Tennyson's phrase. They walked
with their heads in a cloud of poisonous
flies" How little Blaine cares for the at
lacks upon his personal character, one in
stance which comes TO mind Will show.
Before the convention of 1880 he was much
abused in the newspapers hostile TO his
candidacy on account of the Mulligan let
tiers. One day, about a fortnight before the
convention met, he was in New
York at the Fifth Avenue hotel,
and having business downtown he
a friend to walk with him. TO
avoid the crowd in Broadway and the
chances of being detained by acquaintance,
they followedt the back streets. Near Canal
street Blaine stopped in front of a bill-post-
er's boards bearing the placard of a variety
theater, on which appeared in staring red
letters the words, @Mulligan Guards SDo
you see that?n asked Blaine. swell, if / am
nominated for president I want the band TO
Dlay that tun the first thing.