St. Paul daily globe., 1884-04-21
Politicians Feeding Lincoln Taffy in
Unlimited Doses on the Reputa-
tion Of His Father.
Grant and Conkling Credited with Quietly
Preparing to Make Hay When
the Sun Shines.
Harrison Intimates That He Is the Grand
son of an Ex-President, with
All That Implies.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. !

aspirants themselves. Blaine and his mana
gers do not fancy the large expression. Of
popular opinion in his favor at SO early pc
riod, because it viii operate to concentrate
the opposition against him, and subject his
candidacy to six weeks of animadversion up
Oh his public and private record, during
which pressure viii be brought to bear to
convince delegates that Blaine
cannot be elected if nominated.
Blaine is much discOmposed by
the condition of affairs, which bears the APP
pearance of presidential nomination al
most in his grasp and yet beyond the clutch
of his fingers. Your correspondent met him
two evenings since between twilight and
dark promenading in the vicinity Of the
Thomas statue, with head bent and hands
clasped behind him, apparently in deep med
itation. His face was baggard, and, contra
ry to custom, he was slovenly habited, era
vat awry and wrapped in an old overcoat
which hung loosely about him. He walked
slowly and appeared oblvious to the
surroundings, and other pedes-
trians recognized him, stopped as
he passed and gazed at his retreating figure
in surprise. Mr. Blaine usually dresses in
faultless taste and walks with his head erect
and shoulders well thrown back, the per-
fection of graceful carriage and quick, ner-
vous step, and at this time ne was clearly
out of form, evidently harassed by un-
pleasant thoughts or absorbed in sOlvin g
distasteful problems. The issue of Ptch,
last week, which contained a cartoon of the
dime amuseum and among the caricatures
other than those of Kiefer, Robson, Logan
Conkling, Sherman, Tilden, Kelly and Grant,
represented Blaine as the "tattooed man.,
marked from head to foot with significant
illusions ty Memphis and Little Rock bonds,
Northern Pacific stock, Chinese demagog-
ism, Mulligan letters, sunstroke and other
Blaine incidents, created a deep impression
in political circles. While the cruelty of
this counterfeit presentment will generally
reprobated, the cartoon made it clear that
should Blaine be nominated these accusa
tons would be employed to the uttermost
extent against his election and seriously
embarrass the programme of the cam
paign. That this cartoon has worried
Blaine cannot be doubted, although his
friends profess to take the matter as huge
joke. One of them remarked that even were
these charges true, Blaine could be pulled
through with less effort than was Garfield.
The accusations against Garfield were worse
than those against Blaine, and yet people
did not believe in and were not influenced
by them.
ARTHUR'S STRENGTH.
Administration leaders are apprehensive
of the worst. They recognize the ap-
parent hopelessness of Arthur's candidacy,
but intend to contest the matter to the very
last. They say that if Arthur cannot
be nominated Blaine shall not win, but are
utterly at loss ON whom to concentrate an
ordOr to defeat Blaine, Arthurs friends have
thus far made no nominations, while Blaine,
Logan, Lincoln and Harrison have secured
contingent alliances. Blaine has doubtless
entered into compact with all the contest
ants except Arthur, and each one doubtless
relies upon Blaines good faith and believes
he will be the resduary legatee of Blaine's
strength.
GRANTS STRATEGY.
Although Grant and Blaine consulted dur
ing Grants last visit here, but
few understood Grants strategy beyond the
fact that he is unalterably opposed to Arthur.
Conkling has kept very quiet, not because he
is reconciled to Arthur, but because he will
not consort with half-brecds, although his
antagonism toward Arthur is equally pro-
nounced as theirs. He does not think it
necessary to play Falstaf and stab the dead
Hotspur.
BOB LINCOLN
perished by his own suicidal hand. A great
source of annoyance to Arthur's supporters
is the anomalous position of Bob Lincoln
The assertion is made that Blaine and Lin
coin have consummated a thorough under
standing that Lincoln is to
be Blaine's candidate in case Of
Blaine's defeat, but that Lincoln is the only
man that Blaine cannot trick or jump into
the first convenient hole. Lincoln assever-
ates his loyalty to Arthur and assures his fel-
lows of the cabinet that he is not and has
never been a candidate for president, but
sincerely desires Arthur's denomination.
This is received with many grains of allow
ance, and while members of the cabinet as
ume to take Lincoln at his word and do not
accuse him Of duplicity it may be stated on
the best of authority that the administration
men fear his candidacy more than that of
any ether man, not excepting Blaine.
They argue that Lincoln is surrounded by a
coterie Of toadies, of panderers, who hoping
to traffic proftably in the memory Of Abra-
ham Lincoln, persuade his son Robert that
the nation eagerly awaits his candidacy, and
the Republican party is anxious to be rid Of
the trammels of Arthur, Blaine, Grant and
the rest. All that is necessary is an oppor
tune moment, when the people will rise in
their might and place another Lincoln in the
presidential Office. It is the sting of the
tarantula, and presidential madness fol-
lows like the dance OF death, therefore
should the convention get into wrangle of
prominent candidates and beat around the
bush for a new man, Bob Lincoln is the rab-
bit most likely to be started from the thicket
and lump into a nomination. The question
of LOYALTY to Arthur will not then amount to
the value of farthing and politicians and
placemen will turn their faces toward and
worship the rising sun. Lincoln realizes
that with the exception of Gresham and Tel
ler Arthur's cabinet has no political force or
following. Frelinghuysen wields no influ-
ence whatever, Brewster is nothing
in Pennsylvania or elsewhere, Chan
dler is between two stools and
literally swallowed by navy influences and
John Roach, while Folger is a total wreck.