Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1884-05-15
THE PRESIDENCY.
A New York StalWart on the Situa-
ton.
Why Conkling, Grant, Platt, and Others
are Against Arthur.
The Belief That Blaine Will be
Elected if Nominated.

are the notable portions. The correspon-
dent says:
Occasionally | find some man so well
versed on the inside of things that his in
formation is only to be had at the price of
his concealment. 1t does not make much
matter whether the name be told or not
provided the matter revealed shows from
its originality and new views that it was
well derived. My friend has had wide
experience ia the affairs of the Republican
party for years. He was in the Stalwart
fold from the outset, even batOre the birth
of Stalwartism, and has not since recanted,
though he looks elsewhere than to politics
for his future support.
"Tell me the exact relation now between
the Blaine boom and the private feelings
of Grant and COnkling."
Both of them would prefer the nOmi-
nation of Blaine to be President to that OF
Arthur They have no expectations from
Blame of any kind. They did expect that
Arthur would have common consideration
and gratitude, not in the way OF giving
them or their friends anything, but In re-
spectacle fidelity to their resentments."
Said / to this gentleman Some time
ago took clew from an ex-senator in
Washington, who told me that Grant and
Conkling would finally be for Blaine for
President" My present informant replied:
What he meant by that, l should think,
was to say as compared to Arthur they
would both rather see Blaine nominated.
Mr.. Conkl ling has on more than one Occa-
sion said that the only difficulty he had
with Blaine was in the course of debate, and
e. J. i 20 fpcIaS or
hostility in the way of Senatorial business.
Blaine never crossed COnklings path. When
Conkling was making his fight under
Hayes's administration to retain Arthur
and Cornell it was in Blaine's power to
have given him great deal OF trouble, but
he not only abstained from interference,
but cast the weight Of his feeling in Conk-
ling's favor. Conkling is perfectly aware
that Blaine's following has been acquired
by means natural to Blaine. he under
stands Blaine fully, and toward him is IN a
situation of indifference, As to General
Grant, he said but recently that Mr. Ar
thur and Mr. Blaine had both called upon
him that he received them both, and that
he told Mr.. Arthur he could not on ac-
count of his lameness return the call
but said Grant, with considerable irony,
Il left my card on Arthur as | did on
Blaine Grant has no fears of expressing
himself, He says that Mr. Arthur is not
and will not be a candidate for President"
Said /: What do you think of the Ed
munds boom ?"
II don't think there is much in it. Ed
munds is cold -blooded Yankee, with the
cranks and quips of that race. He would
not have harmonious administration, and
at present the support he has is all of
complimentary sort, or rather proprietary
sort, designed to furnish the basis of an Op-
position to Blaine. A good many Edmunds
men are at bottom for Blaine. Even in
Massachusetts, they have elected the son of
Oakes Ames, understand, as an Edmunds
man, but everybody knows that at heart
he wants Blaine"
"Do you think" said l, that Blaine is
liable to grow any more, CT to be cut down
before he blossoms p
well, think that if Blaine has an ap-
parently sure thing in the convention after
we get returns from all the districts in the
country there will be combination against
him. If he gets so many votes that the
other candidates see he is going to beat
them they may go to each other and COM
bine. The Edmunds men, the Arthur men,
and the Logan men, and the friends OF Har-
rison. and half dozen scrambling others
would then conclude that unless they
Joined forces Blaine would 60 through. If
he gets enough support to lead, and yet to
be not sure of the nomination, those other
candidates will hold off, expecting to take
out of Blaine's support enough to nominate
one of themselves. | should say just at
present that Blaines chances were uncer-
tain, but with the drift in his favor"
Il understand" said l to my Stalwart
friend, that Platt is now for Blaine"
"Yes, he is; for the purpose of beating
Arthur. Arthur, if you remember, tried to
beat Platt for the Senate by nominating
Crowley The rupture begun at that time,
and Platt is now for Blaine to beat Arthur,
and all his delegates and friends are Blaine
men,"
will Conklng make any speeches in
the next campaign ?"
"He has not said anything on that head.
He will, perhaps, be governed by events. l
should think it probable that he would not
speak at all"
Said L: "Now, if Blaine shall get the
nomination at Chicago. can he not be de-
feated by those scratchers and better ele-
ment,' etc.W
mo- said my Stalwart friend. If
Blaine gets the nomination he will be
swept into the Office overwhelmingly by
the tariff interest, which is allied with all
other big interests, including the lobby,
and the corporations, and the banks. The
Democratic party has had repeated oppor-
tunities to turn the Republicans out and
they are now in worse position, In my
Judgment, than they have been since the
war. Every Saturday night there are loo,-
600 men connected with the manufactur-
ing interests paid off in New York state.
Their wages repose on the manufacturing
conditions as they are. Blaine Will carry
New York State if he is nominated, pro-
vided the Democrats bring up this tarlii
question in the campaign, by 4Oooo
votes. The tariff has already been
so far advanced to the front that
the Republicans will be able to make their
campaign on that thing alone. l under
stand that Morrison and his Western ana
Southern friends are determined that IN
any event an expression on the tariff shall
90 into the platform, and that it shall pe
in the direction of free trade unequlvocal-
ly. That elects Blaine if he can get the
nomination, or elects any Republican
the Democrats should nominate western
man with little free trade bias, on such