Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-28
The Presidential Nomination.

The workers in the interests of the sew
eral republican candidates tor nomination
at Chicago are beginning to assemble
there. There will be an immense crowd.
Press tickets to the convention will be
confined to daily newspapers. The COM
mitiee to make arrangements for seats in
the hall are all upon the ground and busy.
The strength of the various candidates is
being canvassed. Blaine has very strong
lead, and wilt have stronger vote on the
first ballot than he has yet been credited
with. The sentiment is growing that
Blaine will be by all odds the strongest
candidate for President in all doubtful
States. such as New York, Ohio, Indiana,
California. West Virginia and some others.
There are signs that Southern delegates
are breaking away from Arthur and look
ing towards Blaine. The reports of alli-
ances made by the Blaine leaders are
without foundation. They will stand by
Blaine without faltering. Ohio is coming
in more solidly for Blaine, because it is
seen that the nomination of Sherman. il
that were possible. would create vacancy
in the Senate which would be filed by a
democrat. The Boston Traveller, which
supports Arthur looks at the situation as
follows.
The general impression among those who
are at all qualified to make a forecast is that
instead of thirty six ballots there will in all
probability not be six this time. The signs
all point to short, sharp trial of strength
between Arthur and Blaine, and the prompt
nomination of one or the other. The "bal-
ance of power theory holds good to this ex.
tent, and no farther. that the $50 delegates
who are committed to Edmunds and other
third choices will have it in their power, OF
on the frat ballot, certainly, possibly on the
second. but hardly on the third, to say that il
shall be Arthur and shall not be Blaine. Af-
ter that they will be as powerless to control
the convention against Blaine as a handful o,
feathers would be to stem the torrent of Nj
agara.
As we sometime since pointed out, Mr.
Blaine is naturally strong among the South
ern men. The transfer of large part OF
the Arthur strength in that section to him a:
second Cnoice Wuulu ue surprise W uu
one. 1t is creditshle to Mr.. Arthur that hs
has not used the powers Of the presidency tC
bind the Southern delegations hard aud fast
TO his cause As result, however, theil
allegiance to il is held by very loose ties.
The logic of the whole situation is as plsir
as these simple, hard facts can make it. The
$50 delegates who are for Edmunds and otheI
third choices. have ''balsnee of power.
but it will be a slippery thing to hol(
this time, and if it is TO be OF
any service they must use it very
quickly. MIR. Blaine is almost within
grasping distance of the prize. His follow
ing is larger than II was either in 1876 or so
The Southern delegations are sympathetic
and are being industriously labored with il
his behalf. II the Edmunds men really be
lieve that Blaine's success would be a prim,
disasters belief which we regard rs pueril,
and absurd, but that is their business-ther,
is just one thing left for them to do as practi
cal men. and that is TO move to Arthur
support on the very first ballot. Delays arr
dangerous. and in this case, from their mar
row standpoint. they will be fatal.