Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1884-04-03
THE REPUBLICAN REPORT.
JAMES q. BLAINE BEING PUSHED TO
THE FRONT BY HIS FRIENDS.

JAMES q. BLAINE BEING PUSHED TO
THE FRONT BY HIS FRIENDS.
Washington, Mach 20.-The remark
able strength shown by the friends of
Mr.. Blaine in the skirmishes that have
thus far taken place in different parts
of the country preliminary to the gen
erai engagement in the presidential
compaign, has caused the friends of
other connidates to become uneasy,
and apprehensive Mr.. Blaine, as u
veteran journalist said to your cores
pondent, is nearer the presidency to-
day than he ever was before How so
it may be asked. This year, it must
be remembered, the delegates to the
national republican convention, eX-
cept the four which each state is enti-
tied TO as delegates at large, are chos-
EN- by the people of different congress
ional districts. No state convention,
according to the call for the conven-
ton, has any business to instruct the
delegates from state, except those
chosen at large by the state conven-
ton. The district system has been in
vogue in some states for some years
back but the state conventions have
assumed the right to instruct the de-
legates thus chosen how 10 vote when
they meet in the national convention.
and their authority 10 do so has been
questioned in but few states. The
unit rule" was declared no avail by
the last two national republican con
ventions held, but many who did not
like it still acted under il in each con
vention, because of desire to respect
the will of their OWN state convention.
This year their will be none of that
The people Of adjoining districts may
differ in their choice of Presidential
candidate, and no state convention
will dare TO override that choice
Thus the people will have more TO say
about the selection of the party stand
ard bearer than ever before, and the
ncSrer one gets TO the choice of the
people, say his friends, the nearer one
will approach James &. Blaine He
not only maintains his hold upon the
friends that stood bv him in years
past, huy be is lso!led upon aS D legal
representative Of the Garfield admins
tratioa. lie j. not u candidate, he
says but nevertheless his friends are
working like beavers 10 secure for him
the nomination at Chicago, and his
principle danger lies i'm the fear which
the boom in his favor will create ia
the minds of other candidates, and
, cause them TO combine against linn
as they did in 1876 and 1880. 1t il
generally admitted that he Yves beaten
in each instance by the sharp practice
OF the politicians, who formed theil
combinations just in the nick of time.
Mr.. Blaine is still engaged il. the taS,
of getting ont his book, apparently
oblivious of the attention his name i,
receiving just nov, and to meet him
ON the street, walking along briskly
nothing in his manner would betray
tbs fact that he regarded himself a
! candidate for the presidency. The
9 publication of the advance sheets.of hi,
book, especially the chapter given hi!
estimate of President Buchanan's pol
icy during the secession movement
= has materially aided his canvass, and
a no matter how much his opponeDt'
may attempt to be littlo it by ascrbins
, the boom to the efforts Of caMvasser
y for his book, the fact remains that TO
y day iie stands the most formable can
: didate for the republican nomination
q The Developments of the next TIVE
. months, however, may overturn al
= such calculations, and leave the plum
+ ed knight in the rear, and the histor
: of the past two campaigns be in par
repeated. d.-Cleavcland Leader.