New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-23
THE POLITICAL FIELD.
WHY BLAINE CAN CARRY NETWORK.
OPINIONS OF CONGRESSMAN PErTIBoNE OF TEN
NESsEF.
10y rELEGnAra TO rHs rRIRUvE.

rBY TELEGRAPH rHs TRTBUyE-l
WASHINGTON. May 22.-In conversation with
TRIBUNE correspondent about Republican
candidates for the Presidency Representative Petit
bone o. Tennessee. said
| hear great many people asking whether
Blaine could carry NewYork next November, and
a good nany of them say they would support him
if they were convinced his nomination would not
the loss of that state Now it seems to me that
there two three other questions, quite as i'm
portant if not more important TO be answered first.
Who can carry Maine in September Who can
carry Ohio and West Virginia in OctOber' Can
Arthur or Edmunds or Logan certainly carry al or
any two Of them Ii we lose Maine in September or
Ohio IN October, il will make little difference who
our candidate is in November. 50 far as NewYork
is concerned.
"On the other hand. il we can carry Maine and
Ohio by good maj0rit:es and if in addition we win
IN West Virginia, rs / believe can If Blame bee
the nominee, there will be no danger Of our losing
New-lOrk. In September, 1850, we lost Maine by
few hundred votes and If Ohio or Indiana had gone
against us in October Hancock would have been
President to-day. If Blame is nominated there
will he no dan ger of losing Maine or Ohio in the
State elections And it will make great difference
whether carry either or both of them by
scratch OF by decisive majority.
Why do | think we can carry West Virginia
with Blaine as a canddate7 Well-inforned West
Virginia Republicans tell me so. United states
Marshal Atkinson says that Blaine Is 5000 to
10000 votes stronger in that State than any other
Republican that be named, and District-At
t0rney Flick expresses substantially the same
opinion. A good many people in that state regard
Blaine very much IN the light of favorite son for
they declare that only a ratification of the
boundaries Of Virginia many years ago prevented
him from being native of what is now West
Virginia. The State closely divided politically
In 1850 Hancocks majority only 1000, while
Tilden's majority in 1876 was about 1900. In
1852. which was Il tdal-waye year for the Demo-
Gratis. their candidate for Supreme Judge received
only 3 200 majority. and the combined Democratic
vote for Congressman was more than 100 short OF
a majority or all the votes cast. only one OF the
three DE nOcratIc Congressman elected received
majority of all the votes ms district, and III one
case tie plurality only ten votes.
q, Thus vDu see "A change of only Few votes world
ave the state 10 the Republicans by fair majority
even if the Democrats should do as well as they
did in lSs2. which Is by no means probable
Therefore, I believe that If Blaine Is nominated we
shall not only carry Maine and ONO IN the pre-
Iiuinlry elections. hUt that shall win IN W est
Virginia also. Can We hope to do as we'll with any
other candidate OF course | do not admit that
Blaine would not be - strong m New-fork as any
other man that could be named, respective OF the
considerations | have mentioned and which be
ieve are entitled 60 the thoughtful attention OF all
Republicans whose strongest political desire now ls
hat the Chicago Convention shall nominate
.andldate with whom can WIN.