The Portland daily press., 1884-03-04
Special cOrresp ,ndence of the Press9


Special Corresp Jndence Of the Press)
WASHINGTON, March 2.
"Who is your choice for President" your
correspondent asked OF Congressman Miller
Of Pennsylvania, as he sat in the House res
taurant today dispatcbing raw oysters, while
the House ground away on the floor above"
"James G. Blaine" he said with wink az
he caused the disappearance of q huge bivalvs.
"Blaine of Maine; you have heard OF him
nrobablJ?"
"Do yousthipk he could be elected?"
"of course his.sc Or should not be for him.
That's one reason why 4szln for him becauseI
think he is more likely to win ataan .sny other
man. Another reason Is think he is the bests
man we can iud for the place."
"And are there other people of your way OF
thinking?"
Eyes, thousands of them all over the coun-
try. think he is the strongest man the Be
publican party has today"
"Can he carry New York, Mr. Millef?"
eyes, he can carry New York as no other
man can. 1 was talking the other day with O
New York politician, man of experience and
observation, and he said that Blaine would get
10000 votes from irish Democrats in the city
of New York, while his nomination would
create no opposition in the Republican party
as would be the case with almost anybody
else."
Would Conkling oppose him, do you
think, Mr. Miller?"
"No, 1 do not think he would oppose him.
He mi ght not be enthusiastic in his support,
indeed, / don't think he will be enthusiastic
for anybody. he is out OF politics. think,
however, that Blaine would be stronger Ia
New York State than any man we could NOM
mate. feel sure that he could be relied upon
to carry the State"
"How about your own State, Pennsylvania?
"Oh, Pennsylvania would be almost unani-
nous for him. The Democrats would stand
no show at all IL Blaine were nominated. 1t
| would oe hardly worth their while to organize
| and make q Campaign there.
| "You a'reenthusiastic for Blaine Mr. Miller"
"Yes, and SO are the people. They see that
/ Blaine was trlcked out of the nomination that
| the people wanted him to have, four and eight
| years ago, and they want TO see him nominst-
| ed. believe that whoever is nominated by
the Republican party will win, but the nom-
| ination OF Blaine would make success more
| certain and defeat with Blaine as our candi-
| date would leave the party In much better
shape than with anv other man in the lead.
| There are thousands and thousands of voters
| who are OF al independent turn of mind who
under any other leadership than that Of Blaine
| would take defeat 80 much to heart that they
| would probably leave the party. By that /
mean that the independent voters who want
| Blaine nominated would in case OF defeat by
the politicians this time become so disgustsd
that they would leave the party in case Of its
failure"
".Are you preparing then for a Republican
defeat this timer"
"By no means. On the contrary, there are
many reasons for thinking our prospects bet.
| ter than at any time previous to presidential
| election in many years. The Democrats arc
| spelling their opportunity for II as they usual
ly do"
What are they going to do with the tariff.
/ Mr.. Miller"
| Il think they will pass tha substitute for ths
| Morrison bill, which was authorized by the
| majority OF the ways aud means committee
the other day. 1ndeed, they caunot do other
| wise. They have nothing under heaven to 90
the tariff
| does?"
"No."
'Speaking of Mr.. Blaine and the presiden-
| tial Ease, do you think he will be nominated?"
eyes, 1 do" he answered SIT looks SO to
me now, and the demand is growing stronger
| daily"
"Where will his strength come from in the
| conveniiob?''
"From every Republican State in the coun-
| try. An Illinois man said to me q day or two
ago, that every Republican county In the
| State of Illinois was for Blaine, and in only
1 the Democratic counties was Logan strong.
| That is the situation from q national stand
point. l believe the Republican atea, the
| States that must elect a Republican President,
/ will all be for Blaine, and the anti- B laine
strength will be 10 the South. n the voice Of
| the party workers aud electors controls, Blaine
| will be the nominee, and II he is the nominee
| he will be elected"