Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-17
EXPLAINING THE DEFEAT.
The National Committee Coming in f
Good Share of Republican Abuse

The National Committee Coming in for
Good Share of Republican Abuse.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-Now that the
official result Of the Presidential election
is finally announced the Republicans
here cannot find language strong enough
to curse their National Committee. The
remark attributed to Nr. Blaine that the
Republican National Committee were a
pack of fools seems to have some tOunda-
tion in fact. Even a week after the cleo
tiOn many Republicans were inclined to
put up large sums of money on the mag
netic candidate simply on the strength of
the Republican Committees foolish bull
letins claiming Blaine's election. The
committees action was almost criminal.
1t has led to the impOverishment of d
large number of Republicans. If
Jones, Elkins 81 Co. could manage
to pay Washington visit they would be
greeted with very warm reception and
of nature they would scarcely expect.
Indignant Republicans talk of a coat of
tar and feathers for Mr.. Jones. But after
all he may have been simply the tool of
some one else. 1t is said that Mr.. Blaine's
sons staked a great deal of money on
their fathers election, and that Mr..
Blaine insisted upon the Republican Com
mittee claiming the election, in order to
give the young men a chance to hedge.
AN ANCHOR TO wINDwARD.
If this be true, MIR. Blaine did not
forget to cast an anchor to the windward
even in the hour of his defeat. Now that
the battle is over, the Republicans are
trying to explain their defeat. There are
a great many smart people who can tell
just how it happened. Conservative Re.
publicans, however, admit that their
that the biggest one was committed in
the nomination of the Maine states
man. They could not get around
his record. 1t could not be ex-
planned. The appointment of the
National Committee was the next blum
der. Apparently it was arranged wholly
for the purpose of defeating the Republi-
can candidate. Mr.. Jones' appointment
as Chairman was made with the object of
helping him into Don Cameron's shoes in
the Senate. Mr.. Cameron protested
against this, and Mr.. Blaine, becoming
frightened, paid him visit, and assured
him that it was only in fun, and that he
(Blaine) was really for Cameron. When
Jones heard of Blaine's double dealings,
his enthusiasm for the cause naturally
Jagged. But even If the Republican Ma
all the enthusiasm they were given credit
for, their management would have been
fatal to almost any candidate.
JONES' PACK OF BLUNDERERs.
They were ignorant of the simplest de-
tails of the New York canvass, and were
unable on the night before the election to
make any calculations on the result that
were worth anything. Many of the State
Republican committees in the South, no.
tably from North Carolina, Florida and
Louisiana, applied to Jones for money.
Jones replied TO these requests by saying,
''WOuld you not prefer to have us make
New York safe?' OF course they replied
certainly. Jones then assured them that
New York was absolutely sure for Blaine
and Logan. The Republican National
Committee certainly had plenty Of funds
at their disposal, but what they did with
them will probably always remain a mys-
terry. Blaine protested against the cele-
brated DelmonicO dinner. The story goes
that William Walter Phelps and White
law Reid actually forced him to attend it,
partly by main strength and partly with
the assurance that the dinner would be
worth $4,000 a plate for the cam
paign fund. 1t did not, in fact,
amount to $500 a plate. The
climax was capped, however, by Bur-
chard in his celebrated "Rum. Romanism
and Rebellion" speech. The Republicans
point to all these mistakes more In sorrow
than in anger. But it is hardly probable
that the leaders of Mr.. Blaine's canvass
will figure in the contest four years
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