St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-20
THE MAN WHO Pulls THE WIRES.
Graphite Sketch of Brac,ofs Darts. tn. Me-

THE MAN WHO PULLS THE WIRES
Graphic Sketch of Bsncroft Dnris, the Me-
phistopoeies nj lie Arth.rian Reign.
1t is always interesting to get at the real
sources of opposition to u defeated candidate.
There is one man in Washiuton, writes the
correspondent OF the New York World, who
has had more to do with bringing about Mr..
Blaine's defeat than any other one man, not
even excepting DR.. Burchard. This man is
Bancroft Davis, one OF the Judges of the
Court of Claims. Judge Davis has been for
a lumber of years bitter personal enemy OF
Mr.. Baine's. The Judge is a very able,
positive character, with great fondness for
diplomatic work. l never have heard the
cause of the original difference between him
and Mr.. Blaine, but it is understood that
their differences occurred in the diplomatic
field. The Judge is tall, square-shouldered
full-fgured man with handsome, we'll de-
veloped head. clear complexion, regular fea-
lures and carefully kept iron-gray mus
tache and short, full beard. He is the pink
Of neatness in his dress, is q b thorough gen
tleman in his manners, writer OF most Wig
orous English and most valiant and un-
firing enemy. When Mr.. Arthur was made
President he could have retained without
trouble the Garfield Cabinet with, perhaps,
the exception of MacVeagh. Mr.. Blaine, al
though he rendered his resignation with the
rest, had in mind such comprehensive
foreign policy, that he would have beer will
ing to have stayed. He would have willingly
renounced all political ambition. If Arthur
had seen fit to administer the Garfield estate
as his found it, there are plenty of Republi-
cans who believe that he would have been
nominated at Chicago One Of the special
reasons why Mr.. Blaine was anxious to re-
main in the State department was because
of his desire to complete the diplomatic cor
respoudence which he was carrying on at
that time for the purpose of securing certain
notifications of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty,
SO that this govern ent would be able to OBJ
tain satisfactory control of the ship-canal
now building at Panama. 1t is even said
that Mr. Blaine had planned visit to Lon
don in person. He had arranged to 60 to
England just about the time that Garfield
was shot and was confident that he could by
personal negotiations secure the concessions
he desired.
Bancroft Davis, through his old diplomatic
relations, heard of the coup de theatre that Mr..
Blaine had been planning and he was the
chief influence in urging Mr.. Arthur to form
a new Cabinet. Davis had met Arthur in
New York and knew exactly how to get at
him. 1t NAV be that Mr.. Arthur would not
have retained the Garfield Cabinet under any
circumstances, but it was Bancroft Davis
who first pointed out to him the folly of try
ing to keep Mr.. Blaine in the Cabinet by
telling him that he would be completely
overshadowed by the sensational develop
ments of the State Department. Mr.. Arthur
is very conservative and timid. He is very
much afraid that some one will say that he
is being run by a man greater than himself.
That is the secret of his rupture with Roscoe
Conkling. He would not take the slightest
bit of advice from the ex-senator for fear
that the public would think that he was still
one Of Mr.. Conkling's lieutenants. Bancroft
Davis is gentleman and man OF high
standing in society. He was shrewd enough
10 discover Mr.. Arthur's social aspirations
at the very start and introduced him to the
Frelinghuysens. Judge Davis is related to
this family by marriage through John Davis.
The second part of the play began when
the Cabinet came to be reorganized. Davis
resigned q life position on the Court Of
Claims to take the position OF Assistant Sec
rotary of State He could have been Seere-
tary of State If be had so desired. But he
has no private fortune and he could not af-
ford to give up his life position on the Bench
without receiving an equivalent somewhere
else 1t was planned that he was to go into
the State Department and the President was
to try TO make the post of Assistant Secre-
tary of State permanent one, corresponding
to that of Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs
in England. The President accepted his
resignation as Judge, but held the place open
for him one year while Davis was in the State
Department Congress refused to establish
the Office desired, so at the end of the year
Bancroft Davis went back TO the Bench again
But in the year that he was in the depart
ment BIS developed an enormous amount of
material against Blaine. He was the NOV
ing spirit back of the investigation in the
Peruvian affair. He put his vigorous hand
upon the newly budded Blaine foreign policy
and throttled it.
Since his retirement from the State De-
partment he has practically controlled the
spirit and policy Of that department and has
prepared all Of its papers touching upon
matters Of any importance. Mr.. Frelinghuy-
sen is too old and too ar..mentsl breakdown
TO originate or TO carry out any kind OF a
policy. His son-in-law, the Assistant Secre-
tary Of State, is an amiable young man, Of
quiet manners and gentle ways, but he has
no knowledge of diplomatic affairs and has
had absolutely no training for the business
of the State Department. He Is in reality the
secretary to his kinsman, Bancroft Davis.
Judge Davis Is the author Of the vigorous
foreign policy which has been so suddenly
presented In the last moments OF the mort
bund administration. In looking over the
political situation last fall he made miscal-
culation as to the result Of the Presidential
election. He thought that his old enemy,
Blaine, was going TO be elected. Through
his familiarity with the State Department he
knew what Mr.. Blaine's foreign policy prob
ably would be. To take the wind out OF his
enemy's sails he developed the treatise which
have been hurled in lump at Congress. He
was the most potent element during last fall
in preventing the Presidents taking any part
in the campaign. He really is entitled TO
more credit for the defeat than DR.. Burchard
and as he has not been mentioned before In
this connection on account Of his extreme
modesty, It is but Just that he should be
brought forward to perfect the record Of his
tory.
r.