The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-06-30
BLAINE, SHERMAN, HARRISON.

The mills of the gods grind slowly
but exceedingly fine. In 1880 it was
the man from Maine, unable to secnr
the nomination himself, who determin-
ed John Sherman should not have it.
So it was through his influence Garfield
was sprung and Sherman was betrayed
in the house of his friends. But Sher-
man has had his revenge; he may have
more. Mr.. Blaine had laid all his
plans to capture the Chicago nomina-
ton in 1888; they were laid skilfully,
worked adroitly and unscrupously, yet
they tailed-iailed because one ele-
ment in the programme had not been
rightly considered. That element was
John Sherman.
To pacify certain influences in the
republican party, to give the renOmi-
nation u prestage, it was not alone
necessary that Blaine should be nomI.
nated-that could 1r had for the ask.
ing-but 5, j p nrmi"aiiOu meant
Gulaat a O.; hai.ce, Blaine
must be nominated after a demonstra-
ton that no one else could be nomirat.
ed and unite the party. 1t must be
made apparent Blaine WAS a necessity,
that no other arm could pull the
republican OK out of the slough OF
dependency. A cry must go up to
Blaine, unanimous and with enthusi-
asm, "Help us, Cassius, or we sink"
And as the sacrifice, or the dcliverer OF
the party, Blaine was to step forth, the
enforced leader,
To make Blaine a necessity, Blaine
and his herdsmen set to work. The
first step, and the natural one, in the
programme was for Blaine to step out.
This he did, yet his herdsmen went on
pulling the wires and electing dele
gates. When the convention met, as
the result of this programme, two
thirds of the delegates were for the
man who had declared he was not a
candidate, but would take the atore-
said enthusiastic and unanimous
nomination. The ~"favorite sell dodge,
as the next step in the confidence
game, was resorted to. This served
two purposes-it demonstrated that
Blaine was a necessity, and as the
s'favorite sOns,' all had a "bar'l," not
an insignificant consideration III a re-
publican convention, someone else
could be made to pay for Jim Blalne's
music. So fsvorite o vas played
against favorite son, by the high
manipulation (Steve. Elklns) of Blaino's
f~andango, and each by his grace was
given a day. At last a caucus was
held no one could get the nomination ;
all the "tavorite sons agreed to with
draw in favor of the plumed knight
all, all but one, and he John Sherman.
Sherman cast his eye back to 1880 and
sail in a voice heard from Washington
to Chicago, "No." He said it SO loud
that even Foraker, who wished to
desert him, heard and dare not. That
no doubt defeated the Blaine scheme;
it partly settled Sberman's old sc"ra.
The unanimous and enthusiastic n"ni-
nation could not be had. John Shor-
man had been overlooked.
AS revenge and the next best thing,
Blaine's forces determined that Ilarri-
son, coming from Indiana, ShermIu's
neighbor, should have the prize, and so,
revenge on Sherman, tho Blaine
forces we're transferred so completely
transferred that, to spite John Sherman,
California voted for Harrison, with his
Chinese record.
Thus a new page in the ledger is
opened. Sherman has defeated Blaine,
but the latter has gotten in his work in
Harrison's nomination. Conkling lies
silent in the grave, but we are mista-
ken II John Sherman's influence will not
be felt in Ohio this fall in favor of
Thurman and against Harrison, for in
1880 Garfield was but the tool Of
Blaine as is Harrison in 1888. Blaine
traded with Garfield in 1880; is it
not 80 now with Harrison?