Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-06-08
R. C. KERENS STILL SANGUINE.
THE OVERWHELMING DESIRE OF
THE PARTY OUGHT TO BE
GRATIFIED.
New York Tribune1

GRATIFIED.
New York Tribune.
r.. g. Kerens of st. Louis. who is
known as one of the stanchest of
Mr.. Blaine's western friends and
one Of the leading business men of
Missouri, is at the st. James Hotel,
having come on to New York with
his family to be present at the grad
nation of his daughter, who has
been a pupil at Mrs. Reeds school.
lie has recently Travelled through
the western and southwestern
states. He gave expression the
other day to the belief that Mr..
Blaine should still be the nominee
of his party at Chicago. In answer
to inquiries, he said
"Mr. Blaine has done all that
lay IN his power, acting for him
self as an individual, to let the
country and the party know mis-
personal desires and wishes. 1t
has been known to his intimate
friends ever since 1884 that he de.
sired to be relieved of the burden
of another canvass and the great
responsibilities of the party's stand
ard bearer. He has now let the
whole world know it. But there
are some claims that are higher
than personal claims. The Repnb-
lican party, comprising, as it does,
much more than half the voters of
the country when the stfled vote Of
the south is considered the Re
publican party, which saved the
Union; the Republican party,
which gave this young republic
twenty-five years of such marvel
Gus prosperity as has no parallel
in the history of civilized nations
this party, | say, has a right
to claim and even demand the
service Of any one of it's mem
bers iii any capacity, high or low,
if the necessity exists or the situa-
ton shows that such service is es-
sential to the party's success, with
which we all believe the success Of
the country is bound up. This is
especially true OF one who has been
abundantly honOred by the party
as Mr.. Blaine. The Republican
party, in spite of the Florence let
ter and in spite of the Paris letter,
may still nominate Mr.. Blaine If
the success of the coming great bat
tie for protection appears TO de-
pend upon it. 1t wOnld then be a
matter Of duty, from which no man
could shrink, and which no man
could refuse. 1t would then be
the party and not the individual
desire which would be dominant"
"But what OF other candidates ~
"Nine.t enths of the rank and file
of the Republican party are for Mr..
Blaine for President, heart and
soul. They desire him to lead the
party. They believe he can lead
the party to successful a glorious
victory. They want him aud can
not see why they should not have
him, or why the illustrlous and un-
selfish and patriotic example he
has set should not DO followed by
the declinat.on Of others of the
candidates in the interest of the
party. This idea does not seem TO
have entered the minds Of other
candidates, whose support has not
as yet grown beyond the confines
of their own states, and some OF
whom know that Mr.. Blaine is the
choice of their own states even be-
tore themselves. If they should
signify now to the party their will.
ingness to leave it free to select
its choice untrammelad by their
claims as favorite sons, Mr.. Blaine
would be unanimously re-nomi-
mated at Chicago"
"What do yon think Of the Paris
letterp
at is simply a reiteration of the
Florence letter, which does not
change the situation of the party
in its deep wish for Mr.. Blaine for
its leader. All the talk about the
insincerity of the letter is an insult
to the intelligence of the RepublI-
can voters. 1t was sincere in the
deepest sense, full OF dignity and
honor. He could do nothing else
than withdraw while a half score
of the leading men of the party
we're cOntcnding with great energy
for leadership which every one |
of them acknowledges the party |
heart still offers to Mr.. Blaine"
"IIow much of this enthusiasm
for Mr.. Blaine is the result of work |
on the part of his friendsp
off you mean concerted action
to promote the feeling, absolutely /
none of it. Mr.. Blaine's friends.
who might have urged his nomina-
ton four, eight, or twelve years
ago, were estOpped from saying
single word by his Florence letter.
His friends are the people, and
wherever men became candidates
for delegates to Chicago, who were
known to be opposed to him, the
people defeated them, while, if the
for delegate was known
to be friend of Mr.. Blaine, he
was sure to be chosen. Mr.. Blaine's
comes from the people,
heartily and spontaneously, with
out prompting or encouragement.
from his friends. | know person
ally the delegates in four western
states almost to man, and many
Of the delegates in the ten states
in when | have just been travel
ing on business. They have told
me and written to me repeatedly
that the heart of the people is for
MIR. Blaine. Why, the Democrats
are chuckling to day because they
think Mr.. Blaine has been retired,
md they believe he was our stOng.
est candidate"
"Mr. Kerens, you were with Mr..
Blaine in Europe and know some.
hing of his mind. Do yon regard
him as out Of the question as "A
presidential possibility
"The only thing that would in
luce him to accept a nomination
now, in my Judgment, you'd be a
or practically unani-
nous request from the convention,
by the renneats of other