Montgomery County sentinel., 1888-12-07
L HI F. ) + n 1 | N T. l..
ROCK WILLIE, MD
Friday Morping......De Decem ber z, 1888.
WHAT ABOUT MIR. BLAIEEY

WHAT ABOUT MIR. BLAINEs
Tae question, What shall be done about
Mr.. Blaine is a serious one for the Repub
licans, and they are worrying great deal
over it, The position he occupied in the
campaign entities him TO a leading place in
the new administration, or to one of the
richest prizes in its gift. 1t was Mr.. Blaine
and not Gen. Harrison who was acknowl-
edged by the party as the Republican COM
mander. in chief 1t was Mr. Blaine who
made the issue for the party and marked
ont the lines on which the party moved. 1t
was not until Mr.. Blaine returned from Eu
rope that the business Of the campaign be-
gan. When he landed he was hailed us the
true leader of the party, and his reception
and progress through the country was one
continued ovation. Until Mr. Blaine gra
ciously condescended TO withdraw himself
for awhile nobody seemed to have thought
of the person in Indianapolis who had been
nominated by the Republican convention
for the highest place in the gift of the pco
Pile Of the United States When the battle
was over and the victory won it was to Mr..
Blaine that the party turned as the chief
who had won ii, though another was u
bear off the honors.
1t was understood by every one that Mr..
Blaine was fighting under the colors of Har-
rson but for his own benefit. Mr.. Harri.
son, if his party won, would be President,
but Mr. Blaine was to be premier of the ad-
ministration and that meant Harrison ad
ministration with Blaine policy. 1t was
claimed by Mr.. Blaine's friends and never
denied by Harrison's that an agreement had
been made by which Mr.. Blaine was to be.
come Secretary of State in return for his
services in the campaign If Harrison won.
Harrison won, and Mr.. Blaine no doubt ex-
poets that the contract will be carried out in
good faith.
But will it be? If it is there will he trou-
bic. If it is not there is a probability OF
still greater trouble. In the immediate Har-
rison camp there is just now bitter oppo.
sition to the admission of Blaine into the
cabinet at all, and especially to his having
know that Blaine will not consent to play
second fiddle in an administration even with
the President playing first fiddle Old Dog
berry remarked that when two men rode a
horse one must ride behind, and with Har-
rison and Blaine mounted on the same steed
il will not be Blaine who sits uneasily on
the crupper. All Indiana is excited on this
matter and Blaine cannot be taken into the
cabinet without seriously offending the
home support Of the President elect. The
Indiana people never did love the Maine
nah over-much, and his fling at the State
in the letter declining to institute suit against
the Sentinel four years ago made the love
still less.
The friends of Mr.. Blaine on the Other
hand are determined that Harrison shall
recognize him in the way agreed upon
They insist that the incoming President
cannot pass him over without the grossesl
ingratitude and they make no secret of the
feeling that Mr.. Harrison cannot afford tC
offend the friends Of Mr.. Blaine in this way
get the President elect out of the dilemma
in which he is placed that the position o
Secretary of State should be offered TO Mr.
Blaine, who, in view Of the complications o
the situation, will then decline with thanks
ThS does not seem Ia strike the immediate
friends OF Mr.. Harrison with much favor
Unfortunately they know something about
Mr. Blaine and have not great deal Of
confidence in his declining what he most
desires and especially when only his enc
mics will be gratified by his declination
Besides, old politicians have seen too many
eases where an undesirable candidate for u
place has been successful in getting "compli
mentary votes" enough to elect and then
ignoring the "merely complimentary" un-
derstanding 1t won't do to trust an old
iox with chicken in the hope that his appe
tiie is not good