Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-02-15
Aurkrille &nqnirer.
YORKVILLE, 8. &. :
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY Is, 1888.
WILL NOT BE A CANDIDATE.

IGDllUdleI IL, Aooos
WILL NOT BE A CANDIDATE.
The Pittsburg Gazette of last Monday
publishes a letter from Mr.. Blaine, adj
dressed to B. F. Jones, chairman of the
National Republican committee, declining
to allow his name to be presented to the
National Republican convention as a can
didate for Presidential nomination. MIR.
Jones, when asked whether Mr.. Blalne's
d~eclination would prevent his friends
from nominating him anyhow, said: LAS
T am chairman of the National commit
tee, I do not think it would be proper for
me to have anything to say on that sub
ject."
"Do you think Mr.. Blaine would accept
the nomination if rendered to him."
II have no authority to speak for Mr..
Blaine, and have no conjectures to offer on
the subject. The letter speaks for itself,
and I must decline to be interviewed on
this question:"
Mr.. Blaine's letter is written from Flor
ence, Italy, under date of January 10Th.
He starts out by the emphatic statement
that his name will not be presented to the
national convention called to assemble in
Chicago in June next, to which decision
he is constrained by considerations entirely
personal to himself. After reviewing the
history of the Democratic and Republican
parties since 1882, the letter concludes as
follows:
Should the party gain in the results of
1883 over those of 1867, in anything like
1928, it would secure one of the most re-
markable victories of its entire existence.
But victory does not depend on so large a
ratio of increase. The party has only to
maintain relatively its prestige of 1867 to
give to its national candidate every North
ern State but one, with a far better pros
pect of carrying that one than it has had
for the past six years.
Another feature of the political situation
should inspire Republicans with irresis-
tible strength. The present national adj
ministration was elected with, If not upon,
the repeated assertions of its leading
supporters in every protection State that
no issue on the tariff was involved:
However earnestly the Republicans urged
that question as one Of controlling lmpor-
lance in the campaign, they were met by
the Democratic leaders and journals with
persistent evasion, concealmenta denlal.
That resource the President has Fortunate
ly removed. The issue which the Repub-
licans maintained and the Democrats
avoided in 1884, has been prominently and
specifically brought forward bya Demo
cratic President, and cannot be hidden out
of sight in 1883. The country is now in
the enjoyment of an industrial system
which, in a quarter Of a century, has as
sured larger national growth, more rapid
accumulation and a broader distribution
of wealth than were ever before known to
history. The American people will now
be openly and formally asked to decide
whether this system shall be recklessly
abandoned and a new trial be made Of the
old experiment, which has uniformly led
t onational embarrassment and widespread
individual distress. Once the result of
such an issue is fairly presented the pop
ular judgment there is no room for doubt.
One thing only is necessary to assure
success: complete harmony and cordial
cooperation on the part Of all Republicans
the part both Of those who aspire to
lead and of those who are eager to follow.
The duty is not one merely of honorable
devotion to a party whose record and
whose aims are alike great, but is one de-
manded by the instinct of self interest
and by the still higher promptings of pa
triotiSm.
A closer observation of the conditions of
life among the older nations gives one a
more intense desire that the American
people shall make no mistake in choosing
a policy which inspires labor with hope
and crowns it with dignity, which gives
safety to capital and protects its increase,
which secures political power to every cit
izen, comfort and culture to every home.
TO this end, not less earnestly and more
directly as a private citizen than as a pub
lie candidate, / shall devote myself, with
the confident belief that the administration
of the government will be restored to the
party which has demonstrated its purpose
and power to WELD it for the unity and
honor of the republic, for the prosperity
and progress of the people. / am, very
sincerely, yours, JAMES G. BLAINE.
The Washington correspondent of the
News and Courier says the letter of Mr..
Blaine was the leading topic of comment
at the Capitol on Monday. Republicans
and Democrats discussed it freely. The
Blaine Republicans declare that it was an
honest and straightforward announcement
of the Plumed knights permanent retire.
ment from the Presidential race.
Said Senator Teller: 81 believe Mr..
Blaine is sincere in this matter, for had he
remained quiet he could have had the
nomination by reclamation. On the 9TH
er hand he could have announced himself
again an aspirant for the honor and his
party would cheerfully give him the NOM
~ination. He doubtless feels that there are
certain men in his own party who will
continue to oppose him, and in the inter-
est of harmony and with the hope of Re
publican success, he has decided to with
draw from the contest permanently"
There are other Republican Senators
who take a different view of the situation,
and those are known to be Anti-Blaine
men. They intimate that Mr.. Blaine be-
gins to feel that his party is drifting away
from him, and he desires them to return
to his fold and force the nomination upon
him. They are inclined to take him at
his. word and give him the seclusion he
asks.
Senator Farwell said: "In reading be-
tween the lines 1 infer that Blaine has an
eager desire for denomination. 1t seems
to me that if it were Blaine's sincere in
%tention to decline or refuse nomination, he
would have signed his name at the end of
the first paragraph"
w. - ~ IN