Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-06
REID ON BLAINE.
The Possibility That the Maine Statesman
May be Forced to Enter the Race.

NEW YORK, May 5.-"The comments re-
fleet my sentiments" said Whitelaw Reid
the editor, to a reporter of the World, and
he pointed out the paragraph. 1t said
that the story of the Philadelphia Times
correspondent was like the stuff about Mr..
Blaine's dreadful state of health-chiefy
bosh. Continuing, Mr.. Reid said: 81 dc
not know that / need say any more. There
is nothing to say"
''Then you believe Mr.. Blaine will not
be a candidate:"
''He has done all in his power to prevent
it. He was perfectly sincere in withdraw
ing his name from considera-
ton, and he did it in good
season. He did it against the earnest, We
hement protest of every friend. So far as
/ know, who had any idea of what was i'm
pending? The field has been absolutely
open and free ever since to any candidate
who can give reasonable promise of carry
ing enough of the doubtful states to secure
the election. The sound Republican who
can now convince the party that he can
probably get more votes than any other
sound Republican in the doubtful states,
would be sure of the cordial support of
those who have heretofore pushed Mr.
Blaine"
SIS it true, Mr.. Reid, that Mr. Blaine's
friends in New York have been pushing
Mr.. Blaine in spite of his letter of decli-
nation?"
$50 far as 1 know there is nothing in
that. | certainly have not been concerned
in any combination or organization to
push him. | have waited and | think all
l. = 70 - nd al
develops such popular strength as would
seem to give assurance of carrying the
doubtful states. If good ground could be
shown for hoping that Mr.. Sherman could
carry New York, l should be delighted
and would give him the heartiest support
know how. The same might be said of
Harrison, Gresham or Allison. If Chaun-
cey NJ. Depew, himself, or his
most sagacious political friends, believed
that while carrying certain doubtful states
in the east, he would not run the greatest
risk of losing several important Republi-
can states at the west, we should support
him with affection and enthusiasm. The
Chicago convention, when it meets, will
above all merely personal considerations,
try to nominate to win"
Then do you think there is any posi-
bility Of Mr.. Blaine's nomination."
Eyes; possibility. Blaine has with
drawn his name as a candidate, which
was his right. The party engaged in con-
sidering the name of other candidates who
are offered under the pre-
vailing volunteer system. and the con-
vention will do the same, if. after
full consideration, it fails to find any
other candidate about whose strength in
the doubtful states it feels an equal degree
of confidence, it may finally conclude, as
Mr.. Lincoln did at the critical period of
the war that the volunteer business is
played out, and that a draft must be
ordered. That contingency may never
occur, and at the present it is certainly
distant but if it shonld occur, / believe
the service of the Republican party at
this time TO be in the highest sense the
service of the country, and see no reason
why Mr.. Blaine, than any other citizen
who has sought and received honors from
his party, could, or should be ex-
empt from its drafts. To refuse
under such circumstances, would.
in fact, seem not unlike desertion
to the face of the enemy. If the presidency
is not an Office to be sought, as some say,
it certainly is not one to be refused. ] do
not know any pubic man in the United
States big enough to undertake TO refuse
the greatest Office on earth without max
ing himself ridiculous or worse"
''Do you know, Mr.. Reed. whether Mr.
Blaine has written lately to any of his
friends in this city on the presidential
situation?'
Not to my knowledge; in fact the only
letters ] have seen from him since the
Florence letter have absolutely refrained
from any reference whatever to political
questions.