The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-21
Mr. BLA1Ne's DEFENSE OF TRUSTS.
What is Thought of it at Democratic
and Republican Headquarters.

MR.. BLAINe'S DEFENSE OF TRUSTS.
What is Thought of it at Democratic
and Republican Headquarters.
From the New York Times
Mr.. Blaine's statement in his speech at
Portland, Me-, on Wednesday that he
would not venture to say whether trusts
were advantageous or disadvantageous,
and that they were largely ''private affairs"
,vith which neither President Cleveland
nor any private citizen had any right to
;nterfere, was the main topic of converse
zion at both the Democratic and Republic
can national headquarters yesterday
Col Brice, senator-elect Barbour of Flr-
Jnia. Arthur Sewall of Maine, of the
hemocratic campaign committee: Everett
stump in Maine, and Col. William R. Nor
rison of the interstate commerce commits
cjon who were at the national democratic
headquarters during the day, all spoke of
tbe fatality which seemed to attend Mr..
Blaine every time he made speech, and
what effective ammunition he inevitably
furnished the democracy.
Mr. Sewall, citizen of Maine. and well
acquainted with its people, said: "Mr
Blaine could not have done more disas-
trous thing for his party than to have
spoken flippantly about trusts to the people
Of Maine. Trusts have done them too much
injury and damaged too many industries.
In Portland, right where Mr.. Blaine was
speaking, the gigantic sugar trust closed up
a sugar refinery which gave employment
to between 400 and 500 men. You may be
sure that those workingmen who lost their
Jobs and have seen their families suffer by
means of trusts do not regard their exist
ence as being of no concern to the country
They believe that they are a terrible evil
which menaces the welfare of the country,
and they want to see them put down. Mr..
Blaine's speech will make many votes for
the democracy in Maine"
The general sentiment of the other mem
bers of the committee and of Col. Morri-
son and Mr.. Wheeler. is that Mr. Blaine is
under SO many obligations to monopolists
that he cannot fight Them that some of the
most prominent managers of the great
trusts are bis personal and political friends,
and that it is impossible for him to de
nounce them. He finds no difficulty in de-
nouncing Murphy in the abstract, but when
it comes to particularizing he begs to be
excused.
Mr.. Blaine's friendly remarks about trusts
were made at the mick of time" for the
national democratic committee. They
have just arranged the schedules of the
speakers who will "stump" Maine, and
each speaker will be instructed to make
'the greatest living statesman's" opinion of
trusts a prominent topic The democratic
campaign will be opened on Saturday. when
Gen. Samuel f. Carey will speak at Bidds-
ford and Col. John R. Fellows at Lewiston,
Aug. q there will be great meeting at
Portland, where Henry Watterson will
speak and answer Mr. Blaine upon his own
ground showing by statistics what trusts
have done for Portland. Among the other
speakers in Maine will be ex-senator James
r. Doolittle, the Hon. T NJ Patterson of
Colorado, Everett P. Wheeler, the Hon.
Frank K. Foster of Massachusetts, and the
Hon. NJ. V. Cannon and the Hon. j. Ster-
ling of Kansas.
Pamphlets will be printed containing
choice extracts from Mr.. Blaine's speeches,
with appropriate comments, the national
committee believing that no better demo-
cratic campaign documents can be distri-
buted. Col. Brice, however, authorized a
denial of the rumor that he had already
made generous offers to Mr.. Blaine to keep
on speaking during the campaign in case
the national republican committee should
decide that it was imprudeut to hire him
He said that such amove was not yet i'm
peratiye, though it might become neces-
Sary.
At the national republican headquarters
a secret meeting of the executive commit
tee was held at noon. Senator Quay, Mr..
New, Col. Dudley, Garrett Hobart, and
Senator Fassett were present Mr. Clark
son is still suffering from his injuries re-
ceived on Tuesday night while he was try
ing to turn out the gas in his room at the
Everett house, and is unable to leave his
room. One of his ankles is badly sprained,
and was more painful Than ever yesterday.
After the meeting was over, Col. Dudley
was asked
"Was anything said about Mr.. Blainea"
"Oh, yes. Mr.. Blaine's offer to speak dur
ing the campaign was considered. Mr.
Blaine has placed himself in the hands of
the national committee, with special re-
quest that he be not treated as "star"
but as a private in the ranks"
"Will Mr.. Blaine be sent out vests"
Nothing has been determined as yet Mr.
Harrison has requested him to speak in In
diana, and he will probably go there. We
want him to visit us very much"
What do you think about the effect of
his remark about trusts in his Portland
speechs"
II do not think it will be harmful Mr..
Blaine probably did not think about what
he was saying. Mr. Blaine considers the
tariff to be the all-absorbing question, and
he believes that, as the champions of pro-
lection, we can carry the country. He
treats all other questions as of minor i'm
portance."
Isn't it possible that Mr. Blaine has not
read the republican platform, and does not
know that it particularly condemns trusts"
VERY likely. He has had little time to
read since he arri we'd honen