The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-05-02
Mr.. Blaine's Position.

Certain democratic and mugwump
journals continue to profess much con-
Germ over the possibility of Mr. Blaine
receiving the presidential nomination
at Chicago. They assert that the evil
dent indisposition of large majority
of the republican party to give up Mr.
Blaine as possible candidate can only
be interpreted as dscrediting his
wore" and "casting doubt upon his
sincerity" in Withdrawing his name
from the canvass. Their assumed grief
over the situation, which they argue
can bring only misfortune to the re-
publican party, is nothing more un-
feigned than crocodile tears. Their
real concern is that the republican
party may select candidate who will
not be easily defeated. They have
fully determined to support Cleveland
in any event, and they want to have
him elected. If they actually believed
that Mr.. Blaine was a weak candidate
for the republican party it is quite un-
likely that they would be proclaiming
that his nomination would be unfor-
tunate for his party. The simple truth
is that they are afraid he will be NOM
mated. Their only motive is to dis
courage republicans from making that
selection, in the hope that in the I'M
certain contest over candidates which
would inevitably ensue, if Mr.. Blaine
should be regarded as wholly out of the
question, the convention might chance
to nominate a candidate with fewer
elements of strength.
Since Mr.. Blaine wrote his letter of
decination and reaffirmed his purpose
not to be a candidate the situation has
undergone a material change. AT that
time no one knew Mr.. Blaine's real
strength as candidate. 1t is not
probable that he knew more about it
than the best-informed politicians of
his party. He undoubtedly thought
that he could not be renominatedswith
out heated, and possibly bitter ICON
test. His purpose in Withdrawing his
name from the canvass was to relieve
the party from all embarrassment on
his account and give it an opportunity
to select a candidate who could most
easily unite the party and present it
with an unbroken front against the
enemy. But after Mr.. Blaine's with
drawal it soon became apparent that
his strength with the republican masses
had been greatly underestimate, and
that if he had remained in the field his
nomination would have been inevitable
and probably made without a contest.
Nearly every republican convention
thus far held, and every convention of
republican clubs, has demonstrated
that Mr.. Blaine is the choice OLA vast
majority of the republican party. A
number of candidates-all able and
worthy party leaders-have appeared
stronger before the country to-day than
he was some weeks ago; and there is
nothing like definite concentration of
party sentiment upon any one of them.
1t can not be said that Mr.. Blaine is
responsible for this state of affairs.
He does not want the nomination and
will not, by his own act, stand in the
way of others who do. Neither is it
Just to blame large section of the
party who want Mr.. Blaine in spite of
his declination. They still urge his
selection-not that they distrust the
sincerity of his withdrawal or intend
any discourtesy to his wishes, or for a
moment believe that there is any
"trickery" or "political strategy -
about it, but because, for many rea-
sons that appear convincing to them,
they believe he is the strongest man
for the party in the country at large,
and that no other republican can poll
as many votes in the states that are
essential to party success. In this view
of the case (and we regard it as per.
fectly fair one), we say that because
Mr.. Blaine has declared himself not 6
candidate he has not, therefore, de-
barred himself from accepting nom
ination under any circumstances.
This involves delicate question fol
the national convention to consider anC
determine. We do not take stock il
the reports that the convention is to b'
stampeded" for Mr.. Blaine or an,
other candidate. These stories are tn,
inventions of the enemy. We doub
not that the convention will act will
deliberation and wisdom. If ii is de
cided by the majority that it would b.
unwise to nominate Mr.. Blaine, thel
we expect that the convention will d.
the next best thing. But if it shout
be determined that Mr.. Blaine woul
be the strongest candidate, and h
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