New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-06
TALK WITH CHAIRMAN JONES
DENYING STORIES ABOUT MR.. BLAINE.
UNABLE TO FoRETELL TnE RESULT OF THE CHICAGO
ooSvENTroS-wHAr EMMoNs BLAINE HAS TO
SAT-.

UNABLE TO FoRETELL TnE RESULT OF THE CHICAGO
CoSvENTIoN-wHAr EMMoNs BLAINE HAS TO
SAT-.
Dr TgLr6RArH TO THE Tribune
PirrsBuRG, May D." There doubt that the atti-
tude or many Republicans toward Mr.. Blaine has
changed said Chairman B. +. Jones, of the Repub.
hcan National Committee, to-day. "In 1876 Mr..
Blaine was defeated for the nomination by some Re-
publican politicians. In 1880 tho Same thing occurred
again, but In 1884 the people too strong for
these gentlemen 1t is mistake to suppose that the
politicians who opposed Mr.. Blaine had a personal
dlsllkng for him. They opposed him because they
Knew hc had strong friendships and they believed that
therc would DO political and official gain for them In
tho event of tho election of Mr.. Blaine careful rc-
view OF the situation up to the present time and an
examination Of the proceedings of the various State
conventions held far, convInces me that far
greater number of politicians favor Mr. Blaincs
nomination than in 's4n
" Do you think that the opposition among certain
class of Republicans in New-York has died out with
the death of Roscoe Conkling7"
al think that In reality Mr.. Conkling did not have
as much power In NowYork generally attributed
to him. OF course he Influenced the result In his own
county, and think no did so at the instance of his
friends,
What do you think Of the various stories circulated
of late in regard Mr. Blanes intentions and physl
cal condltonlD
" So far his health Is concerned Mr. Blaine is as
well as he ordinarily is barring slight cold. Some
Of the stories told about him absurd. To group
some Of them into general denial, may say that
Mr. Blaine has not decided to be candidate he has
no asked his friends to make aggressive movement
In his behalf he has written any letters declining
the nomination second time, and It is not true that
he Will be on the ocean and out of reach Of the tee
graph when the convention is In session. Mr.. Blaine
said he desired to remain abroad two but feared
he would not be able to do would not be sur
prlsed to hear hc coming home next month"; or
that he would stay away until next year. No time
has, as yet, been fixed for his return There is no
denying the fact that since the declinaon there
has been growing sentiment among Republicans that
Mr.. Blaine should accept the leadership of the party
in tho next great battle. This movement has great
strength and will be powerful If not the most pow
erful element in the next Convention l do not
think that It is the intention of Mr. Blaine to come
out squaely for any candidate pluniply ask his
friends to support John Smith or John Jones. He
is only human and may, Of course, say, So-and-so
is my friend and would like to him nomnated,'
and such an expression would have great weight
"Do you think 1t IS Mr. Blane's intention to mako
political will and leave his political estate en- bloc
so it will not be FILTERED away by dlvisionl1
sI do not know. / have never heard Of such a
thing
as there among the prominently named any
one whose political friendship with Blaine is strong
enough to warrant belief that Mr.. Blaine will trans
fer his strength to hml'
q do not know of such man. Socially he has
known them all intimately, but politically he can
hardly bc expected to be warmly for John Sherman,
for instance or for Allison, for Harrison. His
friendship for Chauncey NJ Dcpew is strong one, and
do not know how far It extends. So far as / am
concerned chairman OF the National
Committee, l want to SEQ the convention
handled fairly and freely and hope 1t will select
all I bayo AL.
vsed more or less that delegations bo not in
structed in order that tho Convention may DO DELHI
erstive bcIy and wisely proceed to a choice There
are great principles at stake which must be consd
ered'
"Do you think It would be as easy for Mr. Blaine
to continue to decline to be candidate II no were In
this country7'
"People can often write things they would, per-
haps not utter the SPIT. 1 cannot, OF course,
guess what tho Republicans may unite upon and what
| they may Insist upon carrying OUT
Emmons Blaine was in Pittsburg to-day looking
after tho interest OF the Atchson Topeka and Santa fe
Railroad of which no is general freight agent When
asked he had read Of his father being In the hands
of his friends for the Presidential candidacy he re-
piled
"Yes read what was in the newspapers this morn
ing II was news to me. 1 really know nothing
about the matter"
@Do you regard the story plausible. Mr.. Blaine"
He smiled significantly but replied u really know
nothing moro about the matter than any one else,
I Will talk 10 you about anything but politics, but
upon that subject have nothing TO say. ,., orr
You arc In constant correspondence WIN your
father, you notF "A oo.rond
"Yes have kept up an uninterrupted corrsspohu-
ence with him ever since he left for Europe .,,
"wha foundation is there for reports that are seh'
out OF his being in Ill health ~ ,.s.,or
"The reports are sent out without any foundaton'
had letter from father as late as three days ago.
The very tenor of II showed that he was not IN pCSr
health II was written In his most checriui InUou. .
He said that he was in excellent health ana the pest
OF spirits He then outlined his plans for tho 1utro
so far as they had been determined upon inc S'tc, m
was dated AT Rome At the time IL was malled N,
was about 70 start for Genoa from there he ntehdeu
to travel BY coach Nice, where he INTENDED 10 & ,e
main for some time. presume that he Is IN MY MY
TODAY Revond that point he said that he had not
fully decided upon programme"