National Republican., 1888-06-05
II. G. KERENs STILL sANeulNE.
Tie Overwhelming Desire of the Party
Ought to lie Gratified.
fN,v- ynrL rrrihuua

New York Tribune.l
Il. c. Kercns of st. Louis, who is known
as one Of the stanchest of Mr.. Blainc's
western friends and one of the leading bpsi-
ness men ,of Missouri, is at the st. James
Hotel, having come on to New York with
his family TO be present at the graduation
of his daughter, who has been a pupil at
Mrs. Reeds school. lie has recently tray.
eled through the western and southwestern
states. lie gave expression the other day
to the belief that Mr. Blaine should still be
the nominee OF his party at Chicago. In
answer to inquiries, he said
"Mr Blaine has done all that lay In his
power, acting for himself, as an individual,
to let the country and the party know his
personal desires and wishes. 1t has been
known to his intimate friends ever since
1884 that he desired to be relieved Of the
burden of another canvass and the great re-
sponsiblites of the party's standard bearer.
lie has now let the whole world know it.
But there are some claims that are higher
than personal claims. The Republican
party, comprising, as 1t does, much more
than half the voters Of the country when
the stifled vote of the south Is considered;
the. Republican party, which saved the
Union; the Republican party, which gave
this young republic twenty-five years Of such
marvellous prosperity as has no parallel In
the history of civilized nations-this party,
| say, has right to claim and even demand
the service OF any one of its members In
any capacity, high or low, If the necessity
exists or the situation shows that such SER
vice is essential to the party's success, with
which we all believe the success of the coun
try is bound up. This is especially true of
one who has been so abundantly honored by
the eparty as Mr.. Blaine The Republican party,
in spite of the Florence letter and In spite
of the Paris letter, may still nominate Mr..
Blaine II the success of the coming great
battle for protection appears to depend upon
IL. IL would then be a matter Of duty, from
which no man could shrink, and which nc
man could refuse. 1t would then be the
party and not the individual desire which
would be dominant"
"But what of other candidates ?'
"Nine-tenths of the rank and file OF the
Republican party are for Mr.. Blaine for
President heart and soul. They desire him
to lead the party. They believe he can lead
the party to successful glorious victory
| They want him and cannot see why they
should not have him, or why the illustrous
set should not be followed by the declina
| tion of others of the candidates in the In
| terest Of the party. This idea does not seem
| to have entered the minds Of other candi.
| dates, whose support has not as yet grown
| beyond the confines of their own states, and
| some of whom know that Mr.. Blaine is the
| choice of their own states even before them
| selves. II they should signify now to tn,
| party their willingness to leave II free to Sc
| lect It's choice untrammeled by their claims
| as favorite sons, Mr.. Blaine would be unani
| mously renominated at Chicago
"What do you think of the Paris letter p
s'It is simply reiteration of the Florenc,
| letter, which does not change the situation
| of the party in its deep wish for Mr.. Blain
| for its leader All the talk about the insin
cerity Of the letter is an insult to the intelli
| gencc Of Republican voters. 1t was SINGER,
| In the deepest sense, full of dignity ant
| honor He could do nothing else THAI
withdraw while half score of the leadin!
men Of the party We're contending will
great energy for leadership which every
one of them acknowledges the party hear
still offers to Mr.. Blaine.n
"llow much of this enthusiasm for Mr.
| Blaine is the result of work on the part o
his friends?n
''If you mean concerted action to pro
mote the feeling absolutely none of IL. Mr.
Blaine's friends, who might have urged hi
nomination four, eight, or twelve years ago
were cstopped from saying single word b.
his Florence letter. His friends are tn
people, and wherever men became candi
dates for delegates to Chicago, who wer
known to he opposed to him, the people dc
feated them, while, II the candidate for del
egate was known to be friend of Mr.
Blaine, he was sure to be chosen. MI
Blaine's popularity comes from the people
heartily and spontaneously, without prompt
Ing or encouragement from his friends.
know personally the delegates in four west
ern states almost to man, and many of tn
delegates in the ten states in which hay
Just been travelling on business. They hav
told me and written to me repeatedly tina
the heart of the people is for Mr.. Blaine
Why, the Democrats are chuckling to.da
because they think Mr.. Blaine has been rt
tired, and they believe he was our stronges
candidate
"Mr. Kerens, you were with Mr.. Blain
In Europe and know something OF his mnt
| Do you regard him as out of the question 0
presidential possibility"
,"The only thing that would induce him
accept a nomination now, IN my judgmen
| would be unanimous, or practically unan
nous request from the convention, SUI
ported by the requests of other candidate
At his age, and with his experiences, the a
lurements of the presidential office al
trining compared with what they were whe
in hot ambition he first sought the place.
am not violating his confidence in tellin
you that am now repeating almost his o.
act language"
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