The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-21
REPUBLICANS REJOICE.

ST. LOUIS, February 13-[Special, THE
Globe-Democrat has interviews with some.
thing over five hundred leading republicans
III all the northern, eastern, western and north
western and southwestern states, and the gen.
raj expression Of opinion may be summed up
as follows. There is first of all, general feel
ing OF gladness among republicans who favor
party success rather than any one mans per-
sonal triumph, that the old man Of the sea has
been lifted from the neckS of the republican
Sinbad. The belief is very general that Mr..
Blaine is sincere, and that the people will take
him at his word and let some other man forge
his way to the front. All who take this view
believe Mr.. Blaine declination to mean sue
cess for the party in 1888.
AS to probable candidates most favored, the
names suggested are Sherman, Lincoln, Sheri-
dan, Gresham, Allison, Harrison and Hawley.
1t is remarkable how many OF the parties
interviewed favored Sheridan. There is
much talk in this connection about Mr..
Blalne's self-sacriiiCe and so forth.
y second lot of interviewed parties believe
Mr.. Blaines letter to mean that he will not
except the nomination unless it is rendered to
him by the unanimous vote of the convention
and the approval of the other candidates.
This feeling is particularly strong in Kansas.
n third set of opinions are well expressed
for their holders by General Alger, of Detroit,
hlmScl possible candidate. lie saws:
Il amnot greatly surprised at the Blaine let
ter and believe that it removes Mr.. Blaine
fromall possibility of a nomination. While
ii has for some time mast been clear that as the
situation stood Mr.. Blaine had a wak-over for
the nomination, yet there has been an clement
III the party that did not want him nominated
and this representation is strong enough to
take him at his word and hold him there, if
there was any desire on his part to take back
what he has written. No, sir, that letter has
been written for just what appears on its face.
Perhaps it is the wisest thing that Mr.. Blaine
could do. Who can say? Iowa men think
Blaine's withdrawal clears the track for Ali
son.
New Jersey ren are sorry for the letter.
They believe protection to be the issue in the
next campaign and think no one could present
that issue like Blaine.
In Pennsylvania and West Virginia the feel
ing is all but unanimous that Blaine will be
forced to run, despite his letter. All the big
Pitts1urg iron men seem to think protective
tariff issue calls for Mr. Blaine as the candi-
date.
Congresspa1 Butterwocth, of Ohio, said:
81 think Mr. Blaine means to be sincere but
he is in the hands of his friends, and ii they
can secure his nomination he will be a candi-
date. lie reminds me of Julius Caesar when
refusing the crown offered him by Marc An
tony Each time he puts it by less firmly
than before. | think, however, that his letter
will have the effect of bringing Senator Sher-
man more prominently before the people, and
perhaps securing his nomination. He is the
uildlllll4buS NIOlSt VI OlllO WOuIu certainly
be elected if nominated. But then Mr.. Blaine
has great personal following and is by no
means politically dead.
MIR. j. 0. Winship formerly prominent
politician in Maine, now practicing law in Co
lumbus, Ohio, says:
''The letter is bona fide and written in good
faith, and from what heard in Maine while
recently there on visit, am not bit sur
prised know positively from what learn
ed in Maine, that Blaine would not accept the
nomination ifoffered him unanimously While
Blaine is ambitious, since Garfelds death
he has been a changed man. That / know
positively"
Robert Lincoln, of Chicago, says:
"What l could say about Mr.. Blanes letter.
would interest no one but myself. am clean
plump out of politics. 1 don't know anything
about it, and am not interested in it. My pri-
vate business is more to me than Mr.. Blaine's
letter"
EX-Congressman George A. Halsey, of
Newark, n. j., one of Baine's closest friends
said tonight:
"Well, l don't know what to say about the
letter, but l do know that he was averse, four
years ago, TO be the candidate of our party.
suppose we must give up hope, if he will not
be our standard-bearer, but l am in favor of
him, for he is, 1 believe, the
best and strongest man, we have. l don't be-
lieve lie will decline the nomination if it is
rendered to him by the unanimous vote of the
The Baltimore Herald editorially dominates
Roscoe Conkling.