The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1888-06-01

Blaine Declares that ne Means IT,
The Republican drift towards Blaine, reacl
ing irresistible dimensions as 1t had done fo
the past FORTNIGHT, has elected another lette
from him 1T Paris, reitcrating his refusal
accept a denomination. Following is the lette
entire, addressed to Whitelaw Reid, edito
lof the New York Tribune, under date Q
May II.
Dear Sir:-Since my return to Paris froI
Southern Italy, on the sth inst, | have carne
(what did not before belieyc) that my nam
may yet be presented to the national conyentio
j as Il candidate for the presidential n0minauo
! OF the Republican party.
sing phrase OF my letter Of Jan. 25 fror
| Florence (Which was decisive OF everything
| had personal power to decide), has been treate'
| by many of my most valued friends as not az
so utely conclusive in ultimate and possibl
contingencies.
On the other hand, friends equally devoted
and disinterested have construed my letter IA
| 1t should be construed) to be an unconditional
witho ding of my name from the national con
| vcntion. They have In consequence, given thei
| support to eminent gentlemen who are candl
dates for the Chicago nomination-some ofWhon
| won d not, l am sure, have consented to assume
that position If | had desired to represent tht
party u the contest ST. 81 by Iss Silence
commission or omission, permit my name IN any
event to come before the convention, shoult
incur the reproach of being uncandid WITT those
who have always been candid with me-
speak, therefore, because i am not wiling
to remain in u doubtful attitude. am not Will
ing to be the cause of misleading single man
SURFACES and their confidence. am not viii
ing that even one of my faithful supporters ~
the past shou think me capable of palterlng In
q double sense with my words.
could by any possible chance be offered me,
cou d not accept 1t without leaving In the minds
of thousands of these men the impression tnat
had not been free from indircctlon; anu, tnere-
FORE could not accept it at ALL Misrepresen.
tatons of malice have no weight, Dut tnc just
iisplcasure OF friends could not patiently en-
dure.
Republican victory, the prospects Of which
grow brighter every day can be imperilled only
by lack of unity in council or by an acrimo
NOUS contest over men, The issue OF protection
is incidentally stronger and greater than any
man for 1t concerns the prosperity or the present
and of generations yet to come. We're it posi-.
b e for every voter of the republic to see for
himself the condition and recompense OF labor
in Europe, the party of free trade In the United
States wou d not receive the support OF one wage
worker between the two oceans.
1t may not be directly in our power as philan-
thr0pists to elevate the European laborer, but 1t
wi be Il lasting stigma upon our statesinanshlp
If we permit the American laborer to be forced
down to the European level; and In the emu the
rewards of labor everywhere will be advanced
if we steadily refuse to lower the standard at
home. .r..s
Yours very sincerely,
JAMES G. BLAINE.
Nothing less than the closing sentences
about party prospects was perhaps to be ex-
pected. But the probability is, nevertheless,
that Mr.. Blaine declines, because he IS salts
led that he could not be elected. So saga
,ious politician as he is cannot help realz'
ng that his chance would be less than it was
our years ago. 1t is possible, of course, that
he decination is due to i'll health, and con-
cious inability TO endure the strain of an
ther campaign. This was the case with
'ilden's refllsaIs to run in 80 and 'S4, though
he general impression at the time was that
hey were due to fear that he could not be
lected.
The parting shot about protection-or Al
err cent. tariff to protect II per cent. of
entirely fitting. The humbug
lould be kept up to the end, as the curtain
rops upon the adroitest living champion of
umbug.
The withdrawal is certainly definite and
inclusive, and the next scene will be one of
fight and scramble with desperate energy
II the succession. The best sentiment of
le party is freed somewhat from its night
lare and will rally to the support of Ores
am, with about as good prospect of sue
ess as the Bristow movement had in '16, or
he Edmunds canvass in 80 and 81. The AL
err boom will aboun d in hopes and funds
he Dcpew talk in kindly newspaper notices.
nd the Harrison and various other ''favOrte
N" movements in hard work, Sherman
i'll doubtless have strong lead when the
invention opens, and it looks now as if
resham would be strong second. In this
,ent almost any combination is possible TO
event Greshams success. Sherman's NOM
alton is unlikely, because except as regards
$ brain power he commands but little of
e confidence of the country, and because il
believed that Foraker is preparing to play
e role of Garfield against him. But the
st prediction of the outcome is little betteri
an guess-work.
There are still few men like Senator
rye and ex-Gov. Dingley of Maine who talk
Baine's nomination being possible. But
icy are to be regarded with plying amuse-
ent rather than otherwise. The truth is
e Paris letter has been an eye-opener for a
rye section of the party, in showing them
at they have got the relief which they
dnt know they wanted.
|