The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-06-01
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The following grand letter from Mr..
Blaine, published in Wednesdays pa
pers. sets at rest the question of his
candidacy. Indeed, it would not have
been needed after his Florence letter,
but for the fact that his millions of en-
thusiastic supporters refused to be con.
WINGED:
PARIS, May II, 1888.
Whitelaw Reed, Esq. Editor New
York Tribune:
NV dear Sir: Since my return to
Paris from southern Italy on the Sth
inst. have learned, what I did not be-
fore believe, that my name may yet be
presented to the National Convection as
q candidate for the Presidential nOmi-
nation by the republican party. A sim
gle phrase of my letter of Jan. Is from
Florence (which was decisive of every
thing I had the personal power to de-
cide) has been treated by many Of my
moet valued friends as not absolutely
conclusive in ultimate and posi-
BILE contingencies. On the other
hand friends equally devoted and
disinterested have construed my
letter, as it should be construed, to
be an unconditional withholding ofmy
pane from the National Convention.
They have In consequence given their
support to eminent gentlemen who are
candidates for the Chicago nomination
some of whom would not, I am sure,
have consented to assume that position.
if had desired to represent the party
in the Presidential contest of '8S. If
should now, by speech or by silence, by
commission or omission, permit my
name in any event to come before the
Convention should incur the repr0ach
of being uncandid with those who have
always been candid with me. I speak
therefore because am not willing to
remain in doubtful attitude. { am
not willing to be the cause of mislead.
ing q single man amor e the millions
who have given me their suffrages and
their confidence. I am not willing that
even one of my faithful supporters in
the past should think me capable Of
paltering double sense with my words
Assuming that the Presidential NOM
ination could by any possible chance
be offered to me, I could not accept II
without leaving in the minds of thOus.
ands of these men the i'm preston that
l had not been tree from indirectiOn
and therefore 1 could not accept it al
all. The Misrepresentation of malice
have no weight, but the just displeas.
ure of friends 1 could not patiently en-
dure. Republican victory, the pros
poets of which grow brighter every
day. can be imperiled only by lack Of
unity in council, or by an acrimonious
contest over men.
The issue of protection Is incalcula.
bly, stronger and greater than any
man, for it concerns the prosperity Of
the present and of the future to come
Were it possible for every voter of the
republic to see for himself the condi
ton and recompense of labor in Flu
rope, the party of free trade in the
United States would not receive thu
support of one wage worker between
the two oceans. 1t may not be direct
ly in our power as philanthropists t.
elevate the European laborer but il
will be lasting stigma upon on
craftsmanship for the American
laborers to be forced dow
to the European level. And In tn
end the rewards of labor every
where will be advanced, if we steadily
refuse to lower the standard at home
Yours very sincerely,
(Signed) JAMES q. BLAINE