St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-13
SEEKS SHELTER.
James G. Blaine, Expecting a
Democratic Shower, Gets
Under Cover.
Between the Lines He Saws
There's No Fun in Being
Whipped Twice.
The Republicans, However,
Congratulated Upon Their
Cheering Prospects.
They Will Sweep Things Next
Time--If they Get Votes
Enough.
He Thinks There Is No Room
for Doubt on the Tariff
Issue,
And Assures Workingmen the
Republican Monopolists
Are Their Friends.

PITTSBURG, Pa, Feb. 12.-Mr. B. f.
Jones. chairman of the National Repub-
lican committee, has received a letter
from Mr.. Blaine declining to allow his
name to be presented to the national
Republican convention as a candidate
for the presidential nomination. Mr..
Jones, when asked whether Mr.. Blaine'S
declinatiOn would prevent his friends
from nominating him anyhow, said:
LAS | am chairman of the national
committee, | do not think it would be
proper for me to have anything to ssay
on that subject"
"DO you think Mr.. Blaine would ac-
cept the nomination if rendered TO
him?''
Il have no authority to speak for Mr..
Blaine and have no conjectureS to offer
on the subject. The letter speaks for
itself and l must decline to be inter
viewed on the question:
The following is Mr.. Blaine'S letter in
full:
FLORENCE, Italy, Jan. %, 1SSS.-B. F.
Jones, Chairman of the Republican Ma
tiOnal Committee-Sir: / wish, through
you, to state to the members of the
not be presented to the national con-
vention, called to assemble in Chica-
go in June next for the nomination of
candidates for president and vice preSi-
dent of the United States. | am con-
strained to this decision by consider
ationS entirely personal to myself, of
which you were advised more than
year ago. But [ cannot make the an
nOuncement without giving expression
TO my deep sense of gratitude to the
many thousands of my cOuntrymen who
have sustained me so long and so
cordially that their feeling has seemed
TO 60 beyond the ordinary political ad-
herence of fellOw-partiSdnS and to par
take somewhat of the nature of personal
attachment. For this most generous
loyalty of friendship l can make no
adequate return, but | shall carry
the memory of it while life lasts.
Nor can l refrain from congratulating
the Republican party upon the cheering
prospects which distinguish the open
ing of the national contest of 1888 as
compared with that of 1884. In 1882 the
Republican party throughout the Union
met with a disastrous defeat. Ten
states that had supported Garfield and
Arthur in the election of 1880 were car
ried by the Democrats either by maiOri-
ties or pluralities. The Republican
loss in the Northern elections compared
with the preceding national election eX-
ceeded half a million votes, and the
electoral votes of the Union, divided on
the basis of the result of 1882, gave to
the Democrats over 800 elect
ors out of total of 4Ol. There
was partial reaction in favor of the
Republicans in the elections of 1888, but
the Democrats still held possession of
seven Northern states, and on the basis
of the years contest could show more
than 100 majority in the electoral col
lege of the whole country. But against
the Encouragement naturally following
the adverse elections of these two years
the spirit of the Republican party in the
national contest of 1884 rose high, and
the Republican masses entered into the
campaign with such energy that the
final result depended on the vote of a
single state, aud that state was carried
by the Democratic party by plurality
so small that 1t represented
less than One-eleventh of one per
cent Of the entire vote. The change of
single vote in every 1000 of the total
poll would have given the state to the
Republicans, though only two years
before the Democratic plurality eX-
ceeded $4,000. The elections of 1886
and 1887 have demonstrated growing
strength in the Republican ranks. Sci
dom in our political history has party,
defeated in a national election, rallied
Immediately with such Vigor as have the
Republicans since 1884. No comparison
is possible between the spirit of the
party in 1928 and its spirit In 1867.
The two periods present simply con-
trast-the one of general depres-
Should the party gain, in the re-
suits Of 1888 over those of 1867, is any
thing like the proportion of the gain of
1884 over 1923, it would secure one of
the most remarkable victories of its en-
tire existence. But victory does not de-
pend on so large ratio of increase.
The party has only to maintain rela-
lively its prestige of 1867 to give to its
national candidate every Northern state
but one, with far better. prospect of
carrying that one than it has had for
the past six years. Another feature of
the political situation should inspire
Republicans with irresistible strength.
The present national administration
was elected with, if not upon, the re-
peated assertions of its leading
supporters in every protection state
that no issue on the tariff
was involved. However earnestly Re-
publicanS urged that question as the one
of controlling Importance in the cam
ehCJ WOlO ihOb ny IllO
leaders and journals with persistent
evasion, concealment and denial. That
resource the president has fortunately
removed. The issue which the Repub-
licans maintained and the Democrats
avoided in 1884 has been prominently
and specifically brought forward by the
Democratic president and cannot be
hidden out Of sight in 1888. The coun-
try is now in the enjoyment of an in
century has assured larger ma
tional growth, a more rapid accu-
mutation and broader dis
tribution of wealth than were ever be-
fore known to history. The American
people will now be openly and formally
asked to decide whether this system
shall be recklessly abandoned and q
new trial be made of an old experiment
which has uniformly led to national