The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-14

Comment Of the Press Throughout the
Country.
Especial to the Press.l
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13-The Maine dele
CATION seems uniformly to regret Mr.. Blaine's
withdrawal from the field Of candidates.
Most of them, however, accept 1t as final.
Senator Frye does not consider that the
letter takes Mr.. Blaine cut of the field as
candidate. If the Republican party regards
Mr.. Blaine as the candidate it wants, 1t will
nominate him. Then the responsibility will
be shifted from Mr.. Blaine to the party at
large.
Gov. Dingley said the letter was rather a
surprise to him. He was very, very sorry to
hear it. though he had known for some time
that it was Mr.. Blaine's personal desire not
to be a candidate Mr.. Blaine was the
strongest man, but the Republican party
would win this time He thought the ques-
tioning of Mr.. Blaine's sincerity foolish, as
the withdrawal and encouragement Oh
host of rival candidates was unnecessary, II
he really desired to be candidate.
Capt. Boutelle's face frightened percepti-
bly, when it was suggested that the party, af-
ter looking about for stronger man, might
have to come back to Mr.. Blaine. He nod
ded his head.
Mr.. Reed said this did not surprise him.
Mr.. Blaine, two years ago, had declared he
would not be candidate. Now it had come.
Mr.. Milliken was asked If he thought the
letter settled Mr.. Blaine's candidacy. He
replied: "No; but let me explain. do not
think Mr.. Blaine's candidacy Is matter
that he can settle tor himself. | consider
his letter entirely sincere, but 1t will take
some stronger declaration than that to in
duce his friends to let him retire from the
field The letter Is an able document, such
as he would write. But / know how be felt
about the matter before he received this
nomination before"
At the State Capital.
Especial to the Pressl
AUGUSTA, Feb. 13.-Mr Blaine's letter
announcing that he should not allow his
name to be presented-to the National Re-
publican Convention, was totally unexpect-
GU uCiC anu ClCdtCu 6OnuAhO o6APAAoC.
has been all the talk on the street today. The
unanimous feeling among his friends is that
it strengthens him and that
any feeling that he was working for the
nomination OF that the party is under obli-
cations to renominate him is removed. Yet,
at the same time, they protest against any
acceptance of a declination from him If the
letter may be regarded in that light, and be-
lieye him to be the most available candidate
and che one with the best choice for success
If nominated.
Howard Owen, Esq.l
Howard Owen, Esq, says: "Mr Blaine's
friends did not need the letter to understand
that he is not in any sense a candidate; that
he is not lifting finger for his nomination,
but do not find in his open and frank letter
anY intimation that he will decline the NOM
ination if rendered him. / believe that Mr..
Blaine himself cannot stem the tide that is
sweeping him towards the Presidency, and
still believe that in spite Of himself he would
be nominated by aeelamation. Mr.. Blaine
has been heard from in February; the people
will be heard from in June.
[Hon. Orville d. Baker,
Hon. Orville ID. Baker says; 81 think that
Mr.. Blaine's letter is meant to free the Re
publican party from any implied obligation
to make him their candidate because they
nominated him before. 1t leaves them equal
ly free to put him in nomination again II
such is the united wish of the party and If,
in their opinion he is the best land strongest
candidate to lead their forces in 1885,"
[Hon. ]. Manchester Haynes.1
Hon. j. Manchester Haynes, member of
the Republican National Committee for
Maine, says: my impression is that this
letter Of Mr.. Blaine's was written without
consultation with anybody on this side of the
water. l think it was genuine surprise to
those:who enjoy his must intimate confidence
think possibly if he had not been abroad
he would not have written the letter. He Is
under the fascination of foreign travel which
is always a great sedative to political ex-
citement and ambition. l think the first i'm
pulse of his many friends will be not to ae-
cept the letter as final at present / do not
think they will cease to desire it to promote
his nomination until they are better con-
vinced than they are now that he would not
accept nomination unanimously and en-
Enthusiastically made and rendered. | think
the letter puts at rest the notion of self
seeking on the part of the author. and in
that respect will strengthen him."
[Hon. Herbert NJ. Health
Hon. Herbert M. Heath says: 81 find a
universal feeling of regret in this communi-
ty that Mr.. Blaine should feel compelled TO
decline the nomination. / hear Of no theory
to explain the personal considerations he re-
fers to in his letter. Should he persist in his
refusal, it cannot fail to be very unfortunate
for us to be deprived of his leadership in a
campaign to be fought upon the tariff issue.
By his education, culture and training, he Is
the natural leader in a contest to uphold the
principles Of protection. / believe, how
ever, that the demand for his nomination
will be 50 strong that it will be rendered to
him by the convention. He cannot and will
not refuse to heed such demand. The
| Democratic assault upon Names leading in
dustries is so dangerous that Maine will de-
mand Mr.. Blaine's nomination. Maine has
been loyal to Blaine for a quarter Of CEN
tury; In this crisis. when her material inter
ests are in danger, he owes duty to his
State. With Blaine, we can do better in
this section than we did even in 1884: we
were never in better fighting condition."
lHon. Joseph II. Manley.l
Hon. j. H. Manley, chairman of the Re-
| publican State Committee says: 1T does not
change the situation. Mr.. Blaine's friends
have insisted that he was not candidate.
| If, however, the Republican Convention be-
lieve Mr.. Blaine is the man who can best
unite the party and nominate him. l believe
that he is too much of patriot to decline.
| Mr.. Blaine Is grand in his loyalty to party
he believes its success Is for the best interest
| of the country. Having once been the can
| didate, and having been unsuccessful, he
could not again seek tn tne nomination. He
right to decline any position the party may
assign to him."
[Gov. Marble.l
Your correspondent called upon Gov. S.
| 5. Marble at the Augusta House, who had
| just returned from his home this evening.
| The Governor said the withdrawal of Mr..
| Blaine's name from the list of candidates for
| the presidential chair of 1888 was a complete
surprise, and the action win be regretted
generally by Republicans throughout Maine
and the whole country. Gov. Marble said
with James G. Blaine as a candidate. am
| confident Maine would give him not less
| than 10000 majority and most probably the
| figure would be 5000. With another candi-
| date the majority would be very much small
! er." He further said; II have no reason
to doubt the sincerity Of Mr.. Baine's with
| drawal, and although it was a surprise he
has been some time contemplating 4"
A POSSIBLE REASON.
| In talk with another gentlemen, he said
| he understood that Mr.. Blaine's family are
| and have been very much opposed to his
standing, fearing that the strain and excite
ment of another campaign followed by the
| exactng duties of the high office would be
| too much for the health Of Mr.. Blaine, who
| is, however, in his usual health, as far as
| known.
In Lewiston and Auburn.
Especial to the Press.l
LEWISTON, Feb. 13.-Mr. Blaine's letter
was the CHEZ topic Of conversation about