Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-09
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
A Truce That Might Have
Been.
THE BLAINE-CONKLING FEuD
Several Recent interviews Denied
State, District and County
Conventions Notes.
Associated Press Dispatohes es TO the HKnAlDl

| Associated Press Dispatches 70 the HERALD
NASHVILLE, Tenn. May S.-The
american prints an interview with A.
M. Hughes, Jr., Chairman Of the Re-
publican State Executive Committee,
regarding the failure Of Roscoe Conk-
ling to actively support James g..
Blaine in the last Presidential can
vass. Hughes gives these facts, ne yer
before made public. In brief, Hughes
said: Soon after Blaine was nomi-
mated, Senator Chaffee, realizing the
importance OF securing the assistance
of Conkling for Blaine in New York,
came Eas; and went to New York for
that special purpose. ClIaf1ee, as the
result Of prolonged and earnest
conference with Conkling, secured
from him promise that
if Blaine would write him
a personal letter requesting his assist
ance, that Conkling would reply in
an open letter with a pledge to
actively support him in his canvass.
Senator Chaffee, elated at his success
with Conkling. got ON the first train
which left New York after this pledge
was given and went to see Blaine at
his home in Maine. The situation
was explained, and Blaine wrote the
desired letter to Mr.. Conkling. This
letter was given to Walker Blaine to
be carried by him in person to Conk-
ling as delicate compliment, and
Chaffee, rejoiced that his mission was
done, disappeared from the scene.
He earnestly awaited the publica-
ton Of a response from Conkling,
but it never came. Investigation
proved that Walker Blaine carried the
letters to New York, but on his way
to Conkling's house stopped at the
National Republican headquarters
and mentioned the ru,port of
his presence in New York to
Steve Elkins, B. f. Jones, Chair
man Of the Republican National
Executive Committee, and one or two
others. These managers decided l.
was best to ignore Conkling, and that
the letter must not reach him. Ac-
cordingly it was suppressed, and the
world knows the rest. The animosity
of Conkling was intensified at this adj
ditional affront, and Blaine | st New
York. Hughes is positive these state
ments are correct, for they came
directly from one gentleman who
helped to suppress the letter. This
man revealed the circumstance after
the death of Conkling and when it 1
was thought Blaine would not be be-
fore the next convention.
STATEMENTS DENIED.
New Yong, May 8.-Chairman d,
f. Jones, of the National Republican
Committee, in an interview with a
Tribune reporter tonight denied the
reported interviews with him sent
from Pittsburg last Saturday night, in
which he was made to say that Blaine
could not support Allison, Sherman or
Harrison for the nomination; that
Blaine was socially friendly to these
gentlemen, but politically they were
wide apart. He had not received
any letter from Mr.. Blaine since
the letter of withdrawal. Blaine he
said had certainly Withdrawn as a
candidate, but if the Convention
should nominate him, that is quite
another thing. That is the action Of
the people.
When asked about the truth of the
story printed by the Nashville Ameri-
can to-day, Mr.. Jones said he never
saw or heard of such letter and clas-
sified the story on par with the
many others now floating about.
Hon. Stephen B. Elkins when in
terviewed by the Tribune in regard to
the same letter, said: "No such let
ter was ever written and no letter of
the kind was sent by Walker Blaine,
therefore it was not seen by members
of the committee as stated. We
would have been only too glad to see
Blaine and Conkling on good terms.
The whole sfafafpant ic rid;c,,1o,,y -