The Indianapolis journal., 1889-07-15
The Report Ridiculed By Cabinet cficers and
Others, Who Have No Eesitancy in Saying
1t Contains No Sembli,nce Of Truth.
HOwthe Work Preparing the War Rec
OrdS for Publication Is Progressing.
What the Greed of the Great Sugar Trust May
Lead TO-Captain Meredith's First En-
counter with the Civil-Service Law.
A NEWSPAPER LIE.

The Story that Mr.. Blaine Had Teudered His
Resignation Ridiculed by His Friends.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, July 14.-Whenevert there is
dearth OF news In Washington it is the
custom for anti-administration newspaper
correspondents to work on rumors The
latest effort in this line is in harmony with
others which have passed as currency be-
fore. Yesterday the New York Herald pub
lshed the following:
"The report is current tonight among
diplomatic and official people that Secre-
tary Blaine had rendered his resignation to
take effect Sept. 10 next The reasons
given for this step are that the duties of
the State Department are SO exacting that
Mr.. Blaine's health, which has not been Of
the very best lately, has been undermined,
and that by the advice of his physicians he
has concluded to take much-need rest. 1t
is also stated that he may be sent abroad.
John A. Kasson, who was one of the COM
missiOners to Berlin. is spoken of as the
successor to Mr.. Blaine. Before Mr.. Harri-
son left for Deer Park he said that the
changes in the diplomatic and consular
months, and this would seem to explain the
anticipated change"
The story is simply reiteration of q
similar one published some weeks ago. 1t
is scarcely worth denial, and would not
be worthy of even passing comment but
for the fact that it gives an opportunity
to explain just what Mr. Blaine is doing.
The Secretary of State has been hard at
work upon the routine matters of his Office
ever since his appointment, and he is
still hard at work. At Bar Harbor he is
free from the oppressive heat and sultry
air of Washington. but he is not free from
the cares of his Office. On the contrary, he
is constantly busy, and has with him a
mass of papers bearing upon the coming
congress of American nations. Mr.. Blaine,
as well as the President, takes the greatest
possible interest in the promotion of Ameri-
can trade in the South American states,
and they are both earnest in the hope that
the congress will be followed by great re-
suits. Mr.. Blaine has work enough in
this connection to keep him constantly at
work for two or three months, and he will
probably be at Bar HarbOr throughout the
entire summer. 1t is this absence
which is the basis of the rumor that he in
tends to resign. His relations with the
President are of the most cordial character.
The report is ridiculed tonight by most
of the Cabinet officers in the city and by
others who are intimate with Mr. Blaine.
Secretary Rusk and Attorney general Mil
Ter both say there is no foundation for the
rumor and that Secretary Blaine's health,
when he left Washington about week
ago, was better than it was when he be-
came Secretary of State last March. Both
gentlemen spoke of the report as sensation
al and altogether without foundation.
Assistant Secretary of State Wharton, when
asked about the correctness of the pub
lished report, laughed and said it was
simply ridiculous.
The Post, this morning. In commenting
on the reports of the condition of Secretary
Blaine's health, says: "a gentleman who
has watched Secretary Blaine's condition
since the latter came to Washington. said,
last night: There is no doubt in the world
that Mr.. Blaine is in very poor health.
When he went to Bar Harbor his skin looked
dry and parched. and of an ashy hue, as if
the blood had failed to circulate Walker
Blaine, as is well known, has been Secre-
tary of State, de facto, for the last two
months. am confident that Mr.. Blame
will not recover sufficiently to again dis
charge the duties of Secretary of State in
person as they ought to be discharged.'n