Omaha daily bee., 1890-12-02
DR.. Birney cures catarrh, Bee bldg.
WAS BLAINE REALLY ELE cTED:
Some Interesting Unwritten II story
Of the Great Contest of 1891.

of the Great Contest of 1884.
General Patrick A. Collins of NIassa-
chusetts in an interview a day or two
ago. during which he discussed presiden-
tion possibilities; expressed great doubt
as to who the democratic candidate for
the presidency would be in 1892, says a
Washington letter to the New York
Press. Almost in the same breath he
made use of the following signifcantand
ominous language: ''Blainos great
strength lies in his capacity to lead.
His agile mind, his fullness of resources,
and his eminence in the republican
party furnish elements of most eXtraor-
dinarv strength We democrats must
not be too eXpectant. Mr.. Cleveland
carried New York in 1882 by IL plurality
of about 10000. Then he ran Tor gov
ernor. In 1884, as a candidate for presi-
dent, his plurality was barely LOO. This
was only ITO of | per cent of the popu-
lar vote, yet that small margin decided
the presidency of the United States. In
1888 he lost the state by Il plurality OF
l per cent of the popular vote, and
thereby the democracy lost control of the
country"
General Collins views have provoked
not little comment among leaders OF
both parties here, and the nip and tuck
battle OF 1881 has been discussed almost
as eagerlO as the coming struggle in
1892. There are many republicans and
not few democrats who today conscien-
tiously believe and furnish what appears
to be indisputable evidence that James
G.. Blaine, and not Grover Cleveland, se-
cured the electoral vote of New y url1 in
1884, and therefore was fairly elected
President 1t will be recalled that in
the hours of turbulent excitement which
followed the November day upon which
the nation voted the campaign commit
tees of both parties claimed to have won
victory.
The democrats insisted that upon the
face of the returns they had carried New
York. First they put the plurality as
high as 100000. Gradually it dwindled
until finall they conceded their willing
ness to accept an advantage of but little
over ! 200 votes. 1t was notorious fact
that hundreds of ballots cast for General
Butler at the Long Island city pols were
counted for Cleveland, but the repub-
lican national committe, though at first
so inclined, at last concluded not to
make contest.
A bit of unwritten history was fur
nished to the Press correspondent today
the details of which afford strong evil
dence that, granting Cleveland all the
fraudulent VOTES counted Tor nun IN
Long Island city, he even then failed to
carry the state by from 5000 to 8, 600
votes.
Between 5000 and 5000 men
were then inmates of institu.
tions in Queens, Kings and
| Richmond counties. Some were paup.
ers, otheIs decripit old tars enjoying a
haven of rest in Sailors S mug Harbor,
while still OF hers were but temporarily
confined in the several charitable hospi-
tails maintained by the state. The great
majority OF the male inmates in these in
| stitutions voted, and Investigation has
demonstrated the fact that by far the
| greater portion ef them cast their bal
| lots for Grover Cleveland. Friends of
Mr.. Blaine, thoroughly convinced that
| he had been elected, employed counsel.
| Lists OF men who had voted from these
| institutions were procured, and upon a
| consultation of the law experts declared
| their opinion that none of them were en-.
| titled to exercise the right of franchise
] in the precincts at which they had cast
| their ballots Though not IA few repub-
| lican leaders urge that contest be made