The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-11-20
PEERLESS BLAINE. 3.
Blaine and Victory WIFI he
the Cry in 1882,
What tho Brilliant Maine s+ates.
man Thought OF the NBcKin.
ley Bill His Prediction
More Than Verified

ley Bill- His Predictinn
More Than Verified.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7.-Senator
j. S. G. Blackburn, in an inter
view here concerning the recent
election, says:
There is something left Of the
Republican party. Yes, out Of
the general wreck arises a SOLITARY
figure alone, but conspicuous.
That figure is Mr.. Blaine. Al
ways towering, he now appears
peerless in pre-eminence. He
alone energies from the crush Of
dire disaster unhurt, unrufled.
10 him his party will look as the
only Moses or Joshua that can
lead it out from the mire Of defeat
to the solid ground where a footing
may yet be gained.
And now that it is all over I will
tell you of a scene that I witnessed
in which Mr.. Blaine was the prin-
cipal actor, scene that to me was
so full of intensity as to be almost
dramatic, and which will never
fade from my memory, It has
never been told before. The Nc
Kinley bill had been passed by the
house and was on the calendar of
the senate, though not yet taken
up. 1t was a particularly warm
day in July when Senators Allison,
Hale and myself sat in the senate
appropriation committee room
waiting for Mr.. Blaine, with whom
we were to consult as q subcommit-
tee about the consular and diplo-
matte budget. There was no one
else except the clerk of the COM
mittee. Mr.. Blaine finally ap-
pesred, and with him Mr.. Curtis,
the accomplished secretary Of the
Pan-American congress-. The Sec
Rotary was attired in rather negli-
gee costume, as suited the temper
allure, except as to a particularly
glossy and irreproachable silk hat
a brand new shining plug. The
tariff bill, mind you, had nothing
to do with the subject in hand, but
in casual way I preached it after
the usual greetings had been ex-
changed. Probably I asked Mr..
Blaine how he liked it.
AN 1NFAAIY AND AN OUTRAGE.
Imagine my surprise, and shall
| say qualification, when -. he
launched forth a torrent of invec-
tive against the act that Mckinley
fathered. He said: ''His bill is an
infamy and an outrage. 1t is the
most shameful measure proposed
to civilized people. Go on. with
it and it will carry our party to
perdition. y -
e I was feeling considerably = inter
ested and said: II wish you were
in the senate, Mr.. Blaine, to an
nounce yourself in such terms"
Il wish I were," he answered.
'If SO I would stamp it under my
feet and spit upon it," and then
advancing towards Senators AL
lison and Hale, he snapped his
fingers in the face Of each alter
natively and, with rising infection,
said: go on with your driveling
idiocy and see to what destruction
it will lead the Republican party.
Pass this bill, and in '92 there will
not be man in all the party so
beggared as to accept your nomin-
alton for the presidency" p.
Then he began to dissect the bill
mercilessly, particularly the sugar
schedule. This he inveighed
against with all his force. | re-
minded him that the senate had
improved upon the labors of the
house as regarded sugar; that to
protect an American industry. in
volving the enormous labor of
boreing a hole in maple and boil
ing the juices, the senate had
agreed to give the maple sugar
growers of New England bounty
Fof two cents. This was the first
he had heard of it, and he seemed
hardly able to credit what I told.
1T isn't true" he said. Allison
and Hale confirmed it. II sup
pose this was done at the solicita-
ton of Morrill, and Edmunds?n he
inquired.
Mr. Allison replied in the affirm
alive.
1T is good example Of the
breadth Of their craftsmanship, y
said the secretary, and then the
climax came. His new beaver hat
was lying on the table in easy
reach. With a sudden blow he
broug hit his clinched hand down on
it with such force as to mash it
flatter than a pancake, and then
Selling the battered chapeau he
hurled it against the wall. | never
saw such an ebullition, but it only
emphasized the deem earnnstnoce