The sun., 1890-08-13
IsItnLoye Message?

The enterprise OF the Washington Post has
procured from the Hon. JAMES q. BLAINE
an expression OF his affection for tho Hon.
THOMAS B. REED. The 6ecretary's sentl-
m6nts toward the Speaker may fairly be de-
scrlbed as amorous. His announcement to
the correspondent Of the Washington Post,
II It fs correctly reported, amounts to q
square declaration OF love.
The ambassador OF the Post caught Mr..
BLAINE at the railroad station In Boston
just as he was about to take the train for
Maine. Amid such unromantlo surround
ings, with the impatient engine snorting on
the track and the peanut and popcorn boy
hanging around to overhear the interesting
communication, the Secretary OF State whis-
pered this tender message to the Speaker.
and no doubt blnshed ns he whisperedit:
Instead Of there being any rivalry between Mr.
RHrD and myssif We are the best OF frisndh
~Ihave watched his growth with pride
HE 10 an able and Audacious man.
"AnA Republican am with him heart ana noul
"If he should bo nominatsd for the Presidency In
1892 would eagerly support him.
"He, like me- 10 for protection OF American labor
and when the party fOrsaksS the working people n
lost"
We have divided this almost rhythmic
passage into short periods to give 1t as far as
possible the outward appearance OF the poem
that it inwardly is. The Seoretary's private
opinion Of Mr.. REEDS sudden and amazing
enlargement In Republican politics. and his
personal attitude toward the man who has
grown 30 rapidly within the past twelve
months, have been matters OF public
conjecture. 1t was not to be supposed
that upon being questioned with regard
to his sentiments toward the Speaker, o
gentleman 80 full OF tact ana grsoes as is
Mr.. BLAINE would break out into vitupera-
tive denunciation. or exhibit In the presence
Of brakemen and trainboys anything like
jealousy or hatred. And yet the expression
OF the Secretary's enthusiastic appreciation
OF the Speakers merits Is little more ar
dent than might be expected unless Mr..
BLAINE really loved and admired Mr..
REED very much. The only other suppose
ton that occurs to US 10 that the Posts am
bassador is himself Q poet rather than an
historian.
II Mr.. REED has confidence in the Post re-
porters truthfulness and accepts the mes-
sage In the spirit in which 1t was sent, he
will take an early opportunity to reply in
words that burn. He will withdraw the
ironical illusions to Mr.. BLAINE contained in
his recent rejoinder to tho tx. III. O." article
In the North American ReuieU. He will de-
clare that he is satisfied now that his anony-
nous critic is not Mr.. BLAINE, who is his
loving friend, but that some hidden enemy
Is responsible for the attack. He will affirm
his affection and humble reverence for the
foremost Republican statesman OF Maine
and of the United States. He will testify
to the pre9minent ability and audaclous
genius OF Mr.. BLAINE, and pledge his heart
and soul to the promotion of the latter's po-
itlcal fortunes in 1892, or In any other year
when his services may be useful. And, final
ly. he will announce that while he, like Mr..
BLAINE. has always been for the protection
Of American labor, he secs quite clearly now
that the reciprocity idea as developed by
Mr.. BLAINE is protection In its highest
form. and that when the party forsakes tho
American farmerit Is lost.
Anything short OF this from the Speaker
would seem churlish. providing always that
the correspondent Of the Washington Post
has truthfully reported Mr.. BLAINE's Lam
guage. The union should be cemented
without days delay. for 1t Is grievous
fact that many OF the perplexed Repub-
licans Of Maine, acting under total misap-
prehension of the true relations between
their two most eminent statesmen. are
already taking sides with the one leader or
with the other. as II in preparation for o
mighty struggle for supremacy between the
black sash and the white plume.