Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-02
sPEAKER nnED rsSoRKD.

His Candidate for Collector al P0rt-
land Turned DoWu - A COnJro-
verHy That HAS Caused u Sitter
Republican Family quarrel ara
Maine.
WAsnINoToN, Sept. 20.-.Frederick N. Dow
was to-day nominated to be collector OF
customs mt Portland, Me-, and It Is falr to
assume thar President Benjamin Harrison
and Speaker Thomas u. Reed will not be
very good friends hereafter, n, indeed they
have ever been. The big man fr m Maine
does not like to be beaten IN any contest IN
which he is deeply Interested, and he Is In
very unpleasant state Of mind over tho
action OF the President iu ignoring his
candidate, Weston II. milliken, and allow.
ing Senators Hale and Frye dictate the
appointment. The present and previous
struggle for the patronage OF this Office is
the direct cause Of the row bstween the
senators and MIR. Reed, the result OF which
Is that the latter II not on speaking terms
with the senators from his own state. Eight
years ago the senators secured the appoint
ment OF Mr. Dow as collector at Portland,
without so much as speaking to Mr. Reed
on the subject, aud now they have tri-
umphed over him again, and persuaded
the President to turn down the Speaker of
the House on tho very eve OF his grent VIC
tory at the polls.
The controversy over this collectorship,
Mr.. Reed claiming on the one hand the
right to control II AS the representative of
the district In which The office Is located,
and the senators on the other demanding
the patronage az right, has spread
throughout the length and breadth OF the
Republican party IN Maine, and has created
the most serious family quarrel that the
state has ever known. y eretary Blaine
has been dragged into 1t and has been se-
yerely attacked by Representative Boutelle,
who Ia warm supporter of Mr. Reed, both
as against Mr.. Blaine and the senator's. MIR.
Blaine came here yesterday. and no doubt
directed the stroke that has immersed the
Speaker. The fires oil this contest were kept
down during the Maine election, but the
flames burst forth Immediately aiterward,
and have been burning flercely since.
The President, by his action to-day, hav-
Ing Joined forces with Mr.. Blaiue and the
senator's has put himself down as inimical
to the Speaker, and Will share hereafter In
the ill-will OF that gentleman, proba6ly to
an unpleasant degree, Speaker Reed man
aged TO conceal his discontinue this even
Ing, but hla friends talked rather sarcasti-
cally about the Presidents action, though
refusing to cay word for publication. The
President will no doubt find 1t difficult
task to explain the consistency OF his
course, even to the satisfaction of a much
less interested person than the Speaker.
By appointing MIR. Dow, tho President adds
his endorsement 10 the claim that an office
such as the collectorship properly falls
within the scope of senatorial patronage
and that tho recommendation Of the reprs-
sentatiyes In whose district the office is To-
cared should have no weight as against tho
senators. This is In direct conflict with his
attitude IN the appointment OF "A collector
OF customs at Chicago last spring. At that
time Senator Farwell's candidate was VIII
liam j. Campbell, VINO was also supported
by Senaror Cnllom, ami the kickers, or
"assistant SENATOR'S" as certain private
persons who opposed Campbell were
termed, recommended tho appointment OF
John Nj. Clark. Alter long and vigorous
contest the President appointed Mr.. CLARK,
holding that there was no good re son why
the senator's wish should ba law. lie did
this in the face II tho fact that the Illinois
senators had always up to that me con-
trolled the appointment.
Speaker Reed has In his posses ion the
writton opinion OF Secretary Blaine that the
representative should be consulted and his
wishes respected IN the matter of appoint
ments to Offices located In his district. Dur
Ing the term oil MIR, Hayes there was lively
struggle OF the Portland Oolectorship.
john sherman, then Secretary of tho Treas
ury, was favorable to the appointment Of
Lot Ii. Morrill,. james G. Baine and Han
nlbAl HAmlln endorsed 5. III. Marble. When
Blaine learned that Morrill, would win lie
wrote Letter recommending his appolnt-
ment, had 1t signed by Mr.. Rsed ss Repre-
sentative from the First Maine district, and
wrote under the signature;
concur. JAMES G. BLAINE.
Senator Hale did the same, and mr.. Reed,
who had no Candidate, saw the point at
once. During President Arthur'5 term,
however. Senators Hale and Frye secured
the appointment OF LII. Dow Without speRk-
lug to Mr.. Reed, who had no candidate,
but who was vecy indignant at being ig-
nored. He was ready for the senators this
time, and, although not at all ulfrlendly to
MIR. Dow, no claimed the right to dictate
the appointment and urged Weston +.
Millken for the place. Tie term OF the III.
cumbent expired long ago, but the Presl-
dent hesltated 10 act until the elections
were over and until he could have talk
with MIR. Blaine. He was compelled to
choose between this senators and the
Speaker. He chose to ally himself with the
senators, anG may expect to ind the intiu.
ence OF the Speaker arrayed against him In
he future.
Mr.. Reeds friends are loud In their de-
nuneiatlon of the Presidents aston, and
accuse him of the basest ingratitude. They
say that all during the long session Just
closing the Speaker has been valuable
friend to the administration. and that his
course in putting the Silver bill into shape
so that 1t could be passed, ald for which he
was denounced by members on both sides
of the House, alone entitle him to the ever
lasting gratitude and friendship Of the
President. Whether this claim is lust or
not, to-day's appointment is likely { raise
barrier between the President and the
man from Maine that will keep them far
apart In future political contests.