The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-02
is HE A CANDIDATE?
The Importance of Determining
Blaine'S Position.
MURAT HALSTEAD INTERVIEWED
He Says the Secretary Is not laundering
After the Psesidency-His Relations
TO the President

| Especial to THE HERALD-Examiner Dispatch.
NEW YORK, June lis Blaine a candi
date. Since the attack Of sickness with which
Secretary Blaine was seized while WIS.,
iting at the residence of his daughter. Mrs.
Walter Damrosch, several weeks ago,
there has been anxiety manifested on the
part of the public to ascertain his exact
condition. The doctors bu lletins as to the
condition of the distinguished patient,
though of an assuring nature, were not en-
tirely satisfactory, falling as they did to
enter into any details as to his general
physical and mental condition.
In view of the interest being aroused in
the approaching presidential contest, 1t be-
came essentially interesting and even i'm
portant to know what, if any, effect Mr..
Blaine's illness might have on his candi-
dacy for the Republican nomination. With
view of ascertaining from a trustworthy
source just what Mr.. Blaine's condition is
and what the probable chances of his en-
tering upon tue race for the presidency are,
a representative of the Examiner called
upon Murat Halstead of the Brooklyn
Standard linton. He has long enjoyed the
warm personal friendship of MIR. Blaine.
In the first place Mr.. Halstead was asked
what he knew about the story that MIR.
Blaine's mind was failing.
That story" said Mir. Ralstead, must
have been cold blooded invention. had
two long conversations with Mr.. Blaine
after his arrival in New York and before
he was taken i'll. They covered a great
deal OF ground, and his mind had the
sparkle that is familiar to all who have had
q nj of via
"reminiscences, arguments, Illustrations,
poured out with all the happy facility of
expression that Is constant surprise IN
his talk. There is no man whose phrases
have more force and felicity, and he was as
brilliant the day before he was Ill as L ever
saw him. The truth is, 1 believe his
illness has been exaggerated. He
may be in part responsible for
this himself. He came from
Washington very much fatigued, and the
parting with his daughter VINO sailed for
Europe was trial for him. Then he saw
good many people, and his condition was
not satisfactory. He had not been eating
regularly. He had been hard at work. and
instead OF taking the excessive care of him
self that is alleged to be one Of his peculiar
ties, he neglected himself as no intelligent
labOrer OF the streets would have been
likely to do. Then he ate big dinner al
Carnegie's next morning and felt badly,
had acute Indigestion, and his old enemy
the govt, set in at this interval. He has
been subject TO that trouble for long time,
but il is rather an annoyance than a dan
MS grandfather.
"Iou ask me whether / think there is
anything in this illness that Will cause
serious change:in Mr.. Blaine's plans or pre-
vent his going on with his duties as secre-
tary of state! | do not think We need APP
prehend that The elasticity of mis- consti-
tuition will be manifested again. He has
been in better shape during the last two
years than for some time before, aud there |
is nothing to my knowledge to warrant the |
belief that he will not.'
''Do you think he is going tc &c q candi- |
date for the presidency!"
81 an sure Mr.. Blaine doesn't banker |
for the presidency. He improves upon the /
example of Clay and of Webster by insist /
ing upon il that his party shall constantly |
confer the highest honors upon him. |
should think if MIR. Blaine were convinced !
le was the only Republican who could be |
elected TO the presidency, that he would /
Withdraw all objections to making the race
and am of the impression that the circum-
stances that would implant that conviction
N the mind of MIR. Blaine would also per-
,uade the President TO the same effect, and
he President would himself lead the way
IS Blaine man.
.'Should he be nominated would he be in
condition to mace the fight hot canvasss"
II am persuaded that he would not take
nomination that implied that ne must go
IN the stump as he did in 1854 and make
speeches in half dozen states. l don't
.hink that such task should be set before /
lin, or that he would acceptit. / 90 not
loubt he would 60 to the front and make
ew speeches. / am quite confident if he
,ver runs for President again he will be
elected. He will need, therefore, to save
lis strength for the discharge of the duties
If the Office"
sDo you think, in the physical condition
le is in, he could endure the performance
# the duties OF the presidential object"
II think he could in this way: Mr. Blaine
would waste no time in indecisive worry
ng. He would know what he wanted and
10 it promptly: he would throw the whole
Ietail of department duty upon the depart
nent officers. He would do the rejecting
nd deciding and advise with his cabinet
nd they would have the drudgery TO do"
''Do you think il Cleveland were q can
idate Blaine would beat him this timer
81 do believe Blaine would carry New
FORK by many thousands, and that all the
Id Republican strongholds would rise up
d great strength for him, so that there
,ould not be doubt about any north
1estern or far western state"