The Portland daily press., 1891-11-24
BLAINE. BLAINE,
The Cry OF Menfrom Western Mills
and pralrI-a

BosToN, November ga Washington
special to the Journal says:
ut would not be difficult, even for the
most experienced observer at the head
quarters OF the National Republican Com
mittee, to imagine that he was at nation.
al convention In the preliminary day. rhe
politicians who have assembled here from
all parts OF the country have not come
merely to ascertain where the National
Convention Is to be located. Many OF
them do net care They are here 10 en-
deavor to learn the drift Of opinion
IN different sections as to Presidential
candidates, and there has not been the
slightest difficulty In ascertainiDg. 1t
does not take much scratching OF tue sur
face to discover that Mr.. Blaine Is the
fayorite candidate Of the great majority Of
the committees, but only few of them
comparatively are willing to express them
selves ON the subject. President Harrison,
Secretary Blaine, Governor-eleet McKiu.
ley and General Alger and Secretary Rusk.
all have their following. but man with
ears open about the Arlington Hotel at the
present time would not hesitate in saying
that Blaine's name Is named 10 times
where the other favorites are spoken OF
once.
.'This Blainish tinge to the atmosphere
Is in great degree due to the enthusiastic
admirers Of the Secretary OF State from be-
yond The Mississippi. The boomers for
are nearly all Blaine men. Representa-
tives from all these districts have called
upon the Secretary since coming TO Wash
ingt0n, and hardly man OF them comes
away without declaring most emphatically
that Blaine Is ''in 1t" They descant en-
Enthusiastically upon his physical appear
ance, and assert that he Is as sound In
health as he ever was. Blaine Is unques-
tionably the first choice Of those members
oi the committee from states west Of the
Mississippi, with President Harrison sec
0nd. On all hands the present administre-
tion is highly commended, and while it is
admitted that the President has earned
denomination. the tide Of popular favor,
they say, cannot be turned from Blaine.
From the East the members are more
guarded and speak very cautiously upon
the subject. There Is no hesitancy In their
Endorsement OF the administration, but that
Endorsement Is not stretched to include a
preference for the nomination.
"In the South the members Of the COM
mittee are largely In favor Of Mr.. Harri.
sons denomination. The Presidents stand
iu favor OF pure ballot and an honest
count has endeared him to the heart Of
every Republican In that section. His
t0nr through many Of the Southern States
made lasting Impression upon the clti-
zens OF that country. Committeeman
Brady goes 50 far as to say that Harrison's
denomination means the carrying Of Vir-
ginia. But Mr.. Brady, who Is an Internal
Revenue Collector, does not find any one to
share his opinion. Ex-Governor Pinch
DECK Oh Louisiana put the case plainly
when he said today that under existing
laws the Republicans could no hops to car
ry any Southern StaGe excepting possibly
West Virginia. and be added, Mr.. Blaine
would certainly run as well In that state as
any other man.
"Perhaps the general sentiment Of the
| West could be summed up In the words Of
| Senator Washburne of Minnesota, who
said: 'Mr. Harrison has given the coun-
| try a splendid administration. lt has
| hardly made mistake. tie Is an aole
| man. no one questions that, and yet he
| does not awaken any enthusiasm. We
| feel that with Blaine as a candidate we
cculd do much better than with Mr. HART
son. Our people are unquestlonably for
Blaine. IL he Is not a candidate then we
will be for Harrison.