The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-06
THE BOOMIas''' ',ss''INE
It Has Begun in Earnest by His
Loyal Friends and Fol-
lowers.
Harrison Will Soon, in All Proba-
bility, Drop Out Of Public
View.
Incident of the Administration Of Garfield
Used as Prelude to u Blaine
LaudaLion.

CHICAGO. Nov. 5.-The Tribune will print
the following tomorrow: Tribune re-
porter met Col. Conger, of Ohio, member
of the republican national committee, in
this city, and while discussing the principle
of reciprocity Col. Conger said: "Let me
give you little incident which occurred
during Garfield's administration that l
happened to know. There is little bit of
unwritten history in connection with it,
and it will do no harm to give it at this
time. II shows that reciprocity was to be
the great policy to be developed in Gar
fields administration. and his great seore-
tary OF state was unmistakably its author.
happened to arrive in Washington on IN
early morning train the day Senator Conk-
ling resigned his seat in the United
States senate. Upon my arrival the first
person l met was Hon. Emory Storrs,
of Chicago, a close friend of Senator Conk-
ling. l remarked to Mr.. Storrs, You are
an early riser.' He replied, Yes, have
been too much disturbed to sleep.' He
then told me that he had been with Senator
Conkling till long after midnight; that the
senator. as was we'll known, was greatly
displeased with the appointment of Mr..
Robertson as collector of the port of New
York and proposed to resign his seat in the
senate that day, and that dissention in our
party and perhaps disaster would follow.
We took breakfast together and discussed
the possibility of reconciliation or the har-
monizing of differences. 1t was agreed
that 7 should call upon the president at
once and lay the situation before him.
II Immediately proceeded to the White
house, met Garfield and Marshal Henely
and made known my mission. President
Garfield requested me to have Mr.. Storrs
see Senator Conkling at once and assure
him that he (Garfeld) had no personal
feeling in the matter, meant no disr aspect
to the senator in the appointment and
stood ready to carry out any wish OF the
senator's that WAS fair and reasonable, ex-
cept that he could not recall tho appoint
ment of Robertson. He would be glad to
have Mr.. Storrs see the senator and bring
any suggestions he might have to offer
concerning appointments of his friends to
other positions. I returned to the hotel
and reported to Mr.. storrs the result of
my interview with the president. Mr..
Storrs seemed we'll pleased with the assur
ances given, said he would see Senator
Conkling at once and believed he could
get him to reconsider his determination
to resign. and suggested that should re-
turn to the White house, and inform the
mediately. I returned to the president and
we waited for tidinqs from Mr.. storrs, but
none came. Finally, Mr.. Brown, the pres
ident's private secretary, came in and
handed the president a telegram. It was
from the capitol announcing that Senator
Conkling had resigned his scat. | shall
never forget the look upon Garfeld's face
when he read the telegram. He handed it
to me and said: 1T is up; the die is cast;
Senator Conkling has resigned, and the
consequences, whatever they may be, must
rest with him. Nothing fur ther can be
done noW.'
II remarked to the president that was
very sorry at the turn matters mad taken.
I was fearful that the stalwart republicans
would side with Mr.. Conkling, and that it
might create split in the party and de-
feat his denomination. Now mark his re-
President Garfield said: Mr.. Conger, don't |
be alarmed. We shall develop a policy |
during my administration which will make
the republican party more popular with the |
people Of this country than it ever has been |
since the day of its BIRTH We parted and |
never saw poor Garfield again. His as
sassnation came soon after.
Now as to the policy about which he
spoke. ] visited Washington several
months after President Arthur had taken
his seat. think Blaine was working upon
his book. met Major Mckinley, and we
went together to call and pay our respects
to Blaine. We found him at his house and
had pleasant chat with him. During
this conversation Blaine took up and dis
cussed the proposed pan-American con-
g,ess which, he said, would have been
held. and the project carried out under
Garfed's administration, and expressed
great sorrow and disappointment at
The unforeseen calamity which pre-
sented it. He then went on
TO demonstrate the great advantages
70 this country under the proposed policy.
coupled with protection, and the benefits
hat would accrue to the American people,
md especially to our manufacturers, labor
ng men and farmers; how it would provide
additional markets for American cereals,
)eef, pork. farm machinery, etc. Being
argely identified and connected with the
business of manufacturing American agri-
cultural machinery, was quick to catch
very word Blaine uttered during the con-
,ut in motion the wheels of nearly every
establishment in the United
states, that would give employment to the
.reat mass of American workingmen, that
would further the interests of the American
armer, and the last words Garfield had
poken to me touching the popularity ,
# the policy he would develop during the !
flashed across my mind. !
ave no doubt If Garfield had lived the ,
urated, under President Harrison, would
ave been fully carried out by him under
President Garfield, 1t is this wonderful ,
far-saeing statesmanHhip that has
iven Blaine such strong hold in the [
earta of the American people, almost ire
pective of party. He is to-day million
otes stronger than his party"