The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-06
UNWRITTEN HISTORY
Reciprocity Delayed by the Bull
let Of an Assassin.
An Incident Which Occurred During Gar
fields Administration.
The Resignation Of Senator Conkllng
Colonel Conser'S Interviews With the.
Executive and Secretary Blaine.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

CHICAGO, Nov 5.-The Tribune will
print the following tomorrow: A Tribune
reporter met A. L. CoDger. an Ohio member
of the Republican National Committee, in
this city, and while discussing the principle
of reciprocity, Colonel Conger said:
Let me give you little incident which
occurred during Garfeld'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. 1t shows that reciprocity was to be
the great policy to be developed in Gar
fields administration, and his great Sec
retary of State was Enthusiastically its au-
thor.
CoNKLING DIsPLEAsED.
81 happened to arrive in Washington on
| an early morning train the day Senator
States Senate. Upon my arrival the first
person l met was Hon. Emory Storrs of
Chicago, close friend of Senator Conkling.
1 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 Conklng
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 dissension in our party
and perhaps disaster would follow. We
| took breakfast together and discussed the
| possibility of a reconciliation or of harmon
| izing the differences 1t was agreed that l
should call upon the President at once and
| lay the situation before him.
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT.
Il Immediately proceeded to the White
| House, where 1 met Garfield and Marshall
| Henry and made known my mission. Presi-
| dent Garfield requested me to have Mr..
| Storrs see Senator Conkling at once and as
sure him that he (Garfisld) had no personal
! feeling in the matter and meant no disre-
| spe,t to the Senator in the appointment,
| and stood ready to carry out any wish of
| the Senator that was fair and reasonable,
except that he could not recall the appoint
| ment of Senator Robertson. He would be
| glad TO have Mr.. Storrs see the Senator and
! bring any suggestions he might have to offer
concerning the appointments OF his frien Us
to other positions. l returned to the hotel
and reported to Mr.. StorrS the result of my
| L
seemed well pleased with the assuran ces
given, and said he would see Senator Conk-
ing at once, and believed he could get him
] to reconsider his determination to resign.
and l should return to the White House
| and inform the President that he would see
the Senator Immediately.
| Combines RESIGNATION.
| 81 returned to the President and we
| cd
none came. Finally Mr.. Brown, the Presi.
dents private secretary, came in and
handed the President a telegram. 1t was
| from the Capitol announcing that Senator
! C0nkling had resigned his seat | shall
never forget the look upon Garfield's face
| when he read the telegram. He handed it
to me and said, 1T is up. The die is cast.
Senator ConkliDg has resigned and the
| consequences, whatever they may be, must
rest with him. Nrthing further can be done
now | remarked to the President that
| was very sorry at the turn matters had
taken. was fearful that the stalwart Re-
pubicnns would side with Mr.. Coukling
and it might create split in the party and
de feat the Presidents denomination.
POPULAR POLICY.
Now mark his reply. Putting his hand
| upon my shoulder, President Garfield sa id ::
Mr.. CoDger, don't be alarmed. We shall
| develop policy during my administration
which will make the Republican party
more popular with the people Of this coun-
try than it has ever been since the day of
its BIRTH We parted and 1 never saw poor
Garfield again. His assassination came
soon after. Now rs to the policy about
which he spoke. l visited Washington
several months after President Arthur had
taken his seat. | think Blaine was work
ing upon his book. l met Major McKinle Y.
and we went together to call and pay our
respects to Blaine. We found him at his house
and had pleas ant chat with him. During
this conversation Blaine took up and dis
gress. which he said would have been held,
and the project carried out under the Gar
field administration, and expressed great
sorrow and disappointment at the unfore-
seen calamity which prevented it
ADDITIONAL MARKETS.
blaine then went on to demonstrate the
great advantages TO this country under the
proposed policy. He discussed the policy
of reciprocity, coupled with protection. and
the benefits that would accrue to the Amer
lean people. and especially our manufac-
turers, the laboring men and the farmers {;
| how 1t would provide additional markets
for American cereals, beef, pork, farm ma
chinery, etc. Being largely identified and
connected with tho business of manufacture
ing American agricultural machinery, l was
| quick to catch every word Blaine uttered
during the conversation. / saw in. it a
policy that would put in motion the wheels
OF nearly every manufacturing establish
ment in the United States; that would give
employment TO the great mass of American
workingmen; that would further the in
terests of the American farmer-and the
last words Garfield had spoken to me touch
ing the popularity of the policy he would
develop during his administration flashed
across my mind. have no doubt il Gar
field had lived the same policy which Blaine
has now inaugurated under President Har-
rison would have been fully carried out by
him under President Garfield. 1t is this
wonderful, practical, far-seeing statesman.
ship that has given Blaine such strong
hold on the hearts of the American people.