Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-01
Blair Laboring Under the Opin-
ion That He is Left.
Mr.. FLAMES ANNOUNCEMENT
Refusing to Be a Candidate for the Nomination
Expected in the Shape of Letter.
The Friends of the Merit System. Look on
Mills With Fear-Mills' Enemies at
Work on the Appointment of
DIR. ChiltOn-A Suicide.
The Merit System.


WASHINGTON, April 3O.-Civil service re-
form may not play very important part in
the contest for speaker of the house of rep
resentatives of the Fifty-second congress,
but the friends OF the merit system Will
watch the light with good deal of interest
There vii. be i good many men among the
majority Of the next house who have had
no opportunity 10 acquire any personal
knowledge of what the merit system really
is, and who may be very lukewarm in its
support. A hostile speaker can do great
deal of indirect damage TO the cause i'll his
makeup of committees, and in hindering
the needed Legislation, and its friends will
be glad to see an advocate of the merit sys-
TEN obtain the Office.
MILLS FOR SPEAKER.
1t seems to be taken for granted by few
politicians now in Washington that the
failure o. Governor Hosg to appoint Mills
as Senator Reagan'S successor and the EVIL
dent disposition OF some of the Texas Demo
Gratis to try and prevent his election to the
senate by the next state legislature has
hurt his chances for getting the speakership
next December. 1t puts him in the light of
being less popular in Texas, and it will be
used for what it is worth against him in the
speakership fight. Mills has not much of n
record one way or the other on the question
of civil service reform, but adherentS of
reform have never regarded him as one of
their number. They do not assign him to
the ranks of their active opponents; but
they would be agreeably surprised if, as
speaker, he should be found taking any
active interest in keeping up or extending
the merit system. They are, therefore, not
at all disturbed by the suggestion that
Mills is losing ground.
THE POSITIVE ANNOUNCEMENT
that Secretary Blaine will not allow him
self to be considered as candidate before
hn yatAr1h
year was the general topic Of conversation
here to-day. Nothing was heard to throw
any light upon Blaine's positive withdrawal
and it is expected by many that he will very
soon come out in a letter.
The friends of the president are in much
more satisfied mood than they were few
days ago, when they feared that the sec
rotary Of state would be seduced to enter
into the fight again. They have had assur-
ances, such as Russell B. Harrison prints in
his paper for some time; but that satisfies
them that Blaine is sincere-in fact, that
his confidential friends have heard some
language from his lips and that they are
quoting it with the evident knowledge that
ii will not dispiease him.
The fact that Quay and Clarkson have
bowed to the inevitable is also taken as
conclusive
THAT No FIGHT
Is to be made against the president.
Neither of these gentlemen love Harrison
over much and each have been looking
about for a candidate more to his taste; but
they are shrewd politicians and have been
quick to catch the popular drift in the
party.
at will be Harrison by acclamation,"
was what another warm friend OF Blaine's
said, discussing the situation. Blaine
could have the nomination if he wanted it,
but he will not allow his name to be pre-
sented to the national convention. He can
not be a candidate while he is in the cabi.
net, and he will be loyal to his chief
This is probably one Of the secrets Of
Blaine's early decision. If he meant to
take the nomination in spite of Harrison he
would be obliged to leave the cabinet. This
he cannot afford to do in the midst of his
reciprocity negotiations, and he likes his
place too well to give it up if he can keep
it. II Harrison should be elected next year
Blaine would be retained in the cabinet an
other four years, and his enthusiastic
friends say he would devise new measures
for extending our trade and adding to our
prestige, which would be as novel and sue
cessful as the reciprocity policy.