Evening journal., 1891-12-22
BLAINE IS A CANDIDATE.
If His Health Permits He VIII
Heed the Party's Call.
HIS FRIENDS ARE PAVING THE WAY

We're the Convention Held Today Hs
Would Aecept--The appointment Of Mr..
EIkins Sealed No Compact; II Was the
Presidents Choice.
WASHINGTON, Dec. % III the date Of tho
Republican National convention were Dec.
- 1891, instead Of June Z, 1892, James
g. Blaine would be nominated for president
by aeclamation, and he would accept the
nomination in letter making reciprocity
his platform Putting the same statement
OF fact IN another form, Mr.. Blaine has
made up his mind to heed what is sure 70
be the unanimous call Of his party il, at the
time Of the convention, his health is as good
as it Is at present
His Friends Understand II.
This Is direct and positive. II comes from
one Of three party leaders to whom only Mr..
Blaine has made known his intention
President Harrison has not received specific
notice TO this effect, nor have any Of his in
timate friends. But they understand the
situation perfectly and are shaping their
plans accordingly.
The appointment Of Mr.. EIllins ia sure
indication Of MIR. HarrisonN realization Of
what the three men referred to know TO be
true. Il was not Mr. BlaineA appointment
II was neither suggested nor advised by
him. In no sense was it the scaling Of a
compact between the president and the sec
retary Of state.
Mr.. BIaine's Mistake.
The relations Of Mr. Blaine and Mr.. Ellrins
are friendly, because the interests Of both
are served BY keeping them so. But they
are not intimate and have not been for
some time. At one stage Of his career Mr.
Blame fell into the error Of thinking he
Would be strengthened by an alliance with
capital The two who prohted most by this
mistaken idea were Stephen b. Elkins and
Andrew Carnegie.
The former lost no time in forming a f,tisi-
ness connection Of great value to himself
and less, but not immaterial in a financial
sense, TO Mr. Blaine Mr. Carnegie promptly
assumed more personal relationship, which
gratihed in measure his social ambition,
but gave disproportionate return in very
large contributions TO funds used n cam
palgns Of immediate concern to Mr.. Blaine
The Alliance Hurt Him.
To one other rich man Willam Walter
Phelps Mr. Blaine placed himself under
financial obligations, but the transaction Ia
no way affected Mr.. Blainea public stand
ing. That hhs open alliance with Ellxins and
Carnegie did operate against him in 1855
when at the time Of the convention he was
on the manufacturers coach in Scotland a.
well as az the polls in 1884 was well under
stood by both his friends and his enemies.
Blaine Free Man.
TO sever his business relations with Fl.
kins was comparatively eaey. II WINS done
To forsalze the handsome mansion built
with DIR, Phelpss money involved only an
ove1ruiing Of family objections. That. too.
was accomplished Only Carnegie, the most
troublesome OF the three, remained, and his
claim was satisfied finally with the opening
Of new markets for his wares at great aa-
vantage to himself and, incidentally, cor
responding disadvantage to the farmers.
whose representatives in congress were
frightened into serving as cats paws 10
draw the manufacturers chestnuts from
the fire. The last big personal debt has
been paid, and Mr.. Blaine stands sauarely
upon his feet a free man for the first time
IN years. The chief point Is that Elzins
was Harrisons- not Blaines-ehoice. and
that Blaine himself is a free man and ready
and willing to be the Republican candidate
for president