St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-05-21
ST. Johnsbury, Thursday, May FL, 1S9 4
SHADOW ON BLAINE'S HOPES,
Effect of His Illness on His Prospects
for the Presidency.

for the Presidency.
The illness of Secretary Blaine,
which promises to withdraw him,
temporarily at least, from active
work in the State department, may
have an important bearing upon the
political events of 1892 1t means,
what has long been known to Mr.
Blaine's friends, that he is in such a
delicate state Of health that anxiety
and overwork breaks him down.
This has been his condition ever
since he returned from Europe to en-
ter the cabinet of President Harrison.
and it is warning that he must not
risk, and could not stand the wear
and tear of another presidential
campaign. All talk, however, about
his having given up his longing to be
president of the United States comes
from those persons who know moth
ing about the man. James G. Blaine
many years ago set his piercing eve
upon the presidency, and has never
voluntarily withdrawn it. Circum-
stances, on more than one occasion,
compelled him to abandon for a time
the hope of adding his name to the
list of presidents, and now, when his
party is on the eve of breaking into a
unanimous wave of enthusiasm for
his nomination, and when the long
sought honor might come to him,
not as the result of political wire
pulling, but as reward for valua BILE
services to the American people, a
shattered constitution NAV compel
him to retire from the field
There has practically never been
time in Mr.. Blaines life when he was
so anxious to reach the goal of his
lifelong ambition as he is TODAY.
He knows that as secretary of state
he is the bright particular star of the
Harrison administration, and the
people of the country, both democrats
and republicans, regard him as head
and shoulders above the president in
all the elements that go to make up
the popular statesman. 1t is of
course true thatMr. Blaine cannot be
a candidate for president while he is
secretary of state, and it is also true
that he is not a candidate.
The closest political advisers of
Mr.. Blaine, such men as Stephen B.
Elkins, Manley, and others, under
stand very well that he is in the
hands of his friends, and that he will
not frown upon any Of the efforts to
increase his popularity. To several
delegations of republicans who have
sounded him Mr.. Blaine has let it be
known that, while he is in no sense
candidate, nothing would please him
better than a condition of things
that would make his nomination bv
reclamation the only possible out
come of next years convention.
Judged from what can be heard in
political circles here at the capital
thatisj just what was likely to happen,
and what may yet happen, in spite
of the check which the Blaine boom
will receive by the evidence of what
has long been apparent to close OBJ
servers namely, that physically
James @. Blaine is practically
broken-down man. intellectually he
has for the past few months appear
ed to be more keen, more adroit, and
more far-seeing than ever. He has
done more in the past year to get his
name before the American people and
to keep it there than almost anv
previous period in his political life
His opportunities in the State depart
ment have been very great, and he has
taken the fullest advantage of them
Nothing which he has done in the
past has been so fruitful of immediate
results and immediate rewards to
himself as his achievement since he
has been the premier of the Harrison
administration. Mr. Blaine keenlv
realizes this state of things.
1t is a matter of great regret,
therefore, but fact that cannot be
disputed that Mr.. Blaine and his
friends fear that his present illness
coupled as it is with the owledge
of his intimate friends that it is but
one attack in series, will have a
disastrous effect upon the enthusiasm
that for the past six months has
been gathering about the name of
Blaine Republicans who have come
to Washington from all parts of the
country during the past few months
have had but one story to tell, and
that is that North, South, East, and
West the name of James G. Blaine is
more potent even than in the days
when he was the active brains and
recognized leader of the republican
party, and that the Blaine wave
would grow to such proportions
between now and 1892 that no
force could by any means overcome
1t. These assurances have been
given to Mr.. Blaine in person by the
visitors to Washington, and he has
often expressed the opinion that he
was never so strong with his party
and the people generally as now.
This expression of confidence and