Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-06
How Blaine's Fond Hope
Was Deferred.
The Reciprocity Idea Evolved
by Him Years Ago.
1t Was to Have Been the Triumph
of the Garfield Administration.
Guiteaa's Bullet Postponed the Fruition
of the Project-CoL Conger OF
Ohio Gives Out q Bit of I'm
written History.
Associated Press Dispatches.

print the following tomorrow:
A Tribune reporter met L. Conger,
the Ohio member OF the Republican
national committee, in the city, and
while discussing the principle of reci-
procity Colonel Conger said:
'Let me give you little incident
which occurred during Garfeld's ad-
ministration that happened to know.
There is a little bit of unwritten history
in connection with it, and it will do no
harm to give it out 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 unmistakably its au-
thor.
"I happened to arrive in Washington
on the early morning train the day Sem
ator Conkling resigned his seat in the
United States senate. Upon my arrival
the fret person / met was Hon. Emory
Storrs of Chicago, a close friend of SEN
ator Conkling. remarked to Mr..
Storrs: You are an early riser
''He replied: Yes. I have been too
much disturbed to Sleep
"He then told me that he had been
with Senator Conkllng till long after
midnight; that the senator, as was well
known, was greatly displeased with the
appointment of Mr.. Robertson as col
lector of the port of New York, and pro-
posed to resign his seat in the senate
that day, and that dissension in our
party. and perhaps disaster, would fol-
low.
"We took breakfast together and dis
cussed the possibility of reconciliation
or harmonizing of differences. 1t was
agreed that / should call upon the presi-
dent at once and lay the situation be-
fore him. Immediately proceeded to
the White house, met Garfield and Mar
shal Henry land made known my mis-
sion.
president Garfield requested me to
have Mr.. Storrs see Senator Conkling at
once and assure him he (Gar6eld) had
no personal feeling in the matter. He
meat no disrespect 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 appointmet of Senator
Robertson. He would be glad to have
Mr.. Storrs see the senator and bring any
suggestion he might have to offer con-
corning the appointment 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
well pleased with the assurances given.
He said he would see Senator Conkling
at once, and believed he could get him
to reconsider his determination to
resign, and said 1 should return to the
White house and inform the president
that he would see the senator imme-
diately.
81 returned to the president and we
waited for tidings from Mr.. Storrs, but
none came. Finally, Mr.. Brown, the
presidents private secretary, came in
and handed the president a telegram.
1t was from,the Capitol, announcing that
Senator Conkling had resigned his seat.
81 shsll never forget the look upon
Garfield's face when he read the tele-
gram. He handed it to nae and said !:
1T is up; the die is cast; Senator Conk-
ling has resigned, and the consequences,
whatever they may be, must rest with
him. Nothing further can be done
now
"I remarked to the president: Il am
very sorry at the turn matters have
taken. 1 am fearful that the stalwar
Republicans will side with Mr.. Conkling
and it might create split in the party
and defeat your denomination.
s'Now mark his reply. Putting hii
hand upon my shoulder, President Gar
field said: 'Mr. Conger, don't b'
alarmed. We shall develop a polio,
during my administration which viii
make the Republican party more popu
lar with the people of this country thar
it ever has been since the day OF it'
BIRTH
"We parted, and I never saw poo
Garfield again. His assassination cam'
soon after.
snow as to the policy about which he
spoke. 1 visited Washington severa
months after President Arthur hat
taken his seat. I think Blaine wa!
working upon his book. l met Major
Mckinley, and we went together to cal
and pay our respects to Blaine. We
found him at his house, ant
had a pleasant chat with him
During this conversation Blaine took uI
and discussed the proposed pan-Ameri
can congress. which, he said, woulc
have been held and the project carried
out under the Garfield administration
and he expressed great sorrow and dis
appointment at the unforeseen calamit.
which prevented it.
"He then went on to demonstrate tn
great advantages to this country unde
the proposed policy. He discussed tn
policy of reciprocity, coupled with pro
lection, and the benefits that would ac
crue to the American people and especial
ly our manufacturers, laboring men ant
farmers. How it would provide al
additional market for American cereals
beef, pork, farm machinery, etc.
'Being largely identified and con
nected with the business of manufac
turing American agricultural machinery
/ was quick to catch every word Blain'
uttered during the conversation. l saw
in it policy that would put in motion
the wheels of nearly every manufactur
ing establishment in the United States
that would give employment to the
great mass of American workingmen
that would further the interests of the
American farmer: and the last words
that Garfield had spoken to me touch
ing the popularity of the policy hi
would develop during his administers
tion, flashed across my mind.
ssI have no doubt if Garfield had livet
E the same policy which Blaine has nov
inaugurated under President Harrison
would have been fully carried out b.
him under President Garfield.
ssTx 80 <b;o wnudarfr1l practical far