The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-08
BLAINE A DARK HORSE.
HARRISON MEN WORRIED By HIS
PERSISTENT SILENCE.

The President To Eave a Talk With
Elm When He Returns From tbs
S!ope-A Belief That Hs VIII Offer
To Get Off the Track If Blaine Is In
the Race.
WASHINGTON, May THE nervous
desire Of the Harrison men here, chiefly
ofaceholders, that Secretary Blaine should
come out in a public declaration that be
will not contest with President Harrison
for the nomination next year throws doubs
on their constantly reiterated prediction
that Secretary Blaine will soon appear In
letter or interview as they hope. They are
talking all the time in the tone Of the
RUSSELL Harrison editorials about Secretary
Blaine's duty to be loyal, to give President
Harrison the credit for everything done by
the state department, as we'll as the rest of
the administration, and to forget and try to
make everybody else forget that the chief
achievement OF the administration, re-
ciprocity, was stubbornly opposed by
President Harrison until his hand was
forced by Secretary Blains's direct appeal
to the people.
HAS DhLUDED HIMSELF.
President Harrison, judging from what
bis friends say, seems 10 have brought him
self to believe that he did not for nearly
year try 70 smother Secretary Blaine's
reciprocity scheme, using all the influence
OF his office, together with Secretary
Blaines personal enemy, Speaker Reed, to
prevent even its consideration; that he did
not succeed in keeping il out of the MoKin-
Icy bill until 1t had gotten out Of the finance
committee the second time after passing
the House, and that he did not,
by personal instructions to newspaper
managers under obligations to him, secure
at once the opposition OF their newspapers
TO Secretary Blaine's scheme aud this
reiteration again and again Of President
Harrison's disavowal Of it.
BLAINE's SURPRISE.
When Secretary Blaine was asked by
friend the other day whether he had read
what the President had been saying about
reciprocity In his little speeches. Secretary
Blaine said: ''Yes, and wondered whether
l was dreaming, my recollection OF his
attitude on that question being 80 totally
the opposite Of his. II he did occupy the
position he now claims, why did l have to
write the letters to Senator Frye TO get
recognition for reciprocityr
But III I HGr iBon mems answer is that
| the President is entitled to all the credit
and his secretaries to all the blame for
| whatever Is done in the several departments.
regardless Of the position the President may
have taken while matters we're pending.
HARRISON TO TALK TO BLAINE.
One Of the Presidents friends, who gets
as close 20 him as any one can, said today
"When the President returns he will have
a plain talk with Secretary Blaine, in which
he will tell him that he ought to publicly
avow his intentions, whatever they are,
with respect to next years. nOmins
ton. Tho President is prepared,
believe, to say to Mr.. Blaine: III
you are candidate | shall
not be. but IL you are not shall be, and
| want to know now for my own sake aud for
the party's sake just where you stand, and
then / want the country to know it,"
THINK THEY HAVE HIM IN A CORNER.
| Evidently the Herrisonians believe that
! Secretary Blaine, unwilling to announce
willing g. accept the nomination, will as
sure the President aud subsequently the
country that he is not a candidate, but they
| may be disappointed. Secretary Blaine
may refuse to comply with the Presidents
| request and may avail himself Of several
convenient pretexts to leave the
| cabinet now that he has concluded
his reciprocity agreements with Brazil,
Spain and Venezuela, and has little more td
hope for In that direction. or course Sec.
retary Blaine will not announce that he will
accept the nomination IN 1892, and his re-
fusal to announce that he is not a caDdidats
would be bad enough for the Harrisonians.