Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-15
BLAINE ALL RIGHT,
According to Testimony From a
Well-Known Democratic Source.
A TALK WITH GENERAL DUDLEY.
Harrison Could Not Get His Own Delegates
Against the Secretary.
SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT STATEMENTS

| between secretary Dldlne anu L upllsncl
John R. Mclean at Bar Harbor, and the
attitude of the Enquirer in the campaign of
1884, the following from w. G. MacBride,
a staff correspondent, who has been at the
Maine health resort, is interesting:
1 left Bar Harbor on Monday night by
way of the sea for Boston. On Monday
afternoon I saw Secretary Blaine, who hap
pened at the time to be making a social call
To the eye Mr.. Blaine confirmed the report
of his family as to restored health. His
general nature was one of animation; his
flow of language mirthful, anecdotal, with
out reference to anything whatsoever
political His skin had the pallid look
ever peculiar to him, but it was clear-of
healthtul color. He played with baby
boy upon the porch with pleasure, which
fairly denoted strong affinity for the gen.
Grafton yet to rule.
For 20 years, in all the vicissitudes of his
remarkable career, Mr.. Blaine has been
under my eye. have seen him when in
the robustness of his earlier manhood he
swept down the aisles of the forum of Con-
gress and earned his sobriquet of the
"Plumed Knight So as 1 gazed upon
him with the more critical eye to discover
the so-called lapse to absolute decrepitude
the thought came to me with genuine force
that as to his condition there had been some
tall lying. He is
| SO FAR FROM A DEAD MAN
| that the comparison falls of its own weight.
/ am now ready to subscribe to the remark
| repeated to me by his sons, Emmons and
| young Jim: "Father is quite well"
There is in Bar Harbor Mr.. Blaine's
double, man of somewhat maturer years,
who daily drives through the village in
cedar spindle. His double is one of af1ic-
tion, whose form is bent and whose ears are
bundled up in velvet bandage. 1 rather
suspect the Affections of the double have,
by some of the even more veracious scribes,
been attributed to Blaine. The striking
likeness even startled me when it first
loomed up.
came from Boston here on the Albany
express, making the run in six hours. At
New Haven General w. W. Dudley of In
diana, erstwhile member of the National
Republican Committee, boarded the train.
The day was .one of absolute warmth
sticky just such day as mankind is out of
Sorts
1 said to the General: "You have now of
you own volition retired to private life, and
L
desire than heretofore to be secretive.'' -
Tell Inc, then," added, "whom do you
think will be the Republican candidate for
President"
''Why," he said, "the nomination of
Blaine, unless intercepted by his own act,
is an absolute certainty. believe he will
be unanimously nominated, and, moreover,
will be triumphantly elected
But" said I, General, how as to Presi-
dent Harrison?"
''I do not think he will be renominated,"
he replied. "To begin, as against Mr..
Blaine, Mr.. Harrison cannot secure his own
State delegation. am free now to say that
INDIANA is FOR BLAINE
'NIr Harrison will find in the study of
history this important fact, viz: within the
past 60 years no President of the United
States has been reelected to the Office ex-
cept Abraham Lincoln and General Grant,
and both of these were exceptional cases
and exceptional men. More than this, with
in the same period no President holding the
Office forced his nomination except at the
expense of his party's disruption
1 then called to General Dudley's atten-
tion the fact that there were some peculiar
spirits now calling upon the President at
his Cape May retreat
'Yes," said he, "and the explanation is
plain. Two months ago President Har-
rison's policy was to crush out all opposi-
tions manifest against him. He now dis
covers that such tactics must perforce fail,
and his endeavor is to placate it."
General, 1 said, "how can Mr.. Blaine
remain in the Cabinet of President Harrison
and be even considered in any sense rival
candidate?'
"He is not rival candidate The call for
Blaine is the logic of the situation. Mr..
Blaine can be elected, because behind him in
solidity and enthusiasm is his party. If he
is nominated, as believe he will be, neither
the name of Harrison
NOR ANY OTHER NAME
save Blaine will be heard of. But if were
Mr.. Blaine would get out of the Cabinet,
giving ill-health as the plea, and go abroad. |
would not give President Harrison, if 1 |
were Mr.. Blaine, the chance to put me in
hole"
Sand how?" quoth I.
"Well, in this way," was the Generals |
answer. "In very short time, think, |
President Harrison will discover that Blaine |
can have the nomination. When he be-
comes so impressed he can say to him: Mr. !
Blaine, you are member, the head of mysl
Cabinet; you know that was desirous for q |
denomination, and would especially covet |
it. However, 1 am willing to step aside |
and stand ready to support you You see |
under such state of conditions Mr.. Har- |
rison's friends might speak of Mr.. Blaine's |
ingratitude. So would not give him the |
chance"
General" said, ''do you feel embit-,
tered toward the President?''
''Not at all, he answered. 'T supported
General Harrison for the nomination four2l
years ago because thought he was the then,
logical candidate, as now think Mr. Blaine |
us. General Harrison has made a conscien- |
tious President, good President. l thing
him honest, patriotic, courageous and con-
servative. 1 think he lacks tact. But Mr..
Harrison now suffers because of the patron
age. 1t is the indisputable fact that the
patronage
IS AN ELEMENT OF WEAKNESS
rather than strength. You know that there
is not enough to go around, and those who |
fail to get the Offices hate to be bossed by |
those who do. The result is weakness, de- |
morslization."
Said L: General, I sec the President has |
Steve Elkins now at his Cape May resi- |
dence"
'.Yes," said he, 'T SO read. Elkins is a |
peculiar man. At the Chicago Convention |
which gave Mr.. Harrison his nomination,
he came to me on an occasion and said: |
Now, Dudley, we have loaned you votes
from the Blaine contingent for Harrison,
why will not Indiana now come to Blaine?'
To this made answer that Indiana had no
alternative save Harrison. Well, said
will not come to Blaine the New York dele
cation will go to John Sherman told
Mr.. Elkins that did not believe Mr.. Platt
cOuld so deliver il However I hecama