St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-06
Col. Conger, of Ohio, Tells of
CART eld's Faith in the
Policy.
Had He Lived, Blaine Would
Have Gone Ahead With
Negotiations.
Conkling's Resignati on and
It's Effect on the Victim of
Guiteau'S Shot.
The Murdered President
Hoped to Win Popularity
on Blaine'S Idea.

CHICAGO, Nov. 5.-Iho Chicago IrlD-
une will tomorrow print the following
a Tribune reporter met Col. A. l.. Con-
ger, the Ohio member of the Republican
National committee. in the city to-day,
and while discussing the principle of
reciprocity, Col. Conger said: Let me
give you little incident which occurred
during President G arlield's administra-
ton that l happened @to know about.
There is little bit of unwritten history
in connection with 1t, and 1t will do no
harm to give it at this time. 1t shows
that reciprocity was to be the great
policy to be developed in President Gar
fields administration, and that his sec
rotary of state was Enthusiastically its
author"
Col. Conger then continued: II hap
pened 10 arrive in Washington on the
early morning the day that Senator
COnkling resigned his seat in the seu-
ate. Upon my arrival at the hotel, the
first person l met was Hon. Emory
StOrrS, the eloquent orator of Chicago,
and close friend Of Senator Conkling
remarked to Mr.. StOrrs: You are an
early riser
'Ile replied: Yes. have been too
much disturbed to sleep
''Iie then told me that he had been
with Senator COnkling till long after
midnight: that the senator, as we'll
known, was greatly displeased with the
appointment of Mr.. Robertson as col
lectOT of the port of New York, and
proposed to resign his seat in the senate
that day, and that disSensiOn in our
party, and perhaps disaster, would fol-
low.
GaFGeid's Proposition.
1--WE took breakfast together and dis.
cusScd the possibilities of a reconcilia-
ton, or the harmOniZing of the differ
enceS. 1t was agreed that l should call
upon the president at once and lay the
situation before him. | immediately
proceeded to the White house, met Pres
ident Garfield add Marshal Henry and
made Known my mission. President
Garfield requested me to have Mr.
StOrrs see Senator Conkling at once
and assure him that he (Garfeld) had no
personal feeling in the matter; that he
meant no disreSpect to the senator in
the appointment, and that he stood
ready to carry out any wish of the sena-
tors that was fair and reasonable, eX-
cept he could not recall the appoint
ment of Senator Robertson-that he
would be glad to nave Mr.. StOrrS see the
senator and bring any suggestions he
might have to offer concerning the ap-
pOintmentS of his friends to other posi-
tons.
II returned to the hotel and reported
to Mr.. StOrrs the result of my interview
with the president. Mr., Storrs seemed
we'll pleased with the assurances given;
said he would see Senator COnkling at
once. and he believed he could get him
to reconsider his determination to re-
sign, and that | could return TO the
White house, inform the resident that
ne would see the senator, and that [
should there wait his arrival. returned
to the president and waited for tidings
from Mr.. StOrrS, but none came. Finally
Mr.. Brown, the presidents private sec
rotary, came in and handed the president
a telegram. 1t was from the capital,
announcing that
COpkIing Had Resigned
his seat in the United States senate. I
shall never forget the look upon Presi-
dent Garfield's face when he read the
telegram. He handed it to me and said:
1t is up: the die is cast; Senator COnk-
ling has resigned his seat in the senate.
and the consequences, whatever they
further can be done now
Il remarked to the president that |
was sorry at the turn matters mad
taken: that | was fearful the StalWart
Republicans would side with Mr.. Conk-
ling, and that it might create split in
the party and defeat his denomination.
Now mark his reply. Putting his hand
upon my shoulder, President Garfield
said: Mr.. COnger do not be alarmed,
we shall develop policy during my adj
ministratlOn which will make the Re-
publican party more popular with the
people of this country than it has ever
been since the day of its BIRTH
I'VE parted, and | never saw poor
Garfield again. His assassination came
soon after. Now as to the policy about
which he spoke, that was to become so
popular with the people. visited Wash
ingtOn several months after President
Arthur had taken his seat as president,
with his cabinet reOrganiZed. ] think
Mr.. Blaine at that time was working
upon his book. | met Mai. Mckinley
and we went together to call and pay
our respects to Mr.. Blaine. We found
him at his house and had pleasant
chat with him for three-QuarterS of an
hour.
During this conversation Mr.. Blaine
took up and discussed the proposed
PanAmerican congress. which he said
would have been held and the project
carried out under the Garfield admins
tratiOn, and expressed his great sorrow
and disappointment at the unforeseen
calamity which had prevented it. He
then went on to demonstrate the great
advantages that would accrue to this
country under the proposed policy
which they had hoped to inaugurate.
He discussed the
Policy of Reciprocity,
coupled with protection, and the bene-
fits that would accrue to the American
people, especially our manufacturers,
our labOriDg men and the farmers; h oW
it would provide an additio market
for the American cereals. American
beef and pork and American farm ma
chinery. etc.
being largely identified and con-
nected with the business of manufact-
uring American agricultural machln-
cry, business which had at that time
more than $200,000.000 invested in the
manufacture of various kinds of farm
ing machinery. was quick to catch on
to every word that Mr.. Blaine uttered
during the conversation. l saw
in it policy that would put
in motion the wheels of nearly every
manufacturing establishment in the
United States; that would give employ
ment to the great mass of American
wOrkingmen; that would further the
interests of the American farmer, and
the last words that Garfield had spoken
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