Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-06
HAD GARFIELD LIVED
Blaine's Reciprocity Plans Would
Have Been Consummated.
ASSASSINATION CALLED A HALT.
Colonel Conger Unfolds a Chapter of Un-
written History.
SHERMAN AND FORAKER AS RIVALS

CHICAGO, Nov. 4.-The Chicago Tribune
| will tomorrow print the following: A
| Tribsme reporter met Colonel A. L. CoDger,
| the Ohio member of the Republican Ma
tional Committee, in the city to-day, and
while discussing the principle of reciprocity
| Colonel Conger said: t'IIet me give you a
little incident which occurred during Presi-
dent Garfield's administration that hap
peped to know about. There is a little bit
of unwritten history in connection with it,
and it will do no harm to give it at this
this time. 1t shows that reciprocity was to
be the great policy to be developed in Presi-
dent Garfeld's administration, and that his
great Secretary of State was unmistakably
| its author.
tI happened to arrive in Washington on
the early morning train on the day that
Senator Conkling resigned his seat in the
| United States Senate. Upon my arrival at
| the hotel the first person 1 met was Hon.
Emory Storrs, the eloquent orator of Chi
cago, and close friend of Senator Conkling.
| remarked to Mr.. Storrs, You are an early
riser He replied, Eyes, 1 have been too
much disturbed to sleep
The Conflict Over the ColIectorship.
''He then told me that he had been with
Senator Conkling till long after midnight;
that the Senator, as was well known, was
greatly displeased with the appointment of
Mr.. Robertson as Collector 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
follow.
''We took breakfast together and discussed
the possibilities of reconciliation or the
harmonizing of the differences. 1t was
agreed that should call upon the President
at once and lay the situation before him. l
Immediately proceeded to the White House,
met President Garfield and 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
Senator's that was fair and reasonable, ex-
cept that he could not recall the appoint
ment of Senator Robertson; that he would
be glad to have Mr.. Storrs see the Senator
and bring any suggestions he might have to
offer concerning the appointments of his
friends to other positions.
Waiting for MIR. Conkling's Reply.
sT returned to the hotel and reported to
Mr.. Storrs the result of my interview with
the President. Mr.. Storrs seemed we'll salts
fed with the propositions; said he would see
Senator Conkling, and he believed hecould
get him to reconsider his determination to
resign, and should return to the White
House. inform the President that he would
see the Senator Immediately and that I
should there wait his arrival.
sI returne 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 Presi-
dent a telegram, 1t was from the Capitol,
announcing that Senstor Conkling had re-
signed his seat in.the United States Senate.
TT shall never forget the look upon Presi-
dent Garield's face when he read the tele-
garm He handed it to me and said: 1T is
up-the die is cast: Senator Conkling has
resigned his seat in the Senate and the cor
sequences, whatever they may be, must rest
with him. Nothing further can be done
now.'
& remarked to the President that I was
very sorry at the turn matters had taken;
that was fearful the Stalwart Republicans
would side with Mr. Conkling and that it
might create split in the party and defeat
his denomination. Now, mark his reply.
President Garfield's Vague Hint
'Putting his hand upon nv shoulder,
President Garfield said: Mr.. Conger, do
not be alarmed. We shall develop policy
during my administration which will make
L. ,nrfxv 11op t-sfh
the people of this country than it has ever
been since the day of its birth
"We parted, and 1 never saw poor Gar
field again. His assassination came soon
after Now. as to the policy about which
he spoke that was to become so popular
with the people. 1 visited Washington
several months after President Arthur had
taken his seat as President, with his Cab
met recognized. 1 think Mr.. Blaine at
that time was working upon his book. I
met Major Mckinley and we went together
to call and pay our respects to Mr.. Blaine.
We found him at his house and had pleas
ant chat with him for half or three-quarters
of an hour.
"During this conversation Mr.. Blaine
took up and discussed the proposed Pan
American Congress, which, he said, would
have been held and the project carried out
under the Garfield administration, and ex-
pressed his great sorrow and disappoint-
ment at the unforeseen calamity which had
prevented it He then went on to demon
strate the great advantages that would ac-
crue to this country under the proposed pol
icy which they had hoped to inaugurate.
The Policy of Reciprocity Protection.
'sHe discussed the policy of reciprocity
coupled with protection and the benefits to
accrue to the American people, and espec-
tally our manufacturers, our laboring men
and the American farmers; how it Would
provide an additional market for American
cereals, American beef and pork and Amer
ican farm machinery, etc
"Being largely identified with the bust
ness of manufacturing American agricul-
tural machinery, business in which there
was at that time more than 5000, OOO, 900 in
vested, I was quick to catch every word |
that Mr.. Blaine uttered during the CONVEX
sation. saw in it policy that would put |
in motion the wheels of nearly every manu. |
featuring 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 touching the popularity of
the policy that he would develop during his
administration flashed across my mind. I
was particular to catch all of this, because
in politics legislation which effects ones
business always attracts the greatest atten-
tion.
Had Garfield Only Lived.
81 have no doubt if GARFIELD had lived
that the same policy which Mr.. Blaine has
.x,o ta1