The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-07
HARR[SON'S PLEDGE.
sECREr CONFERENCE WITH ELL
KINs AT INDIANAPOLI IN 1888.

KrrIs AT INDIANAPOLIS IN 1888.
The Indiana Aspirant Promised
Blaine's MeneRer That If Nominated
He Would Not Oppose the Maine
Man in 1892
Political circles here, says an Iudianapo-
lis special to the Republic, are discussing
the pledge which Blaine's friends say was
given by President Harrison to Elkins In
1855. The story, as told by gentleman
who was prominently identified with the
campaign of 'SS as a speaker and party
counselor,s but who is now enthusiastic in
his support of Blaine, is here given sub
stantlally in his own words:
Steve Elkins arrived in this city on Fri
| day, June Is, 1888, and was driven directly
! to Harrison's home. The outlook for the
| presidential nomination was considered in
| all its bearings, and Harrison was assured
OF the kindly feeling which the friends of
| Blaine, who was then in Europe, had for
| him as compared with the other candidates.
| and that Blaine would not accept the nomi-
nation. he said that Blaines health was
SO broken that he could not possibly stand
the mental worry incident to q campaign,
and that his friends were more solicitous
/ about future nomination when he should
be fully restored by rest and recreation than
about the present, which neither he nor
they desired.
ELKINs TACTICS.
| Elkins went from here to Chicago and
began the tactics with which the public is
familiar and which so disguised the adher>
ents of Harrison. During the struggle,
however, Harris on said nothing against
Elkins, and when the nomination had been
| contaminated and Elkins returned here
| June 30, ne was recsived as the honored
guest at the Harrison homestead. The inn
| mediate friends of the presidential Candl-
| date were very much surprised at the cordi-
atty with which Elkins was received, but
attributed it to the fact that Harrison was
DESTROYS OF conciliatng the friends of
Blaine, aud in this light it WAS viewed as an
evidence of his political sagacity.
HARRIsoN's PLEDGE.
Harrison saw the point which Elkins had
so deity made, and on the formers first
visit in his blunt way, said: "Mr. Blaine,
then, is not q candidate, but should he be
restored to health he may desire the nomi-
nation four years hence" He was assured
that such was a fact. Harrison then re-
ferred to the distinguished services of
Blaine TO his country and his party, and
gave Elkins to understand that If he were
nominated at the approaching convention,
and Blaine should survive and be restored
to health. he would gladly relinquish any
claims that he might have on the party at
the end of four years in Blalne's
favor. During Elkins' second visit
Harrison renewed the pledge that
he had given, and did it with such apparent
earnestness that Elkins returned home per-
fectly satisfied. Through him Harrison
sent the invitations to Blaine to visit the
state during the campaign, aud IL possible
make speeches in several Of the most popu~
lous cities In discussing the future of the
. | ri thar Of frIanda
Elkins told the story of his conferences with
Harrison and declared that it was his inten-
ton from the first to turn the Blaine en-
thusiasm to Earrison's account, but the
> tactics invoked were necessary in order to
, secure complete acquiescence in the ulti-
mate selection by the convention.
? Harrison and his friends regarded Blaine's
participation in the campaign IN Indiana
with suspicion, and as soon as it was decided
upon took steps to prevent it. Correspond
, ence was begun between Kitchener, who had
= charge of the arrangements for speakers il
y this state, and members of the nationa
L | campaign committee, and the thought wa
10 expressed that Blaine's visit would iujur
q rather than advance Harrisons prospect
J, and especially as it was desirable not T.
o dwell too strongly upon the tariff in politice
l. discussions The committee promptly can
o celled three of the five dates which had bee
II made for Blaine.
70 OvRRSHADowED BY BLAINE.
y When this became known a protest wa
. received by Huston from members of tn
Q national committee, and the change in tn
:, programme was attributed to the enmit
a John c. New was known to feel for Blaine
y In order to counteract the ill-feeliug whic
= tho correspondence had then engendered
5 Chairman Huston was obliged 70 ask tina
u the original dates be restored and Blain
:. speak as first arranged by the committee
~ The appearance of Blaine in this city wa
= a complete corToboration of all that Elkin
= had said regarding his popularity with tn
- party, and on every hand Harrison saw
Il himself overshadowed by the man fror
Maine In the private conference at hi
home he discussed matters relating to tn
;, campaign, but. it is said, made no allusio
:. to the visit of Elkins or tn
l. I. promises which he had then mad
= with respect to the nomination of $50;
IL Blaine was, of course, silent upon tho
., subject. and it is not known that 1t has eve
y, been mentioned between tho President an
VA his secretary, though 1t has been the subjeC
of correspondence during the past few week
" between Elkins and some of Blaine's friend
y, in this city. In this correspondence Elkir
- reiterates the statement that Harriso
40 promised not to be in the way of Blair
70 should he be restored TO health, and says
81 is claimed, that he is surprised that Il
~ President has not spoken before this on til
10 subject OF a denomination and declined {
"a be considered a candidate.