The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-29
Republican Masses Cry to Him
to Lead to Victory.
HE HAS SEVEN HUNDRED VOTES.
General Belief in Washington City Is
That He Will be the Candidate.
He Returns to the Capital, and tho
President Goes to Rochester-Colone
Ingersoll Thinks Blaine and Harri.
SON Have Split.

WASHINGTON CRY. May 2s-[special. +
Secretary and Mrs. Blaine returned to
Washington City from New York this
evening.
The seat of war in the Republican presi-
Dental contest will soon be transferred
from Washington City and New
York to Minneapolis. By Wednes-
day Of next week the members
of the Republican national committee will
have arrived in the convention city and
the greater number Of the lieutenants of
the presidential and vice-presidential can
didates. In Washington City today there
IS scarcely any other subject than the Re-
publican presidential contest discussed.
The light has narrowed down to a bit
ter one on the part of the presidents
friends. They assert that the president
viii be kept in the race until the finish,
and that if he is not renominated he will
be able to prevent the selection of Secre-
tary Blaine with any degree of unanimity.
The friends OF Secretary Blaine say they
have assurances from 100 delegates that
they will vote for Blaine from the start to
the finish in the convention, provided he
remains silent as to whether he
will accept the nomination or not.
The Blaine men claim that upward
of 100 of these 700 delegates were pledged
to Harrison in the different state conven-
tions, but nearly every one of this number
has written to Chairman Clarkson and
other prominent Blaine men, stating
that had they had any idea that
the man from Maine would ac-
ha
not have been instructed for Harrison at
any time. Now they propose to disregard
their instructions for Harrison, as some of
them write that they believe the sentiment
of the party is in favor Of Blaine; further
more, that he will be much stronger
vote-getter than the president or any other
man considered in the list of presidential
possibilities at this time.
The attention of Secretary Elkins was
called to this matter by a prominent
Blaine man, and Elkins was disincliued to
admit that the Blaine men had any posi-
tive assurances that 700 votes would go to
him in the convention. He said, further
more, that there was little possibility that
Blame would accept. for the reason that
the nomination would probably not come
to him unanimously, and enough delegates
would stand by Harrison to prevent any
such action in the'conyention. Secretary
Elkins' visitor, however, asked him if he
supposed for minute that ii 700 delegates
voted for Blaine the remaining delega-
tions would stick to Harrison or any other
man. Elkins replied that this would be
an unlikely course, and he said to his
visitor that he did not want him to con-
slider for a minute that he was opposed to
Blaine's nomination.
The politicians are today discussing the
fact that ex-Speaker Reed has come out
squarely for Blaine. This is considered
very significant from the fact that the ex-
speaker and Mr.. Blaine have never been
friends. Mr.. Reed Is going to Min
neapolis. and he is going to
do characteristic work in opposition
to Harrison. He stated to the visitors from
Iowa today that he considered that the
Minneapolis convention would be one of
the liveliest in the history of the
party. He said that a few weeks
ago it looked very much like Harrison, and
therefore a very tame affair. Now the
situation had changed materially, and the
certainty of the presidents defeat after an
energetic fight on the part of his support
ers at Minneapolis would make the con-
vention really exciting. 1t is claimed
that since Chairman Clarkson returned
to New York he has positive
assurances from Secretary Blaine that he
would accept the nomination, and that
Chairman Clarkson will announce this to
the national Republican committee at the
first meeting of that body to be held in
Minneapolis next week.
The general opinion in Washington
City is that Secretary Blaine will secure
the nomination without any great effort
on the part of those who are supporting
him. and there is not any question that he
will make the race.
Chairman Clarkson is quoted as saving
that Tom Reed would probably be tenn
porary and Governor Mckinley perma.
nent chairman of the Republican national
convention.
new YORK, May oS.-About II o'clock
this forenoon Chairman J. S. Clarkson, of
the Republican national committee, ex-
Senator Fassett, of New York, and Chaun-
cey l. Filley, of St. Louis, called
on Blaine at the Fifth Avenue
hotel. At o'clock this afternoon
the conference was still in progress. and a
throng of politicians in the LOBBY of the
hotel, who were nearly all Blaine's friends.
were startled by story which crept out
to the effect that Clarkson, Fassett and
Filley were urging by all the arguments
at their command that Blaine give his
friends some assurance of his willing n ess
TO run. Blame declined to do so, how.
ever, so il was said, until he had consulted
with President Harrison, which he will do
on the !atter's return from Rochester
on Tuesday. In the meantime il is
reported that Clarkson and Fassett are
going to see the president at Rochester,
and lay before him the exact condition OF
affairs. They will represent that the
growing sentiment in Blaine's favor de.
mands his nomination, and the presiden;
will be asked to throw his support tc
Blaine if the opposition TO his own candi-
dacy prevents his own denomination at
Minneapolis. II is said that this plan has
been partially accepted by Blaine,
but that he will not declare him
self either way until he has
had a final interview with Presiden;
Harrison. If the president does not agree
10 the plan, il is said 10 De reasonably
certain that Blaine will use his mos;
powerful argument 10 bring about a sec.
oad term for the president. The signifi-
canoe OF these reports, which appear TO be
reasonably reliable. is that they dissipase
the theory that Blaine has secretly op-
posed Harrison.