Omaha daily bee., 1892-05-26
WORK OF BLAINE'S ENEMIES
Opinion of Kansas Congressman on the
Presidential Situation,
SILENCE IS HIS ONLY RECOURSE
Representative Funston Thinks tho Man
from Maine Was sincere In his
Declination aud Has no Desire
To Take Further Steps.
WASHINGTON BUREAU OF The BEE,
hlQ EnI.nrrrNru SrREEr

WASHINGTON BUREAU OF IHE BEE, /
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May %.
III verify believe they are the enemies Of
our party, the democrats themselves who
are pushing MIR. Blaine most vigorously to
the front for the presidential nomination
just now," said Representative Funston Of
Kansas this afternoon. Mr.. Funston is one
of the most influential republicans in the far
west. He was chairman of the committee on
agriculture in tho house, is farmer and
stands close to the rural republicans. Be-
sides he halls from state which has long
been the banner Blaine state and is now a
warm friend of the distinguished statesman
from Maine.
Mr. Funston continued: "Aarrisons has
been the cleanest and strongest admiristra-
tion since Washington. With him at the
head Of our ticket again we can be aggres-
sive, while with any other man under the
circumstances we will be on the defensive.
Mr.. Harrison is the strongest man in our
party, not excepting MIR. Blaine He carried
New York in 1889, while my good friend
from Maine lost it in 1854. There will be no
mugwumpnR on Harrison. 1 have been q
friend of Mr.. Blaine for a long time and am a
friend OF his now, and as his friend 1t pro-
vokes me beyond measure to observe his old
time enemies attempting to put him in the
unfortunate attitude of writing a second let
ter, either taking back or affirming the state
ments made in his letter to Mr. Clarkson. 1t
must be borne in mind that after tho street
talk iof the passing days has disappeared
from the public mind entirely the letters
written by MIR. Blaine in connection with
important events in his life will survive and
become part OF his personal history.
Mr.. Blaines Only Course.
"When this fact is considered it at once
becomes obvious that Mr.. Blaine can neither
retract what he has said nor reaffrm 1t. Re-
traction would be equivant to positive proof
that the charges of duplicity and insincerity
heretofore so emphatically made by Mr..
Platt and his associates against Mr.. Blaine
were advisedly made. 1t would be equally
unfortunate to reaf1irm what has been said.
Such reaffirmance would presuppose ques-
tons as to his veracity in the public mind
and when his history happened to be writer
ii would indicate that in his last days Mr..
Blaine was oppressed by the hallucnation
that somebody was constantly trying to force
him to be president, and inspired by this con-
ceit he continued to write series of letters
protesting that he would not accept.
Again, under existing conditions, accept
aDce OF the nomination by Mr.. Blaine would
be so offensive to large number Of repub-
licans whose party affiliations are not of the
strongest that his defeat would be inevitable
Presidential Qualifications.
'There are many people who believe that
the president of the United States should be-
n.
truthful, Should MIR. Blame allow himself
to become candidate or encourage his own
nomination or accept the nomination he
would obviously be open to the charge that
his letter to MIR. Clarkson was written for
the express purpose of deceiving the presi-
dent aud his friends to the end that he might
remain In the councils and confidence of Mr..
Harrison up to the date of the convention.
No friend Of Mr. Blaine is willing
to believe that he is capable of such lnfamy;
however, such inslnuations are in pc feet
keeping with the previous action and state
ments of many Of the men who are now seek
ing 70 have MIR. Blaine stultify himself and
they are charging by innuendo for their own
selfish purposes at this time the very things
they have been charging, directly or indi-
rectly, against him throughout his political
career. Silence is Mr.. Biaine's only protec-
tion from his enemies, the enemies of the
publican party who seek merely to use his
name to conlure with, regardless of the ter
rible consequence to Mr.. Blaine's reputation
should he prove to be what they hope he
may prove to be.h
How Harrison Might BE Defeated.
Colonel William Coggswell of Massa-
chusetts is an influential repu blican member
OF the house. He was elected mayor of his
home city, Salem, for quite number of
years and each time reelected over his op-
ponent by an overwhelming majority but
| once, when he was defeated, his defeat being
| the result of the circulation of cruel false
| hood. On the day of his election Colonel
| Coggswell was very i'll with diphtheria. AT
| noon report was circulated over the city
| that the colonel was dead. His friends,
| feeling it was useless for him, cast their bal
| lots for another man. Before the report
| could be uegatived he was defeated by an
| overwhelming majority.
| Colonel Cogswell does not believe Presi-
dent Harrison's denomination at Minneapolis
| can be defeated except by some such
methods. If rash is made for Mr.. Blaine,
| IL will be founded on some rumor quite as
| baseless. Speaking of the outlook for the
convention Colonel Cogswell said this after
| noon Judging by the sentiment IN my
section of the country the denomination of
| President Harrison is not only expected but