Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-05-29
POLITICIANS AT SEA.
Awful Uncertainty on tho Eve Of the ~
tional Convention
The DISTRACING BLAINE PUZZLE.
Senator Morgsn's Notes OF Warning -
Observation-Disclosures, Hin. and
the Situation Ia Now York.
from Our Regular Correspondent

tons arc concerned; and opinions IN po-
litical circles here differ as widely as could
well be imagined. A month ago it was not
generally supposed that President Harri-
son would have any serious opposition IN
his party for a denomination, but
now the clouds are gathering over him,
and the President appears TO be in some
danger. The attitude Of Secretary Blaine
is .puzzling in tho extreme. IL was
thought that his February letter took him
completely out of the race, but not only
are the big leaders among the Republicans
trying to compel tho Secretary OF
State TO take the nomination,
but many contend that hc will
with rush. On the other hand, some Of the
best-posted Republicans are Of the opinion
that Mr.. Blaine IS simply playing the ma
| nipulator in the interest of President Harri-
| son, and that the silence of the former when
| the papers are full of his revived boom
and the heel-horses are trying to land
the prize for him means that at tho
proper moment another refusal Will como
| from the man from Maine that he cannot
| be the candidate. In other words, 1t 10
held that sir. Blaine IS merely taking the
silent attitude TO prevent any other CON-
binatIon from being formed against the
President
|
to the effect that the Republicans are re-
| duced to the Blaine or bust" extremity,
| and that the great majority OF the leaders
| believe that Blaine is the only man who
can save the poor old party from utter
rout and ruin at the coming cleo
ton. There is another class-and 10 Is Q
| large one-who believe that Harrison Is
not q winner this time. They look upon
| him as a cold-blooded President who has
disappointed "the boys" and his renomi-
nation would not awaken enthusiasm.
THE BLAisE MAGNETISM.
There can DO no doubt, however, that
| Clarkson, Quay. Cameron, Piatt, Ffisy,
and great many others are dong their
utmost to nominate some one else other
than Harrison. but 1t is question whether
| or not they can succeed at this late day
certainly not with any one else but Blaine.
The average Republican imagines that
| Blaine has superhuman political strength.
His very name il magic TO their ears. They
are wildly for him. and you can hear
Blaine-tak everywhere. No man since
Henry Clay IN either party seems to arouse
the enthusiasm or have the great personal
following that Blaine has. III he would do
nothing to put a stop to the move
ment he could walk clear away with
the nomination at Minneapolis. II IS
useless to tell his Republican admirers
and shouters that he is practically physi-
cal wreck; that ne ls emaciated IN form
and pinched In features: that he moves
about with a lethargy in sharp contrast
to MS former snap vigor. or that ne
il not likely to live year and
NAV pass away before the election.
The Republicans are SO Wild Tor
him and take So much stock IN his
vote-getting qualities that they seem 10
think his ghost would make great race II
he were out OF the flesh.
Mr.. BLAINE's AMBITION.
Persons who belive Mr.. Blame may con-
sent to take the nomination contend That
his health Is not as poor as II was. Others
of his party who DO not relish the pro-
posed side-tracking of President Harrison
contend that the family of the Secretary
of State are urging him TO shy ms
castor into the ring. Mrs. Blame 10 SAID
TO be an ambitious woman, who regards
her husband as the most powerful
man in the party. and sho wants
him to run regardless OF consequences.
Many Democrats talk as II 1t would be
nothing short OF infamous for Blaine,
! while member of the Presidents CABINET,
to take the nomination away, from MN.
} Democrats are, however, divided IN their
4 beliefs as 10 whether Blaine or Harrison
5 would DO the moro formidable oppo-
) nenC for our own party 10 meet.
: Generally speaking. they admit that
4 HARRISON is harder man to beat than he
D was four years ago, as be has the power OF
: the government behind him. Blame. they
3 also admit. IS much stronger than ne ne was
in 1884 when no was vanquished by Cleye-
land, and tho sober second thought
tells Democrats that Cleveland is
no stronger proportIonately than he
/. was In 1888. when he was whipped IN
ms own State of New York by General
Harrison. It's q mixed situation, and IL Is
not drawing 1t too strongly to say that the
| of 0nOnt
= confused as are the leaders OF the other
9 party.
SIGNIFICANT UTIERAsCEs.
I The revival of tho free-coinage-of-silver
a question IN the Senate this week by be
able, distinguished. and PROMINENT
= Democrat Is Mr.. Morgan, OF Alabama, has
!. dreadfuly agltated some OF tho closest
!. friends OF ex-Presldent Cleveland, and the
a fact that Senator Morgan stated IN sc
3 pointed way in his speech OF THURSDAY
h that the nomination Of gold-standard mel
v by both parties would cause Q breal
a ing up of the old lines was regarded mere
{ as most significant. Indeed, Senator Nor
{ litical utterances of the late lamentec
8 Senator Barbour. of Virginia, expressed
8 the belief that Cleveland, on account
Z of his anti-silyer views, weuld drive thou
: sands of people out Of the Democratic
h party and could not possibly DO elected.
s Senator Morgan does not believe that the
}. Democrats will nominate Cleveland ana nc
has plenty of company. There are dozens
of Others who think be ought not to b'
n nominated, but yet quite NUMBER lea
that he may be.
y Senator Morgan has always been an In
r tense admirer Of Mr.. Cleveland. The
"a were intimate personal and polltlca
!" friends when Mr.. Cleveland was Presi
- dent. His remarks on Thursday wer'
| ~. q tpa
! ply valves personal considerations Tor TN
:, sske of sounding what he believes to b
a the proper warning to his party At the rish
tt time.
POSSIBLE EFFECT.
y. The silver fight is surely on again. bu
N the chances are O vote will not bs taken II
b | the Senate until after both national con
yentions have completed their work: IL !
A. thought that the free-coinage bill Will Ger
az tainly pass tine Senate, and ii it does, AM
"a Harrison is reAominated then . d.
"a termined effort will DO made to pas
the bill in the House. Many Deme
r. Gratis who arc willing TO let the question
n. rest now would be only too glad to SEND
d free-coinsge bill TO the White House IN tn
event Harrison is once more the nomipc
st of bis party. He would be compelled :
g. veto ID. but no matter what he might q
es no would be greatly damaged IN certa'
r, sections of the country.
WILL STAND BIZ HILL.
,e New York politicians assert positiyei
A. that Tammany Hall, and in fact the Who'll
IS New York delegation will stand by Sens
1t tor: Hill at the Chicago convention
of long as he is IN the race. The "cond
az tionaln Democrats who are TO have . pow
n wow at Syracuse next Tuesday have rer
I'd dsred this a certainty by their actor
ID Their convention, as has been predicts
ty all along, will be sorry nzzie, &c
the reason that mere handf,
of alleged Democrats have taken part !
the primaries, and 1t is now said that q 7,
kickers do not dare senda contesting DEL
cation to Chicago. They are simply goin
81 to meet and protest. A prominent Ne
n Yorker eays that the real nghs I'M
!al Grace and Fairchild have been maxim
100 has been with . view OF gettir
'c- up a local organization in the cil
ne 20 run candidates against Tarnmar
I'D for mayor and other officers. Senator II
100 stands by TAmmany. and Is Tammany.
nd largely dependent on the Legislature 4
%. fsyors. its leaders are bound TO stand
IN ~ a.. ,,er v,ko has thu grin on thin