The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-23
The Political Situation as Seen by
the Men Opposed to
Harrison. "
Blaine Becoming an Impossibilit,
and Sherman Anxious But
Not Wanted.
Tho Bosses SEQ mo- Way Ont Of the Darh
But to Take the Minister
to England.

| are on the anxious edge as the time for the
meeting of the national convention ap-
proaches. The anti Harrison mon in con-
gress are oaucusinp daily and planning
schemes to defeat the renomination of the
present occupant Of the White house. II
Blaine would consent tho way Of the ant.-
Harrison people would be clear and easy,
but bla'ns does not consent, and these who
saw him in tho senate recently are incline d
to think that it would be little short OF
murder to force nomination upon him.
There ia no doubt at all that Blaine cordially
hates Harrison and that he is anxious that
Harrison should not be rsnomin ated. but
the anti Harrison mon toll Blaine that nm
less he consents to take the nomination
himself the chances are good that Harrison
VIII be renominatsd. Blaine says that he
does not want the nomination and tells
everyone SO, and what is now troubling the
anti-Harrison leaders ia the reflection that
II Blaine should be nominated anyhow at
Minneapolis he would decline, and then the
convention in disgust would nominate
Harrison.
For few days it looked as if the oppon-
ents OF the president would unite on John
sherman, but, with his usual luck, the
opponents of Sherman arc almost as many
and as powerful as the opponents of Harri-
son. Sherman, although he has declared
sundry times within the past couple of
years that he was entirely cured of the
presidential fever, became intensely ad-
dicted to the old disease again the moment /
that 1t was suggested that he stood chance
OF being nominated. He sent runners all
over Ohio; hs made friends of the Cincin-
natl Commercial Gazette; he hold out the
olive branch to Whitelaw Reid: no had q
conference with Tom Plat; he patted
Dudley on the shoulder; he smiled
at several delegations of Grand Army
men. and in every way that hs could
tried to make himself the logic of the anti
Harrison situation. John still thinks that
ne IL IN 1t. bat the knowing politicians say
that between Harrison and Sherman, Har-
rlson would be an easy winner. Robert
Lincoln is still the dark horse. As stated
before, Blaine is undoubtedly the choice,
but Blaine is giving very poor satisfaction
TO the nti-HarrisOn people and is becou-
ing moro anamiabls daily.
The secretary of state has habit of
snubbing and cutting his old friends that
sometimes makes their heads swim. He
tells them that he docs not want the nomi-
nation; that no does not owe the party
much anyhow; that they allowed him to be-
beaten in 1884, would not give him unan-
inous nomination in 1888, and that he il
Indifferent now "a to what they do ut Min
neapolis. He has let the bosses know, how
ever, that be would not tolerate the nomi-
nation of Reed, and from all accounts has
passed the word along the line to his friends
that the Reed boom should bs out of early
and securely. Reed of course would not
smile sersnely 1T the nomination of Blaine.
but he has stated within the last few davs
that between Blaine and Harrison he would
rather soe Blaine noMinated; that while he |
hates Blaine he has q contempt for Harri-
son. and he would prefer the man he hates |
to tho man that he has a contempt for.
AlQer still thinks that he is a possibility. !
and is willing to put money in the enter |
prise. but the bosses are afraid that his war |
record will smash things during the cam
paiRn. just now it looks to the intelligent |
observer as if the nomination of the repub- |
licans would 90 to one of three men, Blaine.
Harrison or Lincoln. Unless Blaine posi-
lively declines, or. rather. informs his
friends that he would decline the nomins-
lion. he will be nominated. If Blaine tells
Joe Manley Or Platt that under no consid-
'ration will he accept the nomination, the
'hanoea are that the opponents of Harri-
lon will unite on Lincoln.