The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-19
HARRISON A BEATEN MAN
Qualification Of the Anti -Administra-
tionists at the Headway Al
ready Achieved.
They Had an Important Meeting
at Senator Cameron's House
Last Week.
John sherman Selected rs the Man Around
Whom They Can RaIly-The
Other Names.

AAo"ePaPet OEkhAs WHO hT3 engaged In the
unerateful tnak OF bslittling the import
ancs of the political conference which tool
place in this city last Saturday evening
/ find II necessary to make downright mis-.
statements of facts in order to oounterac q
the elect Of what took place. Some OF
these organs, moreover, 60 70 far as to state
that nothing like oonferenc took place
and that the talk between Messrs Platt and
quay WAS entirely informal, and not ar
ranged for advance. These reports onl,
served to make plain the ignorance Of those
who circulated them. The fact is th at the
conference was Of the most formal, prsar-
ranged character, and that it was called
Tor ono particular purpose, Of mapping oui
programme by which tho ambition ol
President Harrison could be defeated. The
republican managers who compared notes
ct this meeting, received reports from
friends in various parts Of the United States
who are working in harmony with them,
making a suggestion for the continuance Of
the work against Harrison. They were
highly gratifed, and indeed somewhat sur
prissd at the headway they are making and
one OF them says to-day he is not over
stating the case when he says that Harrison
is already beaten man.
The reports of the Saturday night confer
ence sent to the newspapers that print the
news were inaccurate only in one respect,
that is. in making the meeting place Of the
anti-Harrison republican managers the
house OF Senator Quay. The fact is that
Senator Cameron bad the honor of enter
tanning the ''conspirators," as they have
since been called by the Harrison organs,
and the gentlemen met al his aristocratic
old Lafayette place residence. next door TO
the house Of Mr.. Blaine. not bv accident.
but in response to written invitations.
signed by Senator Cameron, to meet Mr..
Platt. Senator Washburn was invited as
the representative of Mr.. Blaine, Senator
Stockbridge. of Michigan, as the represent
atlve OF Gen. Alger, Senator Wolcott as the
representative of any candidate to beat
Harrison, no matter what his name nav be.
and member Of the house as a supposed
supporter of the presidential aspirations Of
Thos. B. Reed.
Senat Stockhridge, who is candidate
for reelection, and thereforenot dabblinR
too much in politics just now, begged to be
excused on the ground of a prior engage
ment. Senators Washburn and Wolcott
were out of town, and the member Of the
that Senator's Cameron and Quay and Mr.,
Platt were the only "conspirators' present.
They were In earnest, however, in their de-
sire to bring about the defeat Of Mr.. Harri-
son at any cost, and before separating
agreed that their task was not so difficult
as it might at first appear to be. AT the out
set 1T was conceded that Mr.. Blaine was the
man the country wanted and the one who
could be nominated by acolamation if he
would be content to sit still and let things
take their natural course. Mr.. Plat ex-
pressed his entire friendliness to Mr..
Blaine, and as for the Pennsylvania sena-
tors, it was not necessary for them to saw
be for the man from Maine as Loyalty an il
alway had been.
Of course, however, it would not do for
Blaine to be a candidate at this time, and
indeed, the statement was made in the con-
ference on the authority of close personal
and political friend Of Mr.. Blaine that be-
fore the meeting OF the Minneapolis con-
vention letter would be penned by him
supplemental to tho one which he wrote to
Mr.. Clarkson in the winter, and which
would make it absolutely useless for
his friends to attempt to make a
candidate Of him. In view of this state
ment 1t was agreed, after a long discussion
Of the merits Of many possible candidates.
that Sherman was the man who seemed to
be the strongest and most available. With
New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio to start
with, he would make most formidable
candidate. These states, it was said, he
could have for the asking in case his candi-
dacy should promise the strength necessary
to nominate him, and the only question at
all was about Ohio.
After the matter WAS fully tallsed over it
was decided TO send an agent to Ohio, not
to have Foraker promise to nominate Sher-
man in the convention, aa has been stated,
but to sec whether he and his friends would
agree to give Sherman honest and loyal
support. Mr.. Platt, who was particularly
friendly to Sherman, at the outset of the
talk expressed his unalterable opposition to
Harrison, and when Senator Hiscock's
statement that he should vote for the prasi-
dents denomination was quoted to him Mr.
Platt remarked that Hiscock's support
that perhaps it would be we'll for the New
York senator to go little slow, in view of
the fact that he had 81 pretty large fight on
hand to secure his reelection.
A suggestion was made at the conference
in the interest of the candidacy of Mr |
was convinced that he had good chance
and that if the support Of New York were
promised at the outset he could secure such !
a large portion of the New England dele
CATION as to make him 81 most formidable
candidate. Mr.. Patt, while expressing his
great admiration for Mr.. Reed said he did |
not think he would develop sufficient
strength IN view OF tho peculiar condition
of things in Maine and for other seasons.
30 warrant the republicans in putting him
up as the proper man to beat Harrison.
Fhe Pennsylvania senators agreed i'll this
view of the case, and while they were per-
,onally US friendly to Mr.. Reed as Mr..
Platt was they did not think it wise to take
lp such conspicuous friend and advocate
)f the force bill ag tho ax-speuker.
The claims of Gen. Aleer were also CON
'iderod, but the Michigan man was talked
If chiefly rs an ally in the cause of defeat
ng Harrison. 1t was generally conceded