The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-10
Physical Inability to Perform the Duties of His
Office Given as the Reason Of His Coming
Retirement from the Cabinet
Will Probably Soon Go to the Bermudas
or Cuba for the Benefit of His Health.
Delegation of Canadian officials at the Capital
Seeking Reciprocity Investi.
CATION of the Pension Bureau.


Boon on AccOuuS oi heoitn.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 9.--"Secretary Blaine's
resignation from the Cabinet will. after
a reasonab BILE interval, follow his letter of
withdrawal as presidential possibility"
The above was told the journal CORE
spondent tonight By one of Mr.. Blaine's
most intimate. personal and political
friends-a gentleman in private life, who
has the fullest confidence of the dis
tinguished Secretary of State. and who
had long conference with him on Sunday
and probably again to-day.
The Journal correspondent has not i'm
parted the information to any one con-
nected with President Harrlson's admins
tration, directly or remote. SO that it Is
given upon my own responsibility. as is
also the following. which Is CLEANED from
the same source, namely. Mr.. Blaine's con-
fidental friend. Only the date at which
the resignation shall be rendered remains
undetermined. Mr.. Blaine. If he follows
his personal inclination, would tender the
President his resignation at once. but he
realizes that such an act, following i'm
mediately upon his letter to Chairman
Clarkson. would be widely misinterpreted,
and would be construed by the opponents
of the Republican party either as an act
OF pique or as indicating serious
differences between the Presidents and his
Premier. Therefore Mr. Blaine will post
pone his resignation from the Cabinet un-
til time enough shall have elapsed to sep
arate in the public mind that act from his
announcement that his name would not
20 before the Republican national conven-
tion for the presidential nomination. The
reason which Secretary Blame will give to
the President for retiring from the Cabinet
will be that of physical inability to con-
tinue to perform the arduous and exacting
duties of his present office. This is. in
fact. the true reason for Mr.. BIaine's de-
termination to withdraw entirely from
official life. Other motives may and doubt
less will be assigned by his critics for his
action. but it will really be based upon his
precarIOus health.
MAY GO TO CUBA.
It has been the hope of Mr.. Blaine for
several months to spend some of the pres
ent winter in o more equable and warmer
climate. When he left Bar Fsarbor, last
fall. 1t was with the attention of going
from Washington either to the extreme
southern part of Texas or to Mexico to
spend the winter. The Chilian imbroglio
dragged its length along till trip of SO
great extent became impracticabIe. Since
the Chilian affair has assumed less impor-
tance, 1t is stated that Mr.. Blame has ex-
pressed q desire to 60 az soon as possl BILE to
the Bermudas. and remain till the late
spring or early summer months had settled
the tickle weather of this latitude Since
that time Mr.. Blaine has also expressed O
desire to visit Cuba. and 1t is thought that
that island will be his most probable desti-
net. 1t would be curious if Mr.. Blaine,
who was in foreign land when the con.
vention Of 1888 was held, should again be
at the further end of o submarine cable,
with Mr.. Boutelle at the other. in 1892.
The determination of Mr.. Blaine to re-
tire from the Cabinet, which is here pub
licly announced for the first time, was irti-
mated yesterday by Gen. Felix Agnus, Of
Baltimore. who said in an interview: 81
should not be surprised to see Mr.. Blame
retire even from the Cabinet, Of which he
Agnus's words may be given oil the signifi-
canoe of the utterance of an intimate per-
sonal friend of Secretary Blaine. To only
q few OF these friends Is Mr.. Blaines de-
termination known tonight.
1t is. of course. too early to speculate as
to who may succeed Mr.. Blaine as Secre-
tary of State. The name of ex-senator
Edmunds. of Vermont. naturally suggests
itself. because of his known intimacy with
the President and his great experience in
public affairs, but it will be remembered
that Mr.. Edmunds assigned his own pre-
carious health as his reason for resigning
from the Senate. New York already has q
member of the Cabinet. which would seem
to debar from consideration the name of
ex-senator Evsrts. who was Secretary of
State under President Hayes. It is thoug ght
more probable that the President would
look to the West for q successor to Secre-
tary Blame. And it is suggested that he
might find it good politics to select man
from Illinois In this connection the name
OF Robert 7. Lincoln. who was Secretary of
War under President Arthur, and who is
now United States minister to the Court
of Sc. James, is mentioned as that of man
who might be recalled and promoted to the
head of the State Department. The most
important subject, after reciprocity. now
before that department is the Behring sea
question. with which Minister Lincoln's
duties during the past three years have
made him thoroughly familiar.
PERRY s. HEATH.