The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-18
Blaine or Harrison ?

Not more than a month ago various re-
/ publican newspapers edited their readers
! with succulent and saccharine scraps Of
news from the national capital, showing
how perfect was the peace and harmony
existing between the President and Mr.
Blaine. Most positively was it asserted
that il Mr.. Blaine had the least idea that
the President desired to succeed himself. he
would not, under any circumstances, be a
candidate against him; it would not be
showing his superior the difference due il
he were TO do otherwise. On the other
hand, it was said in equally positive Ian
guage that Gen. Harrison's high appreciA-
ton of Mr.. Blaine's craftsmanship, not to
mention the exalted personal esteem he
felt for the secretary, would prompt him to
Blaine would intimate a desire to succeed
TO the chief magistrscy.
On the face of the returns it looked as
though 1t would be difficult to get either to
run, for fear the others feelings would be
wounded. An ideal state of brotherly love
prevailed-in print-and good Brother
Wanamaker smiled benignantly.
But the beauty Of the situation existed
only in print. it seems. The "innermost in
wardness" Of it was full Of personal ambi-
ton. aud each principal all along was
watching an opportunity to consign the
politically dead bones Of his opponent TO the
whited sepulcher. Friends Of each party
have been at work in various sections, and
at last a breach has come which means an
open contest between the President and Mr.
Blaine for the favor of the Minneapolis con-
vention. And, to the perturbation Of Mr..
Wanamaker, the patronage in Pennsyl-
vania is the cause Of it, and the Philadel-
phia primary election was the vehicle that
brought the issue to the front.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, republican,,
in a leading editorial the day before the
primary characterized the contest as dis
tinctively a test of strength between Mr.
Blaine and the President. The candidates
for delegates to the convention were recog-
nized as representing the President or the
secretary. and on that issue were elected or
rejected.
On the same day-the day before the
primary-the treasury department in Wash
ington sent to Philadelphia authority for
the suspension OF fifteen employees whose
offense was that they had made an offen-
sive use Of their positions in antagonism to
the interests Of the administration" mean
ing the President. These employees, it ap-
pears. were the political proteges Of Quay
aud Cameron.
In this connection, and giving additional
light on the subject, the Washington cor
respondent of the Inquirer says: 1T can
be stated on the highest authority that the
President has determined that persons ap-
pointed by the administration upon the
recommendation OF senators or repre-
sentatives, and who then used their offices
for their own purposes in hostility to the
administration, shall not be permitted to
remain in the service of the government In
abiding TO this matter the President re-
marked to q member of his cabinet that he
had compiled in almost every instance with
the wishes of Senator Quay and others, and
that in return for this consideration he has
found that these persons have been and are
using their positions to bring the admins
trstion into dsfavor with the people for
their own political ends"
Further, it is declared to be the purpose
OF the meaning the Presi-
dent-to make every government employe
show his colors," and those who assume to
remain neutral must take the conse-
quences.n This system is not to be confined
to Pennsylvania, but will also be applied TO
New York, Ohio, Massachusetts and other
states where government employees ore en-
gagged in antagoniZinG Harr ison's ambition.
Ostensibly this wrath OF the administra-
tion-still meaning the Presidents upon
the devoted heads of Quay, Cameron and
others, but really it is intended to strike
through them and puucture the Blaine
boom. They are all recognized as Blaine
men, and in the light of current events are
more than ever his Ito command"
AS the readers Of the MORNING NEWS are
aware, a number Of the delegates elected in
Philadelphia to attend the state convention
that is to elect national delegates were
instructed for Blaine, which will all the
more clearly define the line of demarkation
between the factions, and make the tyran-
ny over government employees the more
grinding. The issue henceforth is "Blaine
or Harrssonl" and it will be fought out on
that line.
Heretofore, from a concensus of ex-
pressed opinion, it has appeared that Mr.
Blaine was the favorite Of the people of his
party; what effect this utilization with
Quay, Foraker. Dudley and others of their
kind and their retinue of heelers will have
on his chances, remains TO be seen. At
any rate, the split promises to become wide
and radical, which augurs we'll for the
democracy.
The Great National Game