The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-28

"'u iht li'httS- Elaine
and Algcr. Cleveland and Palmer.
Special Correspondcucc.l
WASHINGTON. May l9.-Haying re-
Gently given the diatribes Of "a certain
capital cynic, | now take up Il more
cheerful though equally delicate topic
by repeating for yonr entertainment, if
not for your instruction, the predictions
of a political prophet. You have all met
the prophet--the man who always knows
precisely what is going to happen in
conventions and elections, the man who
is never troubled by doubts, whose pro.
grammes are in his opinion both SYM
metrical and infallible. lie is AS a rule
II pleasant man to talk to. hut one whose
prophecies 1t is not profitable to mdorse
with wagers. The political prophet |
have III mind is ii senator of the United
States, Il man who usually knows good
deal and is not at all backward about
telling it.
This is going to be a great year in
the political world" he began; lit is to
be the year in which james &. Blaine is
To be elected president Of the United
States. For sixteen years this maj
Blaine has been the idol of a large sec
ton of his party. They have followed
him with bind infatuation, with de-
voted persisiency. His name has been
enough during all these years to open
their Threats and send their hats flying
in the air. Through four national con
,entions and one election they have hur-
rahed for HIM, and still he is no: prcsi-
dent.
'Thc effort to make Blaine president
has become more than Il movement in
this country-it is "A cauSe. Hundreds
of thousands Of his admirers would
make almost any personal sacrifice to
secure his election. They have hoped
and hoped in vain SO long that many of
them have become fatalists, like Blaine
himself. During the campaign of 1884,
when every one else was saying that
Blaine would be elected, Mr.. Blaine
himself said to Mr.. Ciarkson, OF the ma
tional committee: Do you know. CLARK
son, that | have II conviction that | shall
never be president? Something will al
ways happen TO keep me from it, Just as
something always has happened.' Clark
son laughed at his fears, but remembered
them the day after election. when it wa
seen 800 votes IN the state Of New York.
affected apparently by II of the trivial
accidents of politics, had turned the
scale against Blaine.
Mr.. Blaine's own fatalism has had
wide echo throughout the country. Men
say of him, Another Henry Clay, the
idol of his party, but never to be prcsl-
dcut.' This year, | say, even fatalism is
to be c~onfounled, for the admirers Of
Blaine are 10 DE happy at la,t-he is to
be elected president.
"lic will be nominated at Minneapolis,
not by acclamation, but on the first roll
call, with 600 voters ont of 900. He will
accept. Cleveland will he the opposition
candidate. Without Blaine ON the Re-
publican ticket | doubt it Cleveland
could he nominated 1T Chicago. The
two-thirds rule and the opposition of
Hill in New York would defeat him and
give the nomination to German. to
Palmer or TO Morrison. But the nomi-
nation OF Blaine will make the nomina-
ton of Cleveland imperative. Blaine
and Cleveland are the greatest leaders
OF their respective parties. When one
is put mp the other must be. The Demo
Gratis have no other man big enough to
size up alongside Blaine"
While you are at it," remarked to
my friend, the prophet, ''you may as
we'll tell nc whVarc TO be nominated for
,.. .,I.. 80. H.. .,,. Ill =. :,
Very WE'LL he replied, NOT AZ all
abaahrd. The Republican ticket will
be Blaine and Algcr. Already the pins
have been set mp for Il is selection. The
Minneapolis convention viii he simply II
ratification meeting. Blaine and Alger,
the east and the west, the civilian and
the soldier. ON the other sid" it will b.
Cleveland and Palmer. Again the east
aud the west; again the civilian and the
soldier.
''ln the campaign Mr.. Blaine will be
seen only at Boston and New York, and
there he will merely show himself, max
ing no speeches. Mr.. Cleveland will do
"A great deal of travelling about the n
try. The great battle will be fought in
New York. though Indiana and Con
n"ecticut will, ;s usual, be bitterly con
tested. The Democrats will carry In
diana and Connecticut. They will make
a vigorous effort to carry both Illinois
and Wisconsin, but will not quite sue
coed. The Republicans will carry New
York by 1000 votes, and Mr.. Blaine
will DC elected"
Before | could recover from my AS
tOnishmcnt at the dOgunatir and whole
sale manner in which tho prophet was
disposing Of men, of states, parties and
thrones, lie resumed:
'Nor is this all. Mr.. Blaine will mot
serve out his term. In less than two
years the condition Of his health will
compel HIM to resign, and he will thus
step into II unique position in our history
the only man who ever resigned the
first Office III the gift of the American
people. General Alger will become
president. When Nh. Blaine becomes