The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-05
SEATTLE, SUNDAY. JUNE
THE RESIGNATION OF MR.. BLAINE

THE RESIGNATION OF MR.. BLAINE
The resignation of Mr.. Blaine. which
was announced yesterday, may have sur
prised the general public, but to those
who have watched the straws which show
which way the wind is blowing. it was not
an unexpected event. In his recently
published talk with the New York World
correspondent President Harrison said:
do not hesitate to say that certain things
have happened that feel deeply, especially
when anyo nc has belittled some of the great
public measures which have been carried out,
or tried to place the credit upon Others.
This was direct thrust at Mr.. Blaine
and his supporters. Attorney-General
Miller, of the presidents cabinet, has gone
SO far as to denounce Mr.. Blaine for allow
ing his friends to bring him into the race
at all. When the friends of Mr.. Harrison,
on their arrival at Minneapolis, began to
characterize Mr.. Blaine as "a traitor" be-
cause the party leaders in New York,
Pennsylvania. Maine. Massachusetts,, Vir-
ginia, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and
many of the far Western states openly de-
clared that Mr.. Blaine would be more
likely to succeed than Mr.. Harrison,
Mr.. Blaine, as matter of self-respect.
could no longer remain in the
cabinet. Nobody knows better than the
president that Mr.. Blaine has been no
'.traitor," and when the president suffered
this kind of campaign vituperation of Mr..
Blaine to pass without rebuke, there was
only one course left to Mr.. Blaine, since
the president, by his silence. assented to
the impeachment of Mr.. Blaine's good
faith.
Mr.. Blaine not only could have had the
nomination at Chicago In 1883, but he could
have turned his friends to his choice for
the presidency; he did turn his friends in
favor Of Mr.. Harrison, and thus gave him
the nomination. Mr.. Blaine never ex-
pressed any desire to be made secre-
tary of state; none of his friends
ever urged Mr.. Harrison to offer
him the appointment.
The situation is ominous of an unfortu-
nate outcome to the Republican national
convention. The resignation of Mr..
Blaine will increase the bitterness be-
tween the factions, and the nomination Of
Mr.. Harrison following an open political
and personal rupture with the great Sec
rotary would not seem ut present very
prudent politics. For the embarrassment
of the situation Mr.. Harrison rather than
Mr.. Blaine is responsible.
When 1t was clear that Mr.. Harrison
was working for his own denomination his
supporters became very anxious to know
what Mr.. Blaine would do. With Mr..
Blaine in the field Mr.. Harrison had no
chance Of success. As a matter of fact,
Mr.. Harrison's friends had no more BUSH
ness to badger Mr.. Blaine as to his inten-
tions than the friends of President Fill.
more had to badger the friend, of Secre-
tary of State Webster in 1852. Mr.. Blaine
was badgered on all sides. and finally, ia
February, he wrote a brief letter, saying
that he was not candidate. This left the
field open to Mr.. Harrison, and
advantage in the securing of delegates
pledged to his denomination. After this
Mr.. Harrison's friends had no business to
trouble Mr.. Blaine; nevertheless finding
that Mr.. Harrison was not considered the
strongest candidate for success in the
doubtful states and that his nomination
upon grounds of political expediency was
not welcome where he needed most of all
10 be strong they began insulting and
depreciating Blaine by innuendoes and
open falsehoods. He was represented as a
wretched invalid, who had lost his
memory, and was mere phantom of his
former self.
When 1.-THE phantom" began to appear
In public and looked like an exceedingly
healthy ghost then the partisans of Harri-
son burst out in full cry that the "phan-
TOM Was "a traitor" and then Mr.. Blaine
resigned. The obstinacy of Mr.. Harrison
and the folly of his friends have thus con-
tributed TO create very awkward situa-
ton for the party TO solve at Minneapolis.
That Mr.. Blaine cares 20 be nominated we
do not believe: that he would accept II
nominated is by no means certain; that
he naturally resents his treatment by the
reckless managers of Mr.. Harrison's boom
there is no doubt.
Mr.. Blaine brought his fame to Harri-
sons administration; he increased his
fame by the excellence Of his work; he
was the author Of the reciprocity clause
of the tariff; he brought the Boring sea
negotiations 10 a successful issue bv an
agreement of arhitration; he saved US
from q war with Chile by his forbearance
of speech aud action at the crit
tcal moment. Mr.. Blaine has made
the ADMINISTRATORS chief reputa-
item in the civilized world. To
Mr.. Harrison he owes nothing;
for Mr.. Harrison he has done much. The
final rupture Is not his fault, but its prob
able outcome, in our Judgment. is that
Mr.. Harrison cannot be the candidate and
that Mr.. Blaine will not accept the nora-
inaiion which be is almost certain 20 re
ceive unless il Re made with greater unan-
Unity than now seems probable.