Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-01-28
MIR. BLAINE is DEAD.
SENATOR FRYE ON BLAINE
An old StenOErapher Remembers Blaine
Bout with COnkilng.

An Old StenOgrapher Remembers Blaine
bout with Oonkilng.
WASHINGTON, d. c., January 2T.-The
death Of Mr.. Blaine OccasiOned great regret
among the members Of the Diplomatic
Corps, and they viii probably attend the
funeral in a body
There are but seven OF those who served
with Blainein the Senate remaining In toat
body, where he served 50 hOnoraoly ana 50
well. They are Senator's Allison, Cock,
rell, Dawes, Gordon, Mitchell, MOrriu anu
Ransom; four Republicans and three Ds-i-
ocrats.
The acquaintance Of Mr.. Frye, the senior
Maine Senator, with Mr.. Blaine, was OF
very long standing. said be:
~ was a member OF the Maine Legisla-
ture when Mr. Blaine was the Speaker OF
the Maine House, and have been closely
connected with him ever since. was also
8 member OF the National House OF Repre-
sentatives when he was Speaker. and sue
cseded him in the Senate. think ne was
the most brilliant man L ever knew. he
had a most wonderful capacity Tor giving
itOut at q timely moment. He was very re-
mqrkable conversatiOnalist and was rather
fond of it. Indeed his powers were not
fnlly shown, in set speeches, and ne was
much more dangerous foe in running de-
bate. do not think he, himself, ever
fancied making what is known as a speech.
On the stump nothing pleased him better
than interruptions, and be was wonderful
IL effective in his replies"
The ravages Of time, or the viclssitudes
OF political life are strongly accentuated by
the fact that in a house composed or 81
members to-day there are but II members
who served in the House with Mr.. Blaine
in the Forty-fourth, or prior Congresses.
These are Holman. O'Neiu, OF Pensylva-
MIA. Harmer, Hooker, BlOunt. Burrows,
Springer, FOrnev, CulbersOn. Bland, Hen
derson, Of Illinois, and ketcham.
The older members Of the House have
fund Of "reminiscences Of the dead states
man. They refer e. the memorable fight
against the first Force bill which was led
by Mr.. Randall, of Pennsylvania, and
which endearei that statesman 70 his
Democratic friends. But in that tight,
saws the Republics father OF the House,
Mr.. O'Neul, OF Pennsylvania, Mr.. Ran
dalps efforts would have been crowned
with success had 10 not been for Mr.. Blaine.
IL was then when the Republican majority
was a large one and hhbustering by the
Democrats rampant, that Speaker Blaine
quoted the old prOverb that you may lead
a horse 70 water, but you can not make him
Said one Of the old stenOgraPhers OF the
House:
"Dlr. Blaine's career in the House was
marked by many exciting episodes. He
first came into prominence through an
angry alteration between himself and
Mr. Roscoe COnkling, then member OF
the House from Utica, n. Y. lt was in
the war period, and Mr.. Blaine made bit
ter attack upon Mr.. Conkling for having
charged the government with fees as
Judge Advocate while drawing pay as
member Of Congress Mr.. COnklng re-
PEELED the attack, and INDUCED IN some Sc
we're criticisms on his antagonist, who in
reply spoke derisively Of Mr.. COnkhng's
magnificent turkey gobbler strut The
incident excited great public attention, u
the time, and helped 70 bring both 6crors
in it into that prominence which thy both
enjoyed during the remaigcef Of their
lives