The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-05

associated with, his ia.hor.iu.law, OK.
Senator llonsy G. Davis, has been idon.
tiled with tao development OF West
Virginia. Through Mr.. Elkins aud tho
gentlemen with whom he hss been asso-
cia,el. Wost Virginia has mado very
rapid strides to n position emitting her
to rank rs ono OF the important states OF
the Union.
A PROGRESSIVE AND SUCCESSFUL NAN.
Like all progressive and successful
men with positive convictions, Mr..
Elkins has made enemies. lie is quick
to decide md .ako n stand on any i'm.
portant matter that may come TN. iIo
has never followed u policy OF temper.
izing. hence 1t has frequently happened
In the course Of his career that his
judgment has led him to oppose tho
opinions and desires oil Il great many
peoplo. Some OF the opposition 10 Mr..
Elkins In the past was due no doubt to
the TACT that he was Mr.. Blaine's init.
mate friend and champion. Many
blows were aimed at Mr.. Blaine ovor
Mr.. Elkins' shoulders. But Mr.. Elkins
has never for moment regretted his
espousal OF Mr.. Blaine's cause. He has
never felt called upon 10 apologize for
his friendship to the great Maine states.
man. In fact, he says frankly that
Mr.. ,Blaine's confidence and friendship,
which he enjoyed without interruption
for twenty years, up TO the time OF Mr..
Blaine's death, are the proudest recol.
lections Of his lie. sa v..
THE MEETING WITH BLAINE.
The writer recently asked Mr.. Elkins
to give an account Of how the attach.
ment between Mr.. Blaine and himself
began.
"MT. Blaine was speaker" said Mr..
Elkins. when went 10 Washington as
a delegate from New Mexico in 1878.
lie had the power 10 attract aud COM
mand men to greater degree than any
man l have known. l was drawn to
him at tho start. Mr.. Blaine told me
afterwards, when We got better &c.
quainted, that what made him notice
me at first was the surprise that was
an American and spoke English. New
Mexico at that time had worry large
Spanish population, and most OF my
predecessors were OF that race. After |
had been in Washington few weeks
! decided that l must make the &C.
quain,ance Of the speaker II l wished to
servo the Interests Of my constituents.
We were at the same hotel. and the op.
portunity presented itself one morning
when | caught Mr.. Blaine breakfastine
alone. l introduced myself, telling him
that was q stranger and long ways
from home; that wa, inexperienced,
and did not know the ways OF the CAPT.
tai, but that l had learned enough 70
know the value OF friendly word from
the speaker. Mr.. Blaine laughed, and
invited me to sit down. He began ask
lug me question, in that quick way OF
his, and in few minutes he knew all
about me. As was leaving him
mustered up courage 10 say, Mr..
Speaker, ! should like to have my
tenerisy in addressing you rewarded
with some little promise OF recognition.
l do not want yon to forget that New
Mexico has a representative on the
floor who desires, occasionally, to be
heard
Come to me- said Blaine cordially.
whenever you want anything. will
help you all can aud he was as good
rs his word.
at is needless for me to say that l
soon became an enthusiastic Blaine
man. The friendship formed then con.
tinued without interruption 10 the day
OF Mr.. Blaine's death. At the Cincin-
natl convention in 1876 worked night
and day 10 nominate him and was
greatly disappointed at his defeat.
have since that time taken deep in
te.est in national politics for presiden-
slal contests only"
BUSINESS SUCCEEDS POLITICS.
After each presidential campaign Mr..
Elkins resumes his business immedi-
atcly and for the succeeding three years
is completely absorbed in it to the ex.
ciusion OF politics. In 1854 he was
chairman OF the executive committee
that had charge Of 3fr. Blaine's cam.
paign. Two days after the election Mr..
Elkins was back in his Office attending
strictly to his business aud to all out
ward appearances the campaign and all
its an1leties, to say nothing OF diaap.
pointments, had been dismissed from
his mind.
Mr.. Elkins Was an important factor in
securing the nomination OF Mr.. Blaine
at Chicago in 1884 aud OF Harrison In
1888 aud also in 1892. Some of his
friends believe that but for Mr.. Elkins
Mr.. Harrison would not have been re-
nominated in Minneapolis.
The writer recently asked Mr.. Elkins
this question:
"Was Mr.. Blaine really a candidate
Tor the nomination in 1922"
Mr.. Elkins looked thoughtful. Some
day." he said. "the story OF the Mime
apolis convention may be told, but not
now. can say this much, however,
went to Mr.. Blaine eight months be-
fore the meeting of the convention and
told him that il he wanted the nomina.
ton we would all be for him; that the
President would chcerfully step aside
in his favor"
Why, you know, Elkiua,' said Mr.
Blaine, that it is, impossible for me to
think oil such thing as running for the
presidency. Ny health will not permit
it Tor moment believe Mr.. Blaine
was perfectly sincere in his refusal to
permit the use Of his name. 1t was the
ambition OF my life to see Mr.. Blaine
President, and no one could have been
more pleased than myself il it had been
possible to have made Mr.. Blaine our
candidate in 1892"
Mr.. Blaine once remarked OF Mr..
Elkins that he knew more public mon
than any other man in public lie, not
even excepting himself For number
OF years Mr.. Elkins was a vestryman in
DR.. Heber Newton's church in New