The Irish standard., 1895-09-07


" tlHlfc man. ne Ii d great sta esfnans
and at great al l-around man and he Wotlld
he M made q good president. He might
B have been nominated in 1S88. The
q choice wAvereds Tor some \ time betWeen.
him and Harrison 1t swung on the
turning Of a hair, but the hair was turned
I in the direction Of Harrison, and he was
4 nominated. The turn was made through
i the friends Of Blaine They felt that
s their fav0rite had been defeated partly
!. by Sherman Is friends in 1876, and again
u in 1880, and they could not forget this.
b The truth is It. was understood among
the friends OF Blaine that IL it came to
3 he a question between Harrison and
Sherman, the Blaine strength would, as
far as possible, be cast for Harrison. But
that there should be no mistake, Mr..
Blaine was asked by cable being in Eur
ope at the time, and the answer came
back; Harrison
, You can't tell anything about con-
vention, however," MIR. Elkins went on.
Take that Of 1880. We thought we
would surely nominate Blaine, and the
Blaine foresaw the close contest which
was bound to come between Grant and
Blaine, and I urged Gen. Garfield, who
was for Sherman, but after him for
Blaine, to give us twenty-five votes from
Ohio, it at any time it should be shown
that this would nominate Blaine. Ee
promised to do this. But during the
next. ballot his own name was sprung,
and, in order to end the contest, he was
nominated"
candidate. Have you aspirations that
You are mentioned as a presidential
way?"
mo, have not replied Senator Ell
kins. 81 have, you know, lived a long
tisne both in the east and west, engaged
ali the time in active business. For six
teen years have served on the national
committee, have attended the four ma
tions and taken part in all the cam
paigns. This has given me wide .ac-
!. ql,aintance and made me many friends
throughout the country, some of whom,
In their partially, have mentioned my
. name even In connection with the pres
iaency. That is all. / do not say that
= II the presidency were within my grasp
] would not reach out and take it, Such
statement would be very cOnceited, and
no one would believe it. am ambitious,
but I do not believe that am the .lQgi-
cal conclusion. of the situation. /. am
content to be a United States Senator"
How about the vice presidency" :
~ am not a candidate for the vice
presidency" replied Senator Elkins. IT
don't know that would like to give up
the six years OF my ssnatorship, which
am now assured Of, FOR four years of the
vice presidency, even if were sure l
Srfx MI tn no
Is an d, tive one, and like it for that rea-
son."
-, Who is the logical candidate for presl>
dent?'
"That I cannot yet say" was the reply,
"The talk about myself comes, III aoo1tioh
L, what 7 have said before, from my being
the tirst Republican senator elected from
West Virginia in Is years, and from q
Southern state in long time This, to-
eether with therfact that the West Virgin
IA Republicaus broke the solid South, and
that with West Virginia Republican we
could lose. New York and win the presl-
dency next year has drawn attentlon TO
this state. But this is not enough. Ihe
issues to be fought this year are not tnoses
Of the North and South. That kind OF
campaigning has, hope, passed away for
ever, This is an era OF buslness-not sen
tinent We want the issues whlch teho
to the upbuilding of the United States Inc
development Of the country and the max
ing us more than ever a great ana pros
porous nation; indeed, the greatese anu
most prosperous in the world: AS 10 can.
didates, there are plenty OF GOOD men anc'
great men in the field.
s"rom Reed, of Maine, would make q
good president. So would Harrison, NC
Sinley. Morton, or Allison. Although /
have no right to speak for Gen. Harrison,
vet believe he will not enter into any
scram BILE for the position before the con-
yention. Having been one Of the greatest
< presidents the country has had, and nav
j ing received a second nomination, IN my
judgment he'll not enter into any con-
test for the place. He might accept Ii the
nomination were given him unanimous
ly."
.ttIow about McKinley?'
sT think Gov. Mckinley would make
! strong candidate replied Senator Ell
kins. "though his selection will depend
somewhat upon whether the party at thls
time concludes to make fight for an enf
ttrely new tariff. He stands as a great
leader in this, line. ] don't think, now
ever, that the important question now IS
that of candidates. What we want is 10
secure party naIluOily, anu W uoeAAo 49,
the issues which VIII insure success II IS IS
not question Of men; it is OF principles"
ssW.hat do you expect to do when you
take your seat in the senator tt..
II don't know that I ought to- answer !.
that Question; I could not be inactive i
4 tried. While am In sympathy with
honest labor and the laboring man., be-
lieve L am too fair to attempt TO gain m
t1uence and notoriety by supporting any
Of the semi-anarchistic or socialistic ele-
rnents am not and never have been the
slave Of any corporation. Such interests
"a I.haye I control In ,connect ion with Two
or three men, and while the corporations
OF the country may not want to- they
know that they cannot control me No
am going. into the senate to do what can
to help along my stats and to better the
condition Of the country. don't know
that it will be much. But have my own
ideas, and think there Is room for me to
do some good. - 90
s..I believe" continued Senator Elkins.
shat the business interests Of the United
States are the ones we should look out for.
We havereached the point where govern.
1nent is after all more q matter Of sound
- 80 "a =. sentiment