The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-26
Mr.. Manley." said. What do you
fueap by ifp"

Mr.. Manley." I said. What do you
mean by it?'
Il mean that If Mr.. Blaine had really
been ambitious To- be president he would
have been in 1854 He was elected by
the votes of the people of New York.
That is now known to everyone. l
could, if l wished, tell a tale about the
matter in which the vote of John Y.
McKanes bailiwick was offered for sale
the night OF the election. Our commit
tee had a chance to buy McKane, but
we felt sure the result was already
in our favor. and refused to do II with
out consultation with MIR. Blaine. Mr..
Blaine, be it said TO his everlasting
credit, put ambition behind him. He
preferred 10 suffer injustice rather than
see the country turned into trouble
and turmoil. He knew the nation had
just passed through the agitation of
one contested presidential election. and
was afraid 1t could not PASS through
another in safety. At any rate. he
did not care enough about the presi-
dental office to authorize a contest, and
the matter was permitted to drop and
Mr.. Cleveland TO take possession of an
office to which he was never elected.
Subsequent events have confirmed the
truth of what l am now saying. The
ed president by virtue of a majority OF
the votes of the state of New York In
1881"
Some one has said that Mr.. Manley
showed unusual facility in transferring
his friendship from Blaine dead to
Blaine's enemy living, Mr.. Reed. But
this was unfair. In the first place,
there never was half as much enmity
between Blaine and Reed as some peo-
pie have supposed there was, and In
the second place Mr.. Blaine's little diff
ferences with public men did not neces-
sarily involve all of his friends. This
would be u pretty sort of world to live
in if that rule We're to obtain universal
vogue. As a matter of fact. Reed and
Manley have been friends all their lives.
Little Joe" used to labor with big
Tom and coax him to become more
friendly with Mr.. Blaine. With Names
greatest man dead and the second
greatest man coming to the front as a
presidential aspirant. what more nat
ural than that Manley should espouse
his cause? He did 50, and has been u
loyal, true friend.
REEDS MANAGER.
Mr.. Manley and Senator Lodge have
been the managers Of the Reed cam
paign, along with Congressman AL
drich. of Chicago. Mr.. Manley Is
probably the best politician of the
three because he has more experience.
Yet Manley is no match for the great
politicians of this day-for Platt.
Quay, Hanna and few others. He Is
not in their class. In fact. Mr.. Reeds
campaign has not been in the strongest
sort of hands. though they may all lay
the flattering JUNCTION to their souls
that it would not nave made any diff
ference II they had not been the great
est politicians the world ever saw. Joe
Manley Is clever. with limitations. He
| is all right up in Maine. He is all right
when swimming along the great cur
rent made by Mr.. Blaine's fame and
popularity. He Is all right as men,
ber of the national committee, work.
ing on a campaign under such master
hands as Quay, Platt and Clarkson
But as a manager all by himself he
lacks resourcefulness, lacks acquaint-
ance with the leading men of the party
in the western states. lacks certain
grasp and force which characterize the
true leader and organizer.
But he Is just what he is-a clever,
likeable man, true as steel. frank and
! manly in character as well as in name.
His short, round figure. his big head
set plump down between his shoulders,
his kindly gray eyes have for twenty
years been in the thick Of the fight
for James G.. Blaine. and his many
friends in all parts of the country hope
he will live to fight for twenty years
more, or until the luck of Clay, Seward,
Blaine, and Reed shall have run out
in the Manley family.