Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-19
EGurtx Of Mr.. BIainc.

Mr.. Blaine took up the case with his
usual energy. After an Investigation a pre-
iiminary dispatch was sent to Mr.. Wash
burn, then United States minister to Swift
erland instructing him TO take the matter
under consideration and report upon 1t.
That report came accompanied by the min
ister's suggestion that a formal demand be
made upon the government of Switzerland
for the return OF the child to the jurisdic,,
ton of the United States; whence it had
Mr.. Blaine sent q lengthy dispatch to Mr.:
Washburn. reviewing the circumstances of
the case and defining the views of the de-
The CORRESPONDENCE which followed and
which is a matter of record in the state
Department at Washington was most vol
luminous. but nothing was accomplished.
Mr.. Blaine, believing that his contention
was right and that this government should
take immediate steps to restore the ch!ld
TO her mother. sent Minister Washhurn Il
dispatch, preliminary TO ono that was to
follow in a few days. The latter was to be
am ultimatum demanding that the Swiss
government Immediately return the child
to this country.
That ultimatum. the dispatch would I'M
| ~Goubtedly have compelled the desired re-
suit. was never sent. for just at this crit
zeal time the National Republican conven-
ton was held at Mtnneapolis. President
Harrison. was a candidate for renomina-
ton. while the "Plumed Knight stalked
in the darkness. not an aVoWed candidate
| supporters urging his nomination. Bitter
feeling was engendered. there were angry
charges on the part of supporters of the
administration that the premier of the
presidents cabinet was rot loyal to his
chief-was plotting his downfall.
MIR. Blaine. broker in health and angered
from the cabinet and soon died, and the
case OF little Constance Madeleine His was
doomed to rest in the state DEPARTMENT I'M
I'll some succeeding official should feel dis
posed to take 1t up. John w. Foster sue
| ceedei Mr.. Blaine at the head of the state
department and Mr.. Cheney Sncceeded Mr..
Ny-a-ll,,,r, a - minister 10 I,grnp There
was more correspondence. and again il
seemed that the case was to be pushed.
when another complication arose. Presi-
dent Harrison was defeated for recollection
and Mr.. Foster had to retire from the
state department.. Mr.. Gresham succeeded
him. and in the early part of hisadministra-
zion was so engrosSed with important dip
Iomatic matters that he did not have time
to take up the His case. At the proper
time his attention was called to ii and it
didn't take him long TO get matters moving
again.
minister to Switzerland. and Il determined
effort was made to secure poSseSSOn of the
little girl on the line first suggested by Mr..
Blaine. based upon the fact that she was
an American citizen. Secretary Gresham
followed the case vigorously and was or
the point of imperatively demanding the re-
and once more the case was delayed. while
the little girls mother still hoped and
prayed.
thing of a fatality about the case of Con
/ stance Madeleine His. Two secretaries OF
state had died before they accomplished
what they started out to do, and the third
had been turned out of office. But Miss
urner' friends. disappointed many time,
as they had been. did not give up the fight
and prepared to go on with IT with Secre'
tary Olney as the intermediary.
The case dragged along during Secretary
Olnev's administration, but nothing wa:
accomplished and the present administra,
ton has taken no steps in the matter, ant
so this is the end. The mother died of :
broken heart. the child which she had no
seen since it was stolen presumably is still
in the possession of the man who stole it
six years of International correspondent
and nothing done.