The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-27
POLITICS OF
THE RECENT PAST
Death of Ex.President Harrison
Leads to Political Rem
iniSCenCeS.

! NEW ORh, March 16.-W neither
General Harrison promised Senator
Plat the secretaryship of the treasu
ny and what were the causes of the
estrangement between him and James
G. Blaine, which led to Mr.. Blaine's
retirement from his cabinet, are queS-
tons which have been discussed for
ten years General Harrison's death
has made it possible fer men who are
| in position to know what took place
| to throw new light upon the events
! following his election, when led TO
| rancor and bitter feudS in his party.
From a man who because of his close
personal relations with General Har
| riSon and the prominent place which
| he occupied in his party during the
campaign of 1888 had probably bet
ter opportunity than any other of
| knowing what took place under the
surface an account of events which
contained much that has never before
been told was obtained.
Everybody expected that Blaine
would be nominated N 1883, though
Sherman Allison, Alger and others
were candidates. The convention met
! on Monday, and balloted until Friday
night without result. New York had
not been heard from, but Allison's
nomination was regarded as certain
| mittee room. He sat down like man
who is tired out and said:
New York has decided to support
| Harrison"
Most of the members of the commit
tee thought he had said Allison. and
they applauded He saw their mis-
take and corrected it. On Sunday Cen
eral Harrison's nomination was de-
cided upon.
Il never heard of a promise or APP
pontment made by General Harrison
during the convention. / could not
swear that he promised Senator Plat
the secretaryship of the treasury, but
] believe that he did so. stephen
b. Elkins, of West Virginia, said that
he had letter from General Harrison
telling him to offer this place in the
cabinet to Plat if necessary. [ never
saw this letter, but a member who did
see it said that it was in General Har-
rison's handwriting.
General Harrison's difference with
Blaine was the unhappiest feature OF
his administration. That was the work
of his friends, who told him that
Blaine would overshadow him. Gen
eral Harrison questioned Blaines title
to credit for the Boring Sea cores
pondence, and the feeling between
them finally led to Blaine'S Withdrawal
from the cabinet"
Senator Platt would not talk today
: of the alleged promise of the secre-
taryship of the treasury. How deeI
was the resentment of the New Yorl
organization against General Harrison
was shown on Friday night, when thu
New York county committee met anC
failed to take any notice of his death
General James $. Clarkson, who wa
. General Harrisons campaign manage
and political confidant during the frs
two years of his administration ex
( planned the generals apparent neglec
LIE l.,
election. He had such an almost NOR
bid idea of the greatness of the posi-
ton" explained General Clarkson
that he would not make it personal
but wholly public. He refused to US
the government to discharge persona
obligations. He rewarded no man."
TOPEKA, Kans., March 16.-Colone
! w. H. Rossington, speaking of the lat
7 Benjamin Harrison today, recalled tn
incident of the sudden resignation o
!. James G. Blaine from the office o
I Secretary of State and assigned
. cause for the sensational act tina
probably has never been printed
Mr.. Blaine was driven to resign b.
an impulsive act of his wife" Colone
= Rossington said. 1T is generally De
= lieved that he resigned because h
y knew his name would go before tn
: Minneapolis convention, but that is
: mistake. He resigned because Mrs
+ Blaine sometime before had made
,, scene in the White House
Il got the story from George N
:. Pullman.
Mrs Blaine said Pullman, 'calle
: at the White House and sent for tn
President Without any cere monte
she began a TRADE of abuse. She tol
:, him that by putting her son, Wake
y Blaine. at arduous. humiliating an
!: impossible tasks he had driven hir
n to resign from the office of Assistar
Secretary, and that his death was du
to systematic prosecutions by tn
President. Now, by the same method
the President was trying to force he
u husband to resign.
II " She told Harrison he was jealOJ
/. of Blaine, and had put himself in ht
~ husbands way to the presidency.
/ " The President in a cool and dign
fed manner informed her that it di
II not become one of his position to di
% cuss such a question with a memb'
III of her sex. He left her to find a wa
out of the building.
II That was the cause of Mr.. Blaine
II resignation from the Cabinet" contil
ls ued Colonel Rossington. land the PEI
"a pie have for years believed that
lie was impelled by selfish motives"