The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-03-29
POLITICS OF
THE RECENT PAST

NEW YORK, March i6.-Whethcr
General Harrison promised Senator
Plat the secretaryship of the treasu-
ry and what We're the causes of the
enlargement between him and James
q. Blaine, which led to MIR. Blaine's
retirement from his cabinet, are ques-
lions which have been discussed for
ten years. General harrisun's death
has made 1t possible for men who are
in "A position TO know what took place
to throw new light upon the events
| following his election, when led TO
rancur and bitter feuds in his party
From a man who because or 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 when
| contained much that has never before
been told was obtained.
Everybody expected that Blaine
would be nominated in 1855, 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
when Senator Plat came into the COM
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 az d corrected 1t. on Sunday Cen
eral Harrison's nomination was de-
| cidcd upuu
Il never heard OF a promise or ap-
| no tat, no "a
| during the convention. l could not
swear that he promised Senator Platt
| the seCretaryship of the treasury, put
| | believe that he did so. stephen
b. EIlkns, OF West Virginia, said that
he had a letter from General Harrison
telling him to offer this place in the
cabinet to Platt 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 tod MIN that
Blaine would overshadow him. Cen
eral Harrison questioned Blaine's 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 deep
| was the resentment of the New York
organization against General Harrison
was shown on Friday night, when the
| New York county committee met and
| failed to take any notice of his death
| General James S. Clarkson, who was
| General HarriSon's campaign manager
| and political confidant during the first
| two years of his administration ex
| planned the generals apparent neglect
of the men who had contributed to his
election. He had such an almost NOR
| bid idea of the greatness of the posi-
| ton" explained General Clarkson,
| that he would not make 1t personal
but wholly public. He refused to use
the government to discharge personal
obligations He rewarded no man"
| TOPEKA Kans., March l6.-Colonel
w. H. Rossington, speaking of the late
Benjamin Harrison today, recalled the
incident of the sudden resignation of
James G.. Blaine from the office of
| Secretary of State and assigned a
cause for the sensational act that
probably has never been printed.
| Mr.. Blaine was driven to resign by
an impulsive act of his WIFE" Colonel
| Rossington said. TT is generally be-
lieved that he resigned because he
knew his name would go before the
Minneapolis convention, but that is a
Blaine some time before had made a
scene in the White House.
| 81 got the story from George M.
| Pullman.
Mrs. Blaine said Pullman, called
at the White House and sent for the
President. without any ceremonies
she began n TRADE of abuse. She told
him that by putting her son, Walker
Blaine, at arduous. humiliating and
impossible tasks, he had driven him
to resign from the office of Assistant
Secretary, and that his death was due
to systematic prosecutions by the
President Now, by the same methods,
the President was trying to force her
husband to resign.
"'She told Harrison he was Jealous
of Blaine, and had put himself in her
husbands way to the presidency.
1.-The President in cool and digni-
fed manner informed her that 1t did
not become one of his position to dis
cuss such a question with member
of her sex. He left her to find way
out of the building
THAT was the cause of Mr.. Blaine's
resignation from the Cabinet" contin.
ued Colonel RossingtOn. land the peo-
pie have for years believed that ne
was impelled by selfish motives"