The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-10-23
MAINE WILL HONOR
ITS GREATEST SON
Monument to James G. Blaine
Is Planned, to Be Reared
in Washington.
THE FEUD THAT BLIGHTED
story of the Sharp Retort Of ConkIir9
That Made the Two Lifelong
Enemies and Injured Ca
reers OF Both.

WdSuluS ION, -. VI, special. An organ
tzed movement has been started at Au-
gusta, Me-, that has for it's purpose the
building Of a suitable monument in
Washington to the memory OF the late
James G. Blaine. Once before such a
movement q began, but it fell
through, and it is to be hoped that this
effort will be Successful.
Blaine's great achievements in the
halls of congress and his brilliant lead
ership in the republican party will not
pc permitted to pass from memory by
the historians who will ever allot him a
place among the great men Of the ma
ton; but a statue Of bronze or marble
would beta fitting testimonial Of the
high esteem in which he was held by
the people of his own state and the
people of the nation.
Feud BIishted Blaine's Career.
1t is interesting in this connection t,
recall the incident in Blaine's public
life that was really responsible for the
present absence of a statue or other
memorial to him. For it was due to
this incident, in the opinion of all who
are familiar with the facts of the cam
pa1gn of 1884, hat he failed of election
to the presidency, and, had he not fail
ed, 1t is more than probable tina his
likeness would now grace a pedestal in
some prominent spot in Washington.
The incident referred to was Blaine's
quarrel with Conkling.
1t happened in the Thirty-ninth con-
gress, Blaine n Conkling were both
members of the house. April "a, 1866,
while a bill to reorganize the army or
the United States was under considera.
ton, Mr.. Conkling moved to strike GU,
the section providing for a continuance
of the bureau Of the provost marshal
general. He spoke in severe terms OF
the management of the bureau during
the war by General Fry, who was at
Its head, and said:
rMy objection to this section is that
1T creates an unnecessary office for an
undeserving public servant"
In reply to this Mr.. Blaine warmly
eulogized General Fry.
April 80 the trouble was renewed,
when Mr.. Blaine obtained leave to read
In the house a letter from General Fry
defending himself from what he called
"a calumnious attack upon me-"
Singing Words of Retort.
In reply to this statement Conklins
made q long and impassioned speech
in which he said some sarcastic things
about the gentleman from Maine" It
was Blaine's retort that made the irrep-
artble breach between the two men.
1t was as follows: "As to the gentle
mans cruel sarcasm, I hope he will
not be too severe. The contempt of
that large minded gentleman is SO wilt
ing; his naughty disdain, grandilouuent
swell, his majestic, supereminent, over
towering turkey gobbler strut has been
SO crushing to myself and all the mem
bers Of this house that 1 know it was
an act Of temerity for me to venture
upon a controversy with him. But, sir.
1 know who is responsible for all this.
L know that within the last five. weeks
as members Of this house will recollect.
an extra strut has characterized the
gentleman's bearings.
1T Is not his fault; it is the fault OF
another. That gilded and satirica;
writer, Theodore Tilton Of the New
York Independent, spent some weeks
recently in his city. His letters, pub
lished in that paper, embraced with
many serious statements a little iocose
satire, a part of which was the asser-
ton that the mantle Of the late Winter
Davis had fallen upon the gentleman
from New York. The gentleman took it
seriously and it has given his strut ad-
ditional pomposity. The resemblance
Is great. 1t is striking. Hyperion to a
satyr, Thersites to Hercules, mud to
marble, a dunghill to a diamond, a
singed cat to a Bengal tiger, a whining
puppy to a roaring lion. Shade of the
mighty Davis, forgive the almost pro-
fanation Of that jocose satire"
These were the words that had such
q powerful influence uDon the after
lives Of both these men. A feud was
engendered which cast a blight over
both and which only ended when the
yrave closed owe them.