Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1904-06-25
PRESIDENTIAL
CONVENTIONS
The Plot TO Use Blaine TO
Beat Harrison in
1892.
HOW THE REPUBLICANS LOST

Two new stories of tbo republican
canvass OF 1899 have recently been
told by Joseph M Rogers Iu the Book.
lovers magazine Both are credited
to President Harrison himself
A few weeks before the convention
Mr.. Blaine. thon secretary OF state.
came to The president with a proposal
Co promote bis BouIn law. Colonel
CuppInror. to o. brlgndiDr EauDralcy
CoppIngor had then boon colonel
only year. aud so was near thC
foot oi the liat % would have boon
obviously unjust to promote him over
the hpadH uf men who had been walt
ing years f0r their STAR Harrison
pointed this ont to The secretary. who
acquiosccd Ia his view,
A fow days later while the prcst
dent was busy with visitors. Mrs
Blaine appeared un an imperative mis-.
sion ilo excused himself Co bis call.
crs and saw her at once. She insist
cd on the immediate promotion of her
daughtors husband 81 was ia vain
that the president explained Mrs.
nlaino would listen 90 mo- argument
when she swept out OF the room
with an omIuous swish of her skirts.
SAID General Harriyon later, ~ know
tHcrc was 90 be ,rGUtla'
There was And thouFh h cap.
furod thc nomination, the c'aotIop
went 90 his rival
Tho other story was of an incident
that occurred aftor the convention.
Three leading republican opponents
ui the PRECEDENT went % him with on
uumatum. n ho would agrco 20
make certain appointments they
would guarantee his election. u De
rofuscd---
"t would under mo- circumstances. 90
said the general in relating the in.
ciuent. "agroo to such a bargain, as
d, was foreign 20 my nature 60 90
so"
Ue was convinced That these three
men caused his defeat
Perhaps more nearly adequate rua.
son Is implied iu a story told boy Colo.
mel l.. a. Wntors of Kansas city The
colonel, who happened 90 Boz ln u'ash.
ingtOn ON one occasion in the H1rrl.
s0n administration. started for the
white house one morning 10 see the
president about @ postomce appoint
mcnt that he wanted for a friend. 70
was mIiwinior and on the way hC
saw n Kansas city man sitting ON tho
edge OF the sidewalk with both foot
and both arms thrust into a snow
DRIFT
why. John" said the colonel iu
alarm. "haye YOU lost your souscs2'
"No. colonel" was the reply, "hul
I've just come from seoing Ben Har
rison about an appointment. and I'm
trying to thaw out"
The presidents reserve and frigid
manner alionatod .he party workers
~ was said that be would grant 2 ro
quest in such a way as 20 matte an
enemy while blaine would ho so sor
rowfuI ln refusing one that tho ap
p'icaut felt consolod even whom hC
rauo away empty handed
After 1850 Blaine was the chief of
the republican party Tie could have
had tho nomination in 1858 had hC
uut refused -Four yats later o.,
might have tCrn success, % Lad D.,
goae after ,he prize ln t,Ae Instead
early boz 1892, ho wrote lotter de
claring ne etuld not be q candidate
AMI llou after harrison hal lss sss
yention. ho allowed himself 20 hJ
drageod into the nght too late 10 win
Ills wayoring course has been as
cribed 20 his failure 10 Withstand "a,
advice of his wifo and OF tho poll
tIcians who hoped 20 defeat Harrison
although they cared nothing foI
Blaine.
Harrison had early offended Quay
90 whose lavish use of money and OK
ccutlyc ability he owed his election
Quay wanted his son ln the army pro
NOTED out OF his turn The president
refused. After the election when
Harrison met Quay no remarked
well. Providence pulled us through
~ thought ! had something 10 do
with a." said Quay in telling OF the
incident
A story apparently elaborated from
this was told at the time Of Quayl
death lt was said that Harrison re-
marked TO Quay. God elected mo-
not you" We'll thon." said Quay
"sco ~ God viii elect you again"
Allied against Harrison when the
convention met in Minneapolis were
some OF the shrowdost OF the ropubll
can leaders including Quay. Clark
Bon. h,a successor as chairman of the
national committee. Flat of New
York. Governor Foraker OF Ohio, Al
ger and Hale. Three days before the
convention met Blaine left tho cabl'
net but there was a general feeling
that bis resignation had come too late.
Tho FIRST opportunity 90 measure
.H...aan d.. Al. a.aN.-H amann