The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-02

In 1898 A. r. Conkling. Roscoe's nephew.
stated categorically that this was the
case. and that 10 was not until tho fol-
lowing Sunday, May 22d. that he changed
his mind.
Ou that evening q meeting Of IBIS pouu-
cal friends was held at the New Yo~<
home Of Vlce- President Chester A Arthur.
which ConlIiing attended. AT hrst ne was
unalterably opposed 10 the plan for seei-
ing reelection which the meeting enthu-
siastcaliy indorsed but he finally yieidei
and. on Monday, went with Plat 70 AL
bany where the Legislature was in ses-
sion, TO supcrintend in person the can
paiEn for rehabilitation.
But the wires had been set 20 work ca
rying the news OF the resignation. as
little more than three years later. th.-
were 20 spread the news OF Burchard'-
break The Legislature had adjourned on
the previous Friday and Its members had
gone home over SUNDAY.
Before returning on Monday they Ead
talked tho whole matter over with .ie
voters II Sc probable that had the cleo
ton taken place before the legislators hq
got IN touch wifh their home peorlo
conkiing and Piatt wol.d have been ie-
elected. since the legislature was nat
orally strongly "stalwart'
But ~ tho sTlaif-h-eedr leaders n,d
shrewdly suspected. tho voters who =
been urged ir fna casunaigu hv Conkliog
q support Garfield and had done so 10y
lllf stmratI zel move veifu ti.- Tresi 'o~,f
than with tho Senators iu thei- quarrel
ana were angry about the resignation.
This was made So clear that no eiec..oo
was possible for a long time and befo q
it took place President Garfield was shot
ty Guiteau. After that the ultimate de-
feat % Conkiing and Platt was foresseu.
by everybody.
The contest was bitter. however. and
lasted for weeks. IL widened the already
deep rift between the two wings Of the
Republican party in New York. and
brought about the state ~ party weak
ness which. 81 1854. when Blaine was
running foT President. made II possible
for the hiundering words Of BuTchard 10
bring about defeat
Whether the excitement following the
tonElluu-Platt resignation was really re-
sponsible for the mental condition Of Car
field assassin. as so many believe. has
often been discussed by those who delight
10 speculate on such matters. II SO. then
the great senatorial resignation bluudor
was FAR more influential on political his
tory than Burchard's
Neither Blaine nor Conkling bore easily
the plumbers that wrecked their fOndest
hopes Blaine remained IN public life
but Conkling never sought re-outranca
settling in New York and digging away
~ the practice Of law as fercaly and
doggedly as ne did when just beginning.
many years earlier at Utica To the last
le was as self-suficicnt and as proud as
he was during bis public career
As "a taiker Conkling was overwhelming
4 few months before his death certain
man called upon him 10 get a bit OF in
formation. The former Senator got up0n
the subject % the resignation and dis
cussed Il for five hours. his caller never
getting the slightest chance t. exnlain
why he had called. Finally. when he
said good-by. Mr.. Conkling grasped his
hand heartily.
Come in and see mo again" he ex-
claimed. Come any time DO so Ike 20
hear you talk"
Bismarck's Most Serious Blunder
The blunder recently made by the pres
cnt Prince Hohenlohe or Germany I'm pub-
fishing his fathers memoirs without first
consulting the Emperor has subjected the
prince 10 some personally uncomfortable
moments. since the Emperor was verv
angry about the publication. But this
hlunder VIII have no serious consequences
20 any one but the prince II Will be
remembered that the elder IIohenlohe sue
ceeded Bismarck as premier
Bismarcks most serious biunder which
was told OF IN detail I'm the book. drove
him into retirement and probably had
large influence upon the Immediately fol-
lowing course OF events.
Bismarck's blunder was in sizing up
his man He thought the present EN-
peror William. whose grandfather ne
ha~ virtually made the FIRST ruler OF the
modern German empire, could be con-
uolled Believing this. Bismarck. who IA
turn had been made prince BY the man he
made Emperor. set up his own will
against HIS imperial masters.
The result might have been foreseen
had any one suspected the strength OF
the young Emperor's viii and character.
Nobody did. however. least Of ALL Bis
marck himself. To him, more even per