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

Whose Blunoer In Attacking Prussia Put
Him or the imperial Throne OF France.
rumpus IL al kicked up. Before nightfau
hundreds OF excited managing editors ans
city editors had sent out thousands OF
hurrying reporters. some instructed 70
get interviews from men who would
stand By Blaine In spite OF Burcharc' b
break. others TO gather Up all the con-
demnauOn therefor that they could find
II caused n vast deal more excitement
than any incident in any later presidential
campaign IN my memory. and gave 70 the
Rev. M. Buchard a notoriety which
caused him tho most acute anguish. un-
dcrmining his health 30 seriously that his
son was forced 20 ask the newspapsts 20
cease commenting upon IL unless they
wished % torture the poor old man liz
orally 10 death
Burcharf's was not the only big blum
der ~ that campaign. The other one
came after the election. when the claim
81 Biaine's election was made; a claim
which about half q tho country believed
10 Dee true. bat which the other hair
looked upou as deliberate attempt 60
misicad the public. That claim WAS since
found 10 have been based upon biUnder-
inriy uleRfble figures written by a New
York telegraph Office clerk in list or
votes cast by districts and misread by
the footcrs. The b,unde~ cost the couu-
try weeks % unexampled political sus-
pense.
The Famous me Too Blunder.
10 IS curious thing ga tho history Of
political b'undcrs in this country that an
other Of rho most far-reaching ~ such
mistakes was made by Roscoe Conkling.
for wears the strongest enemy within his
rarty's lines that Blaine ever had 20
fight
The two hlunless were not similar.
however Blaine suffered for the Bur-
chard hluuder but hc d.d not make &c.
Co0hing suffered more severely than
Blaine Cld. since C0nkiing was driven
out of public iife hy his while Blaine
wac not hv Burchards. Bat Conkling
made his own hiunder
There are many among the younger
readers 81 this article who have the
haziest notions only as 20 the nature OF
the Nc Too hiundcr which changed
The course 81 political events quite as
much as the Burchard three r 3" did
and. only the other day. in group Of
lalf dozen hftv-yenr-o'ds. there was
hut one who could give "a connected ac-
count % the episode
II was tho political sensation Of 1881
Roscoe Conki'nE and Thomas Collier
Ilatt then respectively senior and junior
Senator from New York were not on
very good terms With President Garfcl8
who. elected the previous year. had made
Blaine Secretary of state and had not
consulted the New York Senators re-
carding tho Cabinet makeup. Soon after
IFS inauguration. also, 20 make matters
more acute. Garfield appointed Judge
william II Robertson collector OF Gus
toms for the por, 81 New York
As Judge Robertson was n prominent
member ~ the so-calied "half-breed'
wing Of the party. while C0nkling was
~ the head OF the ''stalwart" wing
that the President had violated the i'm
memorial but traditional rule OF courtesy
- the Senators. which prescribed that
they should be consulted and deferred
20 whenever an important appointment
like that Of collector was 70 be made
But while COnkling blazed with wrath
and was long believed 20 be the origina-
tor of the course which he and Platt
pursued. IL has since been asserted that
such was not the case. Anyway they
actually did have recourse 10 modified
form OF English political practice They
resigned and appealed 20 their constitu-
ents-the New York LEGISLATURE 10 be
more exact-for vindication. Apparently
there wasn't the slightest doubt 81 their
triumphant reelection This would show
the President something he ought to
know about.
Their resignation took place one day
in May. II was then given out and de-
MED by nobody that Conklings brilliant
mind conceived and laid out the whole
scheme; that his imperious VIII put Il
through Conkling resigned first Plat
resigned directly afterward, and the
wording Of his resignation indicated
clearly that he was following the lead
81 his ilustriOus colleague. II was a sort
OF ME Too" utterance that fastened upon
him the nickname OF Me Too Plat
for many years
Ten OF eleven years later Il came ont
that Conkling never thought Of resign
ing until Plat preached the project. and
that when he did resign. Conkling pur-
posed not seeking reelection, but retir-
ing permanently from public life. prac-
ticing law and winning a competence.