The Washington herald., 1911-02-19

| Meet at Market Hall Immediately after
| adjournment. Very important Our
purpose, you understand. was to get the
! delegates together, and by an actual
! count in their presence to prove that
| Harrisons nomination was absolutely
| certain.
Two tellers on the stairs counted the
delegates as they went up to the hall.
| Chauncey NJ Depew was inside, ready to
| make a fiambOyant speech if less than
| e majority of the delegates attended the
| meeting. Other men were to swear the
| troops in II a majority appeared. More
| than enough delegates to nominate were
! present. They heard the roll called and
| they saw one another. The convention
was as good as over. The news was
| brought to me at the West Hotel by A
| lOng-lcgged messenger. Then I called
| on Thomas c. Platt, chief of Blaine S
| five or six generals-he had invited me
to- call several days before. Some men
have too many doctors: Blaine had too
many managers.
''I found Platt on a sofa. He was
! worn out so was I. Besides. looked
like a tramp. We talked generalities
! for a while. BY and by there was a
| knock on the door. PIatt stuck his head
out for a moment. When he drew it
back I heard him mutter under his
breath: I don't believe a d word of
it
Knew the Fight Was Over.
Il told Plat l was authorized to say
that Gen. Harrison would cordially sup
port Blaine il he were nominated. PIatt
replied that he was authorized to pledge
Blaines support to Harrison if he were
the successful candidate. But Platt was
uneasy. and walked back and forth. 1
I -.
other man came in and whispered to
Platt. After he was gone. Platt looked
at me narrowly. and extended his hand
I hope, he said, TO meet you soon in
New York He knew that ] knew he
had heard Of the Market Hall meeting.
Now let me tell you story touching
events that occurred previous to the con-
ventiOn. A brigadier general was to be
appointed for the army. John J. Cop
pinger. Blaine's sOn-in-law, was the last
man on the list Of available ColOnels.
Mrs. Blaine called Cne morning on Pres
ident Harrison.
II have come she said. to ask that
YOU put Col COppinger into the vacancy
The President said that he would give
her request very serious consideration,
but that he was not prepared to promise
her the appointment She left his office
seemingly in anger. Gen. Harrison sent
lot MT. bidlnc.
Col. Coppinger.' he told Mr. Blaine
is outranked by a large number OF
worthy officers. The first colonel on the
list of eligibles has no friends to urge
his promotion; he is depending wholly
on his record. Were you in my place
would you jump Col Coppinger over the
heads of all these other men simply be-
cause he happened to be the son-in-law
OF your Secretary of State
I should not Mr.. Blaine replied, but
don't tell Harriet that said So
Harrison Again Nominated.
Two or three days later" Senator
Carter continued, MIR. Blaine went to
Philadelphia and was examined by a
physician, who declared him to be a
sound man physically. The certificate
of health was forthwith given to the
newspapers. Mr.. Blaine had suddenly
become an aspirant for the Presidency
Only one ballot was required at Mime
apOlis Harrison received $50 votes
Blaine and Mckinley received 1S2 votes
each. although Mckinley was not a can
didate. The humiliation resulting from
the Coppinger episode ought not to have
been put upon the former idol of the
Republican party"
Copyright. 1911, by James B. Morruv.)