Evening journal., 1912-12-04
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Blaine'S EpitOme Of His
Presidential Ambitions
BY Holland.

by Holland.
The late Murat Halstead, who, as
the editor and proprietor Of the Gin
cinnat Commercial, was for twenty
five years one OF The country's lead
ing Journalists, and a stanoh friend
and conhdant Of James G. Blaine.
once asked Mr.. Halstead If he
thought that Mr.. Blaine, had he been
the. Republican nominee for President
in 1888. would have been elected by
a larger plurality than was given to
General Benjamin Harrison.
Undoubtedly MIR. Halstead re-
piled. And am also persuaded
that II was Mr. Blaine's own contic-
tlon that If he were the candidate
Of the Republican party he would be
elected President which largely in
huenced him to say peremptorily to
his friends that he must not be nom
mated for the Presidency in 1888
am certain that Mr.. Blaine was CON
vinced that II he were elected Presi-
dent his health would succumb, and
that the anxieties, embarrassments
and difficulties OF the office would in
tcnsify the organic trouble which on
ly he and few of his intimate
friends knew had seized hold of him
"As interesting a personal inter
view as / ever had" Mr. Halstead
continued. "was one which took place
with Mr.. Blaine in the early spring Of
1883 He was then in Europe; il was
at his temporary home i'm Italy that
/ met him. In the course of the in-
terview Mr.. Blaine used two express
sions which, | think, very graphically
and concisely opitomize his own rela-
ton TO the Presidential nomination
and also the manner i'm which the
nomination of General Garfield was
made
II had been asked by some of my
Ohio friends, who knew that I was
making re brief trip to Europe. 10 see
Mr.. Blaine and cautiously sound him
so that il might be known whether or
not he would permit his name to go
before the Republican National Con-
ventlon at Chicago I'm June. MIR.
Blaine knew instantly after ! began
to speak that had been commits
stoned to learn how he felt Regarding
Halstead, he said with his char
acteristlc earneatnc and emphasis.
you may tell all my friends that /
must not appear as a candidate be-
fore the Republican convention. If
find any movement in that direc-
tion, / shall certainly write "A letter
which will put a stop TO IT, You can
tell my friends that I have said TO
you that If they so so far as TO ig-
more my wishes and place me in nom
iuatiop / shall peremptorily decline
10 accept the nomination
81 asked him why he felt so strongly
opposed 10 the nomination.
Halstead.' be said. 4 don't want
TO go down into history as a Tichborne
claimant Cor a Republican Presideu-
tial nomination You know of course.
Mr.. Halstead continued. about the
desperate attempt to claim the great
Tichborne estate and title in England
by man who pretended to be the
long missing Roger Tichborne. For a
E time the words Tichborne claimant
were frequently used 90 signify that a
person was making continued and des-
perate claims for some valuable thing
or other.
"A few moments later Mr. Blaine
epitomized by a single word the whole
story of the nomination of General
Garfield for the presidency in 1880. |
had said to Mr.. Blaine that some Re-
puhlicans wondered whether the Ohio
delegation TO the Republican National
Convention i'm 1883 might not really be
I'm favor of the nomination of Governor
Joseph r. Foraker for President in
stead of John Sherman, for whom the
Ohio delegates had been instructed to
vote Quick as a thought Mr. Blaine
answered
No. that can't be done. the mir
acle of Garheld's nomination can new
er be repeated in our day. Foraker
is a young man, an able man. a pop
ular man. He will make good SEN
ator and some day he is likely to be
the Republican candidate for presi.
dent But as I said to you the miracle
of Garheld's nomination cannot be
duplicated in our day
'Mr Blaine of course referred to the
fact that the Ohio delegation to the
Republican National Convention of
1880 was requested to vote as a unit
for the nomination of John sherman
General Garfield was the chairman OF
that delegation. He made a great
speech placing Sherman i'm nomination
but after many ballots SHERMAN was
abandoned and Garfield was nomin-
ated That was what Mr.. Blaine
termed the miracle of Garfeld's nomin.
alton"
Copyright 1912 by E. J. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell 81
--rhn ANisn Mon Mhn AcLnd EnnlishlN-