Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-07
The Phrase That Beat Blaine


The Phrase That Beat Blaine
Richard d. Harlan contributes an
entertaining article for the Outlook,
Dec. 8. entitled THE Phrase that
Beat Blaine" purporting to tell an in
side story of a decisive incident in
American politics. This. of course,
refers to the Rev. DR.. Samuel Bur-
chard's Rum, Romanism and Re-
bellion." and the writer claims to
have first hand knowledge respecting
the event.
He says that Mr.. Blaine told his
father he had received thrice-re-
peated warning from an unknown
newspaper man in New York urging
him not to come to New York, ex-
pressing the fear that something
might happen to turn the tide then
setting strongly to Blaine. 1t appears
that DR.. Burchard spoke as the sub
stitute for another who was taken ill
the day before the convention; that
he had a facility for ALTERATION, that
he was gentle and guileless and knew
nothing whatever of politics. and that
he had made use of a similar phrase
before at political meetings.
Mr.. Blaine's post ELECTION remarks
to my father are the authority for the
fourth episode.
'The meeting with those Protestant
parsons was held on tie Friday
afternoon before the election. DR..
Burchard's speech was a short one,
and was delivered in a voice that
hardly carried to the; edges of the
audience present. Mr. Blaine told my
father that DR.. Burchards phrase
went through him like a knife, and
that he sensed its danger at once. He
debated with himself whether he
would vigorously repudiate it and
earnestly deprecate such sectarian
and sectional appeal. But, as the
brief phrase had been only a passing
remark and had not been amplified.
and as 1t had been uttered in such a
low voice that possibly it had not at
tracted notice, Mr.. Blaine said that he
finally concluded that any repudia-
ton on his part would only serve to
emphasize and advertise it: and he
said that he therefore made the great
est blunder of his life by letting the
phrase go unrebuked.
How often must Mr.. Blaine have
recalled those 'saddest words of
tongue or pen,' 1T might have beenn
II he had only obeyed the strong i'm
pulse Of his superstitious PRESENT.
New York; or If the spokesman first
chosen by that group of parsons had
not been taken Ill; or even il Mr..
Blaine. carrying out his first thought,
had promptly. vigorously. and public
ly repudiated DR.. Burchard's thought
less appeal to sectarian and sectional
prejudices, which reputation would
have been printed next morning in
every newspaper throughout the land,
he would undoubtedly have attained
his long cherished ambition of being
President of the United States. On
Just such chance decisions and hap
penings do great events sometimes
turn"
The writer tries to stress the theory
that DR.. Burchard was a babe in
politics, and certainly makes it clear
he was not unappreciative Of atten-
ton, for. having occasion to attend a
reception given by President and Mrs.
Cleveland he was completely won
over by the graciousness Of Mrs.
Cleveland. and by 1888 he was regard
ing himself somewhat of a public
benefactor because of his tactless re-
mark. his reason being that Cleve-
lands administration had laid the
DOGGY of Southern domination" The
writer declares that Burchard con-
cluded that he was a humble though
foolish instrument in the hand of
Providence. Considering Burchard's
performance what matter his conclu-
sions?