The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-04-06
CONKLING AND BLAINE.

Perhaps there ere no two private citi-
zins in the United States to-day that at
tract more attention than Roscoe Conk-
ling and James G. Blaine.
The republican newspaper that lauds
the one almost invariably denounces the
other. Taking the character and past
records of the two men into consideration
they present striking contrast. Blaine
is bold, brilliant, and aggressive pol
itician. His past record is such as few
men could have left behind them and
not be relegated to perpetual obscurity.
What in another would be {. heinous Of
Tense in him is only slight deviation
from the straight and narrow path. His
ability as statesman is unquestioned.
His memory is one of the most retentive
that man has yet possessed. His sup
porters are numerous influential and
powerful. He is not content with meet
ing his enemies on neutral ground and
put recrimination against elimination
bnt he invades their territory attacks
them in their fastnessess and almost in
variably carries their batteries. His
chances for the presidency are probably
greater than ever before.
From what we know of Conkling on
the other hand he is man whose whole
bearing is commanding and majestic and
whose personal magnetism is almost ir-
resistible. His political life is less sui
lied Than that Of almost any man of the
present day who has had opportunities
such as his. He is considered the best
of hand orator in the United States He
is intensely ambitious but loves power
for the sake of the responsibility it would
place upon him and the consequent hold
he would have on the eyes of the people
rather than for any desire of financially
enriching himself or his political sup.
porters. His followers though not so
numerous as those of the great premier
from Maine are yet powerful, plenty and
devoted. Whatever criticism may be
made on the business of their cause their
Spartan like devotion to their great chief
is highly commendable in those days of
double dealing and hypocrisy. They
stood by him through thick and thin
through prosperity and adversely with
as much supreme confidence as possessed
the cold Guard of the first Napoleon.
Had Conkling during the presidential
controversy of 1867 taken his stand on
the side of right and justice and left
Grant severely alone in 1880 it would be
difficult to say what his present political
situation would be. Public opinion
would surely have freed him from CEN
sure because of his breaking the bonds
Of party fealty in the former count and
would certainly sustain him in any posi-
ton he might take on the latter differing
from the one he did take. But Conk-
ling is a man who cannot and will not be
kept down. A political life is the one
natural for him to lead and such life he
qOiU lead.
If Conkling and Blaine could unite
~a-l:~lIs- r-I:i:--I s-..tI r.-r
port each other through every vicissitude
of fortune what might they not accomp
lish in the cause of truth and justice2 AS
it is they both are, metaphorically speak
ing, in state of unstable equilibrium
neither of them capable of sustaining
himself by his own weight,-the one IL
able to fall at any time without the sup
port of the other.
A truthful biography of either would
present checkered pages of much glory,
little shame and numerous blunders.
The best plan their enemies could take
TO consign them to obscurity would be to
avoid the mere mention of their names.
SO long rs great metropolitan newspapers
try to revile them in every possible way
their supporters will laud them as in
temporarily as they are traduced and
their names and actions will thus be kept
prominently before the public.