The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-06-21
HARPER'S WEEKLY
Squarcly Declines to Endorse the Candida
ture of Blaine for the Presidency.

New YORK, June IL.
Harper's Weekly to-day publishes the
following editorial:
"The nomination of Mr.. Blaine does not
change the view of its inexpediency that
we have freely expressed. Hdrper'S
I Weekly has said nothing upon this sub
gject without careful consideration, and
the fact of the nomination does not
change it's conviction that the Republican
campaign, with the candidacy of Mr..
Blaine, must be prolonged explanation
and defense. The campaign of this year
will be one in which the personality OF
candidates will be more vigorously scru-
tinized than ever, because there Is no
great supreme issue of National peril or
National policy which will engross the at
tention of the people, and this scrutiny
invites defeat. Under such circum-
stances, when party appeals to the
country for vote of confidence, 1t will
naturally be judged for the representative
| whom it deliberately selects. To him the
country will turn to see what the party
honors and what qualifications it holds to
be essential for the highest trust. 1t
would, we think, have been possi-
| BILE to name a candidate whose
nomination with the present feeling of
the country, would have been equivalent
| to-an election-a candidate who would
have aroused all the old Republican en-
| thusiasm, by appealing to the desire of
pure and progressive politics, which was
the animating principle of other Repub-
| lican campaigns. Originally the Repub-
| lican party was reform party, and hav-
| ing achieved the greatest of reforms in
emancipation, and in an amended Consti-
tuition freed from all faint of slavery, it is
strongest when its young and ardent work
ers, the real workers of the party, feel
that it is still essentially a progressive
and aggressive reform organization, and
when they know that it is led in Presl-
Dental year by candidate who is in
character and career true and fitting
representative of political progress and
reform. The fact that a candidate is Sc
lected who is not such a representative
properly alarms them and shakes their
faith in the party. 1t Is true that the
Republican party is always strong in the
weakness of the Democratic opposi.
ton; but that is a negative strength
The Democratic party really stand fol
nothing but opposition, and repulsive
tradition, the endeavor to identify il
with any definite policy except that
which is known as general cuSsedness'
fails, but that is not an argument which
can elect President. The nomination
OF Mr.. Blaine, although it is doubles;
agreeable to the ma ority of the party, a.
shown ut Chicago; because large part
OF the apparent opposition, as in the In
diana and Illinois, and even in the OhiC
delegations, was friendly to his nomina
! ton, ought to teach Republicans as show
ing how dangerously far the Republican
standard has fallen. The nominations a
| Ehipatyn fri i,
, Republican remonstrance, have forced
, upon Republicans the conviction that tn,
great objects of the Republican party
honest and economical administration
peaceful and honorable foreign relations
, the progressive publication of the public
} service at home, wise reduction of tn
: revenue and that sense OF general securit
: which springs from the moral elevation 0
the administration, are not to be expected
t from Republican success. To this state
/ ment it was his reply that less is to be ex
= pected from the Democrats. Those VIII
have aroused the deep and general pro
= test of the Republican conscience mus
: bear the responsibility of the result
Fidelity to Republican principle require
: indifference to present Republican sue
l.. cess, and Harper's Weekly, which NOR
: than once has not hesitated in the inter
: est of public morality and of part
publication to oppose other Republl
: can nominations, can not sustain tn
4 significant one against which it has S
n earnestly protested, and which is praC
5 tlcal abdication of Republican characte
= and purpose. The sad and kindly fac
f OF Lincon's portrait, which hung in tn
= hall, seemed to watch the proceedings c
J. the Convention with an air of earnest 81
: licitude and apprehension, and it had dli
C appeared from its place before the non
e nation was made,