The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1884-09-06

People are SuppOSou anu eHpeCCod
to fight about at thepolls in Novem-
ber? Is the question to be whether
Mr.. Cleveland or Mr.. Blaine is the
more conscientious or more able
man? Is it to be whether Mr.. Blaine
or Mr.. Cleveland, as candidates,
represent the predominant belief of
the people or any given subject of
national polity? The first of these
questions will be answered different
ly, just according to the party
proclivities of the person to.whom
it may be addressed. One will
abuse Mr.. Blaine on account of his
suspicious transactions in railroad
bonds, another will vituperate Mr..
Cleveland because of his indulgence
in bachelor vices. But neither party
to the controversy will succeed i'll
convincing the other, if this is all
or even the leading feature in the
argument. The contest so far rs it
is merely personal, may we'll be
illustrated by relating a remark
madel in reply to a question, by Il
noted railroad man and Republican
Immediately before the Republican
convention. Said he: 81 don't know
yet about Blaine; if he amt nomi-
mated I'll believe he stole them
bonds; if they nominate him I'll
swear he didn't. ar
That, so far as it goes, expresses
the whole meaning of the political
campaign, in so much as the per-
sonal qualities of the candidates
are concerned. But the American
public of to-day cares very little, if
at all, for the personal qualities of
its candidates. At least this would
be a fair deduction from recent
political events. Then, what re-
mains? The platform, or express
ion of political principals would be
the natural reply. But, study both
platforms. They are alike in all
essentials. The tariff question, the
only really live political issue about
which thinking men can differ to-
day, might as well have been expoun-
ded by Henry Watterson for Re-
publicans, and Zach. Chandler for
the Democrats as not. They remind
one of Mr.. Lincoln's unblushing
joke when he apologized to the
young lady for drinking, by mistake,
out of her, instead Of his, glass, they
are as like as two peas. No man
can distinguish any salient point of
difference between them. Yet the
people are asked to vote for one or
the other, and expected to do their
voting with a serious purpose. Is
it all likely that, with nothing to
choose between but the personality
of two men-both of them, it is true
successful politicians in their differ
ent ways, that the people are going
to grow exceedingly enthusiastic
for either this or that candidate?
Hardly, and without that enthu-
siasm which leads to revolution
which candidate will naturally have
the best chance? Who but he in
) whose interest all the official forces
: of the present dominant party will
be directed! 1t is certain that the
postmasters, internal revenue in
| spectors, government detectives and
all of their tribe, family or socia'
belongings are not voluntarily going
to vote themselves out of Office
Thiscrowd alone can command vote
larger than was claimed as Mr.
Tilden's popular majority in 1876
; Then, taking all the premises int
0 consideration, the necessary deduc.
tion is, failing some other prime
. motive power, that Mr.. Cleveland
: and his following are largely in thu
: yocative. The only thing that Cal
n defeat or change this view is the
discovery of new and commandin:
element in the argument, one tha
: will enlist the popular suffrages tt
J, such an extent as to completed,
n nullify the strength of the vticia
$ vote. Probably it is too late fol