The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-25
blaine on the Maine Election.

Inc speech OF Dame AT Augusta Jne
other evening, fully illustrates the char
acter of the man and his political meth
DDS. He was III position of difficulty,
and he called to his aid the same mix
ture of audacity, address and equivoca-
ton bv which he has served his purpose
more than once before in his event III
history. His SUB Get was the result OF
the Maine election and the taSl before
him was to make the most of it for the
benefit OF the National campaign, and
ut the same time to explain away, if he
could, the adoption of the prohibition
amenlment. This was not an easy
thing to do, because the result of the
election for officers was not decisive
enough to afford much political capt.
tai, whilst the action on the amend
ment was so pronounced as to leave no
doubt whatever as to the tendency OF
the Maine Republicans. Blaine met
this difficulty not in a manly, direct
manner but by a sort of a political
double shu &c. He said, in brief, that
the State election ha | been carried on
the tariff issue AMI that prohibition
had nothing to do with it. The first
was a practical issue in the campaign
and the latter was not. To enforce
this aspect of the case he addel that
he had not voted on the amendment ct
all, because prohibition was State
matter, and by no act on of his should
he obtrude it in the National campaign.
In this way he sought to make out o.
the Maine election a prophecy OF
Democratic defeat. and 1t the same
time prevent the a ,Option of the pro-
hibiUiOn amen iment from injuring the
Republican cause among the anti-pro-
hibition elements.
How like this is to BlainG'S acts in
past years. How closely it accOrds with
the character Of the man IS Interpreted
b. bis career. If it was the National
question of the tariff that carried the
Maine election. by what MIR. Blaine
represents as q most significant ma or
ity, how comes it that the vote is so
nearly the usual party vote? There
were no indications during the canvass
that the industrial classes were very
much interested in the tariff, nor is it
| true that it formed in any sense the
pivotal point in the State campaign.
| The Republicans carried Maine because
it is Republican State, and has not
for MANY years been carried by the
Democ ats, eXcepto on 4 fusion ticket, "
or when some local question Of over
whelminm interest dcranged the or
/ binary party lines. Another reason Is
! that the Republicans made special eff
forts to insure victory IN Maine They
saw that it would not do to have Blaine
beaten in his OWN State. Money and
| speakers were thrown into the State to
prevent so disast' Gus a result, While
/ the Democrats made no extraordinary
| exertiOns, rs under the circumstances
they did not expect that the Republican
ticket could be defeated. This is the
true explanation of the Maine election,
and when it is remembered that Blaine,
nominee for President, is Maine man,
and that the National energies of the
Republican party were employed To in
fiuencc the result, il is surprising that
| the m orjty is so small. 1t shows III ,
! Democratic strength was kent well to-
gether. and even received considerable
acceSs.onS.
AS to prohib ton, nothing that Blaine
or any other Republican spe .ch-maker
may say can m;Slead the intelligence of
the count. lroni ition, in the view of
Republicans. is no longer n State mat
ter. Its advoc lteS havo pushed 1t into
the domsin OF National politics, and the
rise and history OF the movement arc
/ TOO well known to be miSrepreSented.
1t originated in Maine within the Re-
publican party, the party o; fanatical
ideas aud iHtolerant spirit. 1t has &C
CURED strength in Republ can States,
and it is only SIN the commencement
OF reaction that Republican leaders and
politicians have found it necessary TO
q plain o. apologize for its existence.
Whatever may be is merits or-demerits
rs Il public movement the Republican
party is its ''author and finisher," and
consistency, not To say good faith and
decency. require that Blaine and others
who nursed it into ii e should not be al
lowed TO shake off or to disparage it;
claims in order to suit some particular
emergency. But the fact is. Blaine
sought to dodge the whole question,
ard in refusing to vote himself on thu
amendment. in n State which was thG
pioneer OF the movement, he was guilty
o; cowarlice and Iuiyocatior.
LOUIS Repujtica,s.
| The ;aarS indulUsad in hv ReD,Ih