The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-07-26
The Two Candidates.

Governor Cleveland because they
have faith i'm the American people.
They have faith that the people will
not intrust the Government to the
Democratic party, nor prefer a candi-
date conspicuousIy lacking in neces-
sary qualifications to one extraordi-
narily we'll qualified. They do not
build upon the idea that Mr.. Kelly
or General Butler will help Mr..
Blaine or that Irish voters AS a class
will support him, or voters of the
Catholic faith, or workinginen as a
class. But .h"y believe that a great
number of individual voters, of these
and all other classes, will be swayed
by Mr.. Blaine's ideas and his supe-
rior qualifications.
Gfnger Cleveland, a biograp;l1s
states, first became known in 1872,
as County Sheriff, because oft the "neat
and expeditions hanging of two MUIR
derers." AT that time Jas. G.. Blaine
was surprising all predecessors as
Speaker of the House, the second
Office in importance in the United
States Government. For twelve years
he has been adding to nis knowledge,
while Grover Cleveland, until with
in the past eighteen months, had no
contact with public affairs outside of
his own city, and since that time none
outside of the State except such as
the drudgery of the Executive office
has permitted. Even within the
State, his errors and his political as
s0ciatinns show that he does not know
men well. Outside Of il, he has had
no opportunity to attain that knOwl-
edge of public men which is more
necessary to a President than almost
any other qualification. But prob
ably no other American living has
as wide and thorough a knowledge
Of public men as Mr.. Blaine has
shown.
Tremendous responsibility attend
IA transfer of executive power from
one party to the other. To meet them
with safety, a President needs, not
only rare knowledge of men, but rare
knowledge of the methods of admin
iStration, legislation and diplomacy.
Probably any ordinary member of
Congress has more of eitherthan Mr..
Cleveland. He has never been in a
legislative body has had no means
of learning the methods Of Federal
administration in any one of the de-
partments; and in one or two speeches
has exhibited unusual ignorance of
international relations. To choose
such man for the grave response
hIitie1 Ofa transfer Of executive pow
er would be as sensible as to set a
srhoOIboy to build a Brooklyn Bridge
or 10 manage the Pennsylvania rail
road. He would have to begin, with
far inferior ability, where Mr.. Blaine
began more than twenty years ago.
EYen then Mr.. Blaine probably knew
more of public affairs and men than
Mr.. Cleveland knows now, and he
has since served ilh great honor in
Tive House. in the Senate, and as See
retary Of State. Vast experience and
close study have made Mr.. Blaine
beyond dispute the most thoroughly
equipped statesman of America.
Mr.. Cleveland is not known to have
formed an opinion of his own ON al Y
question Of National policy. He has
constantly supported the Democratic
party, in all its vagaries and follies
and crimes, without whisper Of dis
sent. But Mr.. Blaine has Tor many
y'arS been one of the great leaders
of National thought. His historical
work elicitS the highest praise, even
in Europe, for its profound aud COM
prehensive craftsmanship. His opin
ions are matur' d, tested and known.
In electing Mr.. Cleveland the people
would simply buy ticket in a lot
terry,
Mr.. Cleveland's Ignorance and in.
eXnPrioncp would almost inevitaI Iy
make him the tool Of somebody. AS
Mayor he WAS so guided by citizens
who wanted locaI reforms that he
filed the office with credit. But as
Governor he has fallen completely
under the influence of the Manning
ring at Albany and the County ring
here. His "dealp with Boss Me-
Lrughlin was particularly discredit.
able, because, from intercourse with
Mayor Low, he must have known
full well the character of the gang
whose support he secured. An intel
ligCnt man, he must also have known
the shameless corruption by which
the "cOal oil" ring in Ohio slaugh.
tered Thurman and Pendlet0n and
gained success. The exposure Of Hub
ert 0. Thompson had been So com
plete that no shrewd partisan Cover.