The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-10-25
Nj. Blalne's Letter Of Acceptance.

Length is not strength. Mr.. Blaiue's
acceptance letter. though very long,
t. will impress all reasonable rea iers as
not at all strong. 1t is weakness,
platitude and suburfuge far drawn out.
The document will be great disap-
pointment to the partisans of the candi-
date. They looked for and predictel
"a key note" There is not the evil
dence of canlor. ability, or even of eff
fective cunning in a single line. The
letter is stiff, woodeny, dry and ire
deemably dull.
Manifestly those are correct who
have insisted that Mr.. Bla mes unques-
toned ability is most apparent in de-
bate and in intrigue. George +. Ed
munds has more than once taken the
ground. in Republican councils, that
; Mr.. Blaine was not. to be trusted on
questions involving exactness, sobriety
OF statement and honorableness of
spirit; that his forte was to stir up the
hot-heads on the other side, to devise
jobs and to dodge or falsify issues; not
to speak the measured and authori-
tative voice of Republicanism. The
letter OF acceptance justifies the esti-
mate of the Republican candidate as
cribed to the leading Republican Sen
ator. At the same time, charity is die
tated. Just as man can not get out of
himself. so can not MIR. Blaine supply
to letter of acceptance the qualities
of largeness, fairness and solidity which
he does not possess. The communica-
ton is devoid of uprightness and states
ha 10 .
cheap and transparent bid for votes.
The elevation properly belonging to a
National paper is wanting. Mr.. Blaine
has apparently been stunned by the fact
that his nomination has al'enated the
conscience and culture of. Republican
ism from the organization. He has de-
scended from the serene and imperial
air of historic Republicanlsm. to hud-
die among demagogical misrepresenta-
tions, in the seeming hope of affiliating
with class interests. A great honor has
found and let him small man. The
desire and hope of Republicanism that
he would rise above the special pless,
the huckstering appeals and the di sim
e 'nuous fetches and insinuations of q
ward politician are defeated. The let
ter will depress the authors intelIeatu-
al reputation as much as his candidacy
has depressed the moral reputation OF
his afflicted party. 1t is a modification
to Americans that candidate whose
personal qualifications had been reduced
to mere ''smartness." hassparted even
with that poor equipment in his letter
of ,cep.ance. .
About the words of thanks at the outset,
nothing is notable saving their artifici-
atty. While affecting to indorse the
platform of mingled monopoly and CON-
munism submitted to him, Mr.. Blaine
proceeds to make. a., new one for his
own party and to manufacture one for
the Democracy. too. This is the fire.
quent device of demagogues. 1t serves
only to make letter which will be over
thrown or forgotten. To claim that
the increase of wealth between 1850 and
1880 is due to Republicanism. is one of
those absurd ard extravagant assertions
wh;cL were disappearing from even the
least effective and scrupulous journal
ism of the Republican party. Its adop-
ton into Presidential letter of accept
ance is simply extraordinary. Mark
Twain has somewhere advised the Re-
publicans ito claim that they are to be
credited with al the increase of popu-
lation as well as with all the increase
of wealth in the United States. That"
said he, ''would give the wretched Dem
Gratis nothing to stand on" ANY Re-
publican aware of any Democrat who
works at, or produces, or pays for, or
buys, or imports anything, is also aware
of the fallacy of such. proposition.
The people, as a whole, are the factors
of labor and wealth.
The, inferen Mr.. Blaine seeks to
enforce is that Republicanism is
pledged to protection and Democracy
to free trade. Within his reach, when
he wrote. were both platforms. Each
platform pledges revision Of the
tariff. Each stipulates to revise it with
due regard to legitimate, existing in
dustries. When the Democracy took a
business instead of q doctrinaire view
of the tariff. the Republican intention
to bowl free trade al the opposition
was neutralized. Pers' stence in it is SIM
ply due to a want of intelligence or to
q poverty of issues Beating the air
or barking around an empty hole is in
effective energy. In unproductive in
dustry of that kind the Republicans
will only waste themselves. 1t will not
save the public character of Their
candidate from discussion. They will
not find the scheme successful either as
a coup d'etat or as a comp Ftattoo.
The claim by Mr.. Blaine of credit for
the Republican party. on account of
Tree trade between the States of the
Union. carries this letter to the borders
OF burlesquc. Such free trade was es-
tablished in 1889 by the makers of |
the Constitution The Republican par
ty was founded in 1854. when Mr.. |
Blaine was Know-Kothing editor. 1t
was apparently foundered in 1884, the
year of Mr.. Blaine's nomination.
Either for creating or for not abolish
ing free trade between the States, the |
Republican party has no more claim to |
consideration than for the origin and |
continuation of the order OF the sea-
cons.