The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-19
HARPER'S WEEKLY
Squarely Declines to Endorse the Candida
ture of Blaine for the Presidency.

squarely 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
Weekly has said nothing upon this sub
ject without careful consideration, and
the fact of the nomination does not
change its conviction that the Republican
campaign, with the candidacy of Mr..
Blaine, must be q 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 q party appeals to the
country for vote of confidence, it 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 posi-
BILE to name 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-
hcan party was u reform party, and hay-
ing achieved the greatest of reforms in
emancipation, and in an amended Consti-
tuition freed from all faint of slavery, IL is
strongest when its young and ardent work
ers, the real workers of the party, feel
that it is still essentially 4 progressive
and aggressive reform organization, and
when they know that it is led in q Presi-
dental year by candidate who is In
character and career q true and fitting
representative of political progress and
reform. The fact that candidate Is Sc
lected who is not such 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 negative strength.
The Democratic party really stand for
nothing but opposition, and q repulsive
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 doubtless
agreeable to the majority of the party, as
shown ut Chicago; because s. large part
of the apparent opposition, as in the In
diana and Illinois, and even in the Ohio
delegations, was friendly to his nominal
ton, ought to teach Republicans as show
ing how dangerously far the Republican
standard has fallen. The nominations at
Chicago, made against the most friendly
Republican remOnstrance, have forced
upon Republicans the conviction that the
great objects of the Republican party,
honest and economical administration,
peaceful and honorable foreign relations,
the progressive publication of the public
service ut home, wise reduction of the
revenue and that sense of general security
which springs from the moral elevation of
the administration, are not to be expected
from Republican success. To this state
ment it was his reply that less is to be ex-
pected from the Democrats. Those who
have aroused the deep and general pro-
test of the Republican conscience must
bear the responsibility of the result.
tIdenty 10 republican principle requires
indifference to present Republican sue
cess, and Harper'S Weekly, which more
than once has not hesitated in the inter-
est of public morality and of party
publication TO oppose other Republic
can nominations, can not sustain the
significant one against which it has so
earnestly protested, and which is Drac-
teal abdication of Republican character
aud Tho anh Kindly fara
of Lincoln's portrait, which hung in the
hall, seemed to watch the proceedings of
the Convention with an air of earnest So
licitude and apprehension, and it had dis
appeared from its place before the NOM
nation WAS made.