Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-26
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER %. 1884.
Bla,ne's "Triumphal Tour"

Mr.. BLAINE has fairly started on his
"triumphal tour" which IL is intended
shall culminste in setting Ohio ablazc.
From Philadelphia he went back TO New
York, and from New York proceeded west
ward ria Albany and Syracuse. He viii
also, We are told. visit West Virginia and
endcsvor 10 iniuse little enthusiasm
into the Republicans OF that State be-
fore the October election. SO far he
has been well received, and the
organs are making the most Of Ii. He
has been greeted by brass bands, fireworks.
and uniformed political clubs in nearly
every town and city through which he has
passed. and IL IL reasonable to suppose that
similar demonstrations will continue TO the
end OF his journey. But what does all
this amount tor Nothing more than what
might have been expected. There Is moth
ing In II to discourage the Democracy. II
shows. cry The organs, that Mr.. BLAINE is
popular. No one ever denied that be is
popular. But popular with whom Popular
with the hurrsh element OF his party
popular with the element whose influence
nominated him at Chicago. His managers
are simply carrying out the programme
with which they started in the Chicago
Convention. His position would be pitia-
bic indeed II this element did not do him
honor; particularly when we remember
that any man Of prominence, when he
MI no inf
ton Of seeing and being seen. can rely upon
drawing a crowd in almost any town or city
in the Union. We believe that Mr.. BLAINE
could. II properly advertised, draw crowds
at any railroad station in the South; but
whether all the voters in such crowds
would vote for him is another question en-
tircly.
We do not deny that ordinarily campaign
furore is significant. but, considering all
the facts connected with Mr.. BLAISE's
candidacy, we think that we are for once
justified in discoanting it. There Is little
more in the receptions that have been
accorded Mr.. BLAINE in his eleventh.
hour aggressive movement than APP
pears on the surface. The bedrock
Of public sentiment Is not with
him. The hurrah-boys only hurrah for
themselves. The conservative, thinking
masses are not behind them. These not
only do not give them their sympathy and
support, but, what is more significant, are
organized against them. From the word
90 Mr.. BLAINE has been on the defensive;
and while his tour may have rallied his
forces-the forces that naturally grayi-
tated towards a man OF Mr.. BLAINE's
stamp-be has made no converts. The
organization OF anti-BLAINE clubs: COM
posed of businessmen, and the earnest,
systematic work OF the Independents
20 steadily forward. The now his
toric and badly-besmirched plume waves
only at the head Of the worst elements OF
his party. II magnetizes only where the
glare Of pyrotecnics paints the atmosphere
red. 1t is recognized by the bone and
sinew, the intelligence and the patriotism
OF the country, rs the symbol OF corruption.
We reiterate, therefore, that the Demo-
anything that Mr.. BLAISI's tour has devel
oped so far. The situation has not changed |
one iots. The silent forces that are at work
against Mr.. BLAINE have not been checked
in the least. The conviction in business
circles that the time has come for change
Of administration has not been shaken.
The blare Of brass bands In few cities has
not drowned the cry for reform that is
echoing and reechoing all override country.
The fash Of tin helmets and the shouts of
political clubs have not rendered it less ap-
parent that the tour Is in itself recognition
on the part OF Mr.. BLAINE's managers Of
his Weakness forlorn hope in fact.