The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
The Plumed Knight.

With each passing day it becomes
palmer and palmer that James G..
Blaine will be the man to head the
republican forces in the coming cam
paign. The most significant fact in
this connection is that the expected
Conkling opposition is not felt in any
way nor in any quarter. Indeed, it
seems as if it had been Withdrawn al
together. Now, if it comes up to Chi
cago Indifferent or only negatively
hostile no earthly power can stand be-
fore the man from Maine. But should
it, as many argue, come there vital
active working force for him the
plumed knight may laugh fate to
scorn and write himself down
the standard bearer of the repub-
lican party for 1884 beyond a doubt.
If all this turns out to be true there
will be campaign before the democ-
racy as deadly and as earnest as was
ever waged on earth or since men
commended together for the mastery
in human affairs. Blaine is perhaps
the ablest man in the republican party,
considered as politician, certainly
one of the ablest. In fact, since
Morton's death. we regard him as
without a peer in that organization,
either in holiness, adroitness and in
faI-reaching aad comprehensive cam
paign policy. Perhaps no other than
the Conkling influence could have
so INSTRUCTED him in 1880 at
Chicago that he did not walk off with
the prize then. TWAS truly a battle
of the giants, and if he is beaten now
it can only be accomplished by Conk-
ling. Conkling is not the same man
he was then. Then he was at the
very zenith of his wonderful power.
Now he has been withdrawn SO Icing
from the active scenes of political life,
so perfectly immured in professional
cares that had he been asleep for four
years he would not be more Profound
ly out Of the whirl. In this circum-
stance lies the hope of Blaine. Blaine
himself has been out of politics appar-
emily, only apparently, mind you, for
in reality by the arts known only to
the consummate politician he has man.
aged to keep himself before the peo-
pie, and only in way to affect them
pleasantly. Wherever he has appeared
even for a moment since Garfeld's
death, he has left pleasant taste in
the mouth of the public. This indicates
the exquisite skill of the man. This
and the bluff, hearty bearing has
made him the strongest man person
ally with all parties now at the sur
face in American politics.
Here is the man we will have to
front. Here is the danger which
we must brave. No pigmy in intel
lect, no dabbler in politics and no
'pretense of a democrat homeless and
nerveless, need stand up before this
man. Man he is in all the truest
attributes of rugged, physical and
mental force. The bitter and relent-
ess foe of the southern idea in all of
its phases, yet no man in all broad
America has so many personal friends
and sincere admirers in this section as
has James G. Blaine. If he is nomi-
mated we may calculate to go into the
race with two if not three doubtful
southern states, and no other high tariff
man in all the lot could come so near
forcing personal qualities to the front
over grave considerations of public
policy where such vast business prin-
ciples are involved. Indeed it will be
a dark day for the democracy if
Blaine is nominated, and there is but
one man in all the nation on our side
who can meet him with any show of
success, and that man is Joseph E. Nc
Donald, of Indiana. Anybody can
beat Logan, almost anybody can beat
Arthur, but it will take man indeed
and man all over to stand up before
the plumed knight, the bold, charm
ing, dangerous paladin of high tariff,
John G. Blaine. of Maine.