The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-06-07

The Republican Newspaper Campaign
The readers o. Republican newspaper
nowadays appreciate the fact, wei
known to jOurrc lists, that reporters cal
lind what they afe sent to look for. Tn,
New York Times correspondents Sc,
nothing but ant-Arthur feeling. Tn,
New York Tribune and the Philadclph;,
Press are gifted with men who encounter
an almost unanimous Blaine feeling
The Springfield Republican, which car
not only, in its own opinion, discern til,
face of the sky, but also read the sign.
of the times, can discover (or divine) 8
general yearning for Edmunds. The
Chicago Tribune and the kyphenated
Inter- Ocean, of that city, the apostle Of
truly Ell Mahdi Republicanism in the
Northwest, perceive that the mountain;
flame and the prairies flush and the
valleys CLEAN, while all the little hills
do clap their hands. for John A. Logan.
The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette
which now unites the Napoleonic might
OF Field Marshal Halstead with the es-
sential ethics of that truly good man.
Deacon Richard Smith, is able only to
size and seize the claims of Honest John
Sherman. The Indiana papers of radi-
calism are certain that either Senator
Ben. Harrison or Postmaster-G General
Gresham should be the I" the coming
man." And SO it is. There are as
many preferences among the people as
there are desires in editorial breasts.
Republican journalism has simply be-
come mechanism, for ascribing the
wishes and autipathies of editors to
general readers. The sole value of the
prevailing practice of printing Prcsiden-
tial pointers, in such newspapers, lies
in the presumption that the newspapers
reflect local or larger sentiment and
make themselves the mediums of IL.
The impartial Democrat who reads
with judicial mind the medley of i'm
pressions in Republican papers finds
certain facts or characteristics running
through them. The first thing that
strikes the attention is that there is not
very much about the Presidency in that
party ut ali. Indifferentism is more
the rule than interest. The blooms
for various aspirants have their initial
impulse in the ambition of the would
be candidates themselves. The rest is
the work of not unselfish or uuthriftv
friends Of theirs, who know how to pIy
the arts OF mention, interview. gossip,
advocacy, report. suggestive avowal
and safe disclaimer. The notable in
ertness of the Republican rank and file
encourage these efforts. They are
neither resented nor ratified. They are
IMPLY unopposed. Continued little by
little, the efforts have a tendency. be-
ing neither antagonized nor indorsed.
70 create sort OF passive acceptance
for themselves. The sheer effect of
iteration can be predicated of them
but not moro. Still that has enabled
the candidates in sporting parIancc, to
be entered for the race. They are now
taking their exercise on the track; but
the jockeys and the stable boys number
more than those on the grand stand |
and the booksellers have not begun
business at all. 10
Another consideration which the
ante-convention "booms'' among the
Republicans impress is the varied
character of the reasons or ssclaims''
put forth. A qualification forthe Presi-
dency is hardly urged at all, il at ALL
urged. it is made second to the asser-
ton of ''availability.'' This ..availa-
billy" does not signify that the candi-
date has special points of favor to any
condition of public opinion; but it sic-
nifies that his friends claim for him
some desirable special strength which
makes him a little stronger than the
Republican vote itself. Mr.. Edmunds
s urged because it is asserted that 1.-THE
independents" would support him.
That assertion has nowhere been tested
BY evidence-but it may be regarded as
On offset to the known fact that the
vermont Senator is unpopular with the
masses of his party. As plain ,
people are wont to dwell on the beauties
II the mind, so are those Republicans |
Who have not commended themselves
o the manly and active forces in poll. I
les addicted to references to 1.-THE In !
dependent vote, s'the better element,
TIC. As fact, politicians man Pepub- I
lean conventions, make Republican .
nominations and conduct Republican
ampaigns. They may not be able al !
rays to nominate whom they would: .
mt they are invariably able, in the Re- r
ublican party, to defeat the nomina-
NAA " esiOSO III WuOlu tUcy nave mo
Sc" They have mo use" for those
hose vocation it is to profess to be bet
Dr. than other people, and their aversion
Pharisees Is not to their discredit. r
The special claims urged for the others u
an be stated In a word. Mr.. Blaine's y
trength with the corporal -ons is urged L
n him. General Logan's friends in :: a
st that the entire "soldier vote would U
for him. Mr.. Sherman is advocated 81
the ground that .'the monied men !,
ould put up for him." Mr.. Harrison Il
nd Mr.. Gresham are hailed as those d
no could ENSURE Indiana" It's true W
lat genuine desire for Mr.. Blaine ex- &
Is among some Republicans. 1t is as It
ne that he is hated by other Kepub- u
cans and distrusted by independent W
EN-. The bald and bold question of a.
S strength with corporations accounts W
that distrust, as well as the shifty II
'nduct OF the man in public positions. !,