The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-07-03
Expla natoEy.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.

C1nclnnatl commercial SaZeIJe.
The Harper Bros. find it expedite 20
issue circular explanatory of the polIt-
ical position of their weekly newspaper.
It appears that a large number of its
readers have for long time looked up.
on it as q Republican newspaper, just
as the New York Republicans looked
upon its editor when they sent him as a
delegate to the Chicago convention, and
made him chairman of the delegation
from that state.
But now the Harpers inform their sur
prised readers that they have made a Sc
rIous mistake; that while the Weekly
has held to fundamental Republican
principles" it has always claimed to be
independent, and at any time ready, at
| the discretion of its proprietors, to differ
from the Republican party and even to
oppose its action, as they choose now
| to do
They quote passages from their vari-
| GUS annual prospectuses substantating
their claim TO the character of an inde-
pendent journal, but they are SO phrased
| as to leave the impression in the minds
| of the readers that while claiming the
right to act independently, they do not
intend to exercise 1t any more than its
editor was expected to do so, after par
| ticipating in the proceedings of the Chi
cago convention as q Republican, not
even boiling after Blame had been nOm-
mated, but remaining and taking part
in the nomination for vice presidency.
The Harpers conclude their some
what singular card of explanation with
the following paragraph:
$50 far then, from betraying the confidence
OF It's pIs W e pT5POes an
dtdate whom it believes to be the represen-
tative of all that is destructive of Republican
principles. Had it failed to oppose the cleo
ton OF Mr. Blaine, as it strenOusly opposed
| his nomination, 1t would have been guilty OF
q most serious breach of faith would have
stulti6ed its whole record as an independent
political journal, and would have justly for
feIted the confidence Of the public"
Mr.. Blaine has popularity been sup
posed to be not only as thorough an en-
bodiment of Republican principles as
could be found in the United States, but
among the ablest and most brilliant
champions and defenders of those prin-
ciples. He has had that reputation for
twenty years, and has done or said moth
ing to unsettle that opinion of him.
How the election of such g man is to be
destructive of principles in which he
has the most profound belief, and which
he still most earnestly and eloquently
advocates, is not apparent to ordinary
reason.
There IS not line In the platform
adopted at Chicago, and which is sup
posed to embody all the fundamental
principles of Republicanism, in gross
and in detail, which runs at cross pur-
poses with anything in Mr.. Blaine's
political career. On the contrary, there
is complete harmony between the plat
form and the candidate. The solicitude
of the Messrs. Harpers for the safety of
fundamental Republican principles"
may be 50 intense as to en-.
courage them in movement
intended to bring the Democrats
with the Solid South into power, but
they are not appreciated by the mass
OF Republicans in the North, as the
Harpers are likelYlto discover before the
campaign is over.
OF course the Messrs. Harpers are not
bound to stand by the Chicago nomin-
nations. This is a free country yet,
outside of the Solid South, nor is any
one bound to stand by the Harpers TO
transfer the political power of the gov
eminent TO party that is as utter q
stranger to such principles as a Hotten-
tot to the fundamental principles of
Christianity