Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-09-04
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER A. 1884
A One-Sided Campaign.
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press
1t is extremely rare that the progress
of a national canvass Is as One-sided as
this has been thus far. We should have
to 60 back twenty years to 1864, when
the brilliant victories of Sheridan and
Sherman put the blush to the Democrat
ic campaign cry that the war was a
failure, and when Lincoln was carried
in by an overwhelming current over
Mcclellan, to find parallel to the
steady, unbroken sweep and gain of tn Is
contest.
Usually the struggle is marked by an
ebb and flow of feeling. Hopeless as the
battle seemed against Grant in 1868, the
Democrats made a gallant fight for
Seymour, and held New York. Even the
sOrrOwful Greedy campaign of 1872,
though crowned with complete and wo-
full disaster, had its early promise and
its heroic side. For while the tide ap-
peared to be in Greely's favor, ana, while
Mr.. Greedy was in a false position, he
rose to personal assertion and an intel
lectual vigOr on his famous stumping
tour that commanded respect and ex-
cited admiration. The battle Of 1875
was stubbOrnly fought on both sides,
and required four months after the cleo
ton to decide it. In 1880 there were
several ups and downs; Hancock carried
the enthusiasm for a time; there was
OminOus silence on the Republican side;
then came the August Fifth Avenue
Conference which Refrigerated the Re-
publieans; next followed the unexpect-
ed defeat in Maine, with its dash of cold
water; and finally the herculean strug-
gle in Ohio and Indiana which recover
ed the lost ground and secured the vic
tory.
The course of this campaign has been
altogether different. Its surge and
sweep have been all one way. Every
step on the Republican side has been an
advance; every move on the Democratic
side has brought greater weakness.
Whatever opposition there was to Mr..
Blaine, its fall strength was developed
at the outset. He was at his lowest
point the day after his nomination. The
first hours gave the measure of the re-
volt, and plainly foretOld that it would
be impOtQnt against the irresistible
national feeling for Blaine. From that
moment he has steadily gained. The
evidences of decided accession from the
Democratic ranks soon appeared. The
nomination of Cleveland gave a fresh
impulse to this movement towards
Blaine and proved to be the most FORUM
ate selection for the Republicans that the
Democrats could have made. Then fol-
flowed swift succession Of events-all
running the same way. The powerful
and statesman-like letter Of Mr.. Blaine,
which was tower of strength the emp
ty ndIfeeble.platitudes of Mr.. Cleveland,
the Cleveland scandal and its fiabby de-
lenses; the instant, manly and unequiv-
Deal answer of Blaine to the IndianapO-
lis calumny; the utter collapse of 1.-The
moral issue;' the reputation Of Cleve-
land by the Independent and other re-
ligiOuS papers; the reelection of Bar
mum and the exposure Of the Morey for
gers; the outbreak of Ben Butler-all
have swelled the onward sweep Of the
Republican cause, and have left the
Democratic craft apparently stranded
high and dry.
Thus far there has been no mistake
made on the Republican side. while
every step taken by the Democrats has
been blunder. The only danger now
to the Republicans is that the evident
discontinue of their opponents and the
consciousness Of their own strength
may lull them into false sense of Sc
curity. Victory does not come Of itself;
it must be won by actual fighting. even
Though the odds are heavily in our ia
vOr. Let Republicans organize every
where, take nothing for granted, and
see to it that not single election dis
trict is suffered to 60 by default to the
Democrats through lack Of the nscessa-
ry oversight and direction. A party
must compel success as well as deserve
IL