Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-13
BLAINE FOR 1888.

Occasionally one sees the name o
James 6. Blaine put forward as the Re.
publican candidate for President in 1888.
There is but little danger of Mr.. Blaine
again being put forward as Presidential
candidate for many reasons. In 1884 he
was put forward as the strongest man OF
his party, and as one who had seen long
service in public life, and as one excep-
tionally brilliant. Against him there ran
as the Democratic candidate a new man
and man almost unknown in public life.
The Republican candidate represented
the past; the Democratic candidate rep
resented the present.
The civil war was bound to develop
many bad things, and it would have de-
veloped many bad things had the Demo-
cratic party been in power at the close OF
that war. A long war in which all the
people have an interest, and in which
the people as contra-distinguished
from an army fought, necessarily
gave rise to much license and
lowered the morals of the whole
country. At such time the successful
political party would naturally look upon
itself as the party entitled to all credit
and to all dominion. 1t was in this light
that the Republican party looked upon
itself in 1865. The war being over, things
had to be readjusted, and upon their re-
adjustment, and owing to the long inter-
ruption in the internal commerce and
development of the country, there began
a period of unprecedented commercial
expansion. In no direction was this so
great as in the development and extern
sion of railroads. Railroading became a
mania, and this mania was pursued in
accordance with the morals which pre-
vailed at the close of the war. These
morals were loose and elastic, and were
never troubled with subtle distinctions
between right and wrong, between specu-
lating in public station and speculating in
private station. The Credit Mobilier
was the maelstrom which engulfed
many congressman, but that which !
chiefly engulfed Mr.. Blaine was
the maelstrom of the Little Rock |!
& Arkansas railroad. He speculated in a |
public station and used his official posi- |!
ion to further his plans. He was guided I
n all this by the loose and elastic moral
'ode which predominated at the close of
he war. In 1884 he was put forward as
he candidate of his party, but when he
md his career were seen in the searching
light of a political campaign it was found
hat he was in every way of the past, and
# the worst in that past. "By their works
hall ye know Them" By his works the
'eople knew Mr.. Blaine, and knowing
lim, trusted him not. When he knew
hat the people trusted him not and re-
osed their trust in his opponent, Mr..
Elaine himself, under his own hand and
cal, certified that he was of the past bv
elivering his famous Augusta speech
he reasons which defeated Mr.. Blaine
1854 will prevent his party putting
I'M forward as their candidate in 1883.
1t Is always an error in politics to put ,
man OF the past up to run on an issue of
he present. The result of the election
st year should have demonstrated this =
the Republicans. But it seems it did $
ot. The Republicans put a very worthy !.
an forward as their candidate for Gov b
nor of New York, and he had fair
'ospect of success. But he was defeated