The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-21
Stephen B. Elklns.

National Committee, makes the fol-
lowing estimate of his character and
ability. and it is just answer to cur
rent misrepresentation
A news despatch in to-day's Regis
ter gives the opinions of some leading
DPmOCrats-whn ara personal ac-
quaintances of the gentlPman-in de-
fence and vindicatiOn of the Hon. S.
B. Elkins, against current SANDER
and abuse. There is probably no
nan in public life i'm America who
has been so persistently and so mean
ly misrepreSented as Mr.. EkinS.
Active political enmity has fed pub
lie curiosity on misrepresentation in
respect of him until in every quarter
where he is net personally known he
Is most unjuStly estimated.
In truth, Mr.. ElkinS, in public and
private life, is one of the most admi-
rahie of American gentlemen. The
popular conception of his character.
that he is an adventurer and bold
operator in politics, could not he
more wrong or false. Instead. he is
a gentleman of liberal education, re-
fned tastes, quiet habits, avoiding
rather than counting publicity, and
finding the greatest pleasure in life
In his own home and in the society
4. r.. :, N,,cI l,,, -
eatu0lIc, tolerant and Christian Of
men-a warm friend and generous
foe.
He is so far from being bitterly
partisan and narrow that his warmeSt
personal friends are about equally
Democratic and Republican. There
is probably no Republican who has
so many close friends and admirers
among the leading Democrats of the
country AS he has.
He was elected to Congress from
New Mexico under the most t1atter-
ing aus pices, as the Democrat quoted
to-day shows. In Congress his intel
lectual strength, his hard sound
sense, his generous nature, and high
minded personal worth won him the
friendship of the best men of all par
ties. This high regard, won hy force
OF his own liberal merits, he has
constantly kept, and it has changed
only to be frightened by the lapse Of
time.
He is a great, strong, broad man,
with caution rather than daring his
characteristic as a political manager
with generou--minded habit of
trusting people in politics too much,
rather than too little, his most scr-
Gus fault. He is slow to believe i'll of
any one, and quick to forget wrong
and forgive injury, alth@Ugh it is to
be hoped he will have enough of the
old stamina of the earth earthly to
treasure upand pay off with good
interest some of the debts of this
kind incurred in the late campaign.
He went into this campaign whole
length, because Of his warm personal
friendship and personal faith in
Blaine. I'm the campaign he render
ed as great service with as great abb :
ity, and every step that he took aud
every act that he did was clean, hon
orahle and right. Instead Of being
reckless or doubtful in his methods,
he is one of the most scrupulou5 of
men. There was not an action on
his part in the campaign which he
need fear, or would fear, to have
made public. He was net willing to
fight the fire of the Democratic mpll =
DDS by which New York was stolen
by them Ivy anything like return Of
similar fire, and agreed with Mr..
Zones and the rest Of the Campaign
Committee that it were better to lose
the State and the contest honorabIy
than to gain il by any doubtful means
or dishonest measures. Ifall polit-
cal managers were as clean-handPd
and as resOlute in keeping within
such fair methods as Mr.. Eikins, the
quality of American politics would
be improved a large percent.
Mr.. EIkins' preference is fora quiet
rather than Il conspicuous life. He
likes home life best he has no liking
for eluh life, and loves hest the pleas
ur, Of his family and the delights Of
his fine library. He is a very thor
oughly educated man, an accomplish
ed lingui-t. one of the most widely
read of Americans in general IitPra.
ture, is always we'll up in current
science, and has in every respect the
tastes of a scholar. His wife, one of
the Ioveliest of American women, is
a daughter of Senator Davis, Of West
Virginia, and he has a large family
of romping boys and happy girls,
making one of the most delightful
homes on the continent.
Some day public opinion will grow