Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-17
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The Man Who Best Repre- SCENTS Republic.
an Ideas VIII Certainly Lead His Party
to Victory Next FAN.
The keen disappointment Of Republicans
at the decllnation Of Mr.. Blaine is natural
So strong had been the desire that his NOM
ination should give the Nation an opportuni-
ty to reverse the decision of 1854 that, in
spite of his declared wishes, at least half
the delegates chosen to the National con-
ventlon were inclined to vote for him at the
outset, and many more after single ballot
But this natural disappointment, says the
New York Tribune, must not and will not
blind Republicans to the truth which his
two letters 30 strongly enforce, that the
Republican party is greater than any man,
and its cause more potent that the personal
popularity of any leader whatever. 1t has
been constantly urged to the Tribune
that more than one Republican could be
nominated this year with assurance of sue
cess. The time has come to realize this
truth, and to take to heart the lesson it
suggests.
Mr.. Blaine himself, with all his remarka-
bic popularity, had been a candidate more
than once. He became an irresistible can
didate in the convention Of 1884 because he
had become the most powerful and the best
known representative Of Republican con-
victions upon the broad issue which the
Democratic party had forced upon the
country. His magnificent leadership in 1854
consisted, not in superior skill in organiza-
ton or management, but in presenting to
the country with matchlesS force and i'm
pressIveness the great issue upon which
the election ought 10 have been decided. II
he gained in that campaign thousands Of
votes which then would have been given to
no other Republican candidate, it was be-
cause no other had then presented that
issue with such winning power. In spite, of
1t he was beaten, and yet the dishonest eva
sions of his foes, continued TO the very end
of the contest, bore testimony to the fact
that decisive majority of the American
people were with Mr.. Blaine on the issue of
protection for American rights and Amer
lean industry. He won thousands of votes
because many Democrats rightly believed
that he had presented the true and vital
issue IN the contest. He failed to receive
thousands of votes because other men, more
blind or narrow, refused to see that Dem
ocratic victory meant danger to American
rights and to the protection Of American in
dustries.
That doubt the Democratic party has
swept away forever. Its cowardly surren-
der in the fisheries treaty has shown how
ready it is to betray American rights in ne
gotiatiOn with foreign nation. Its des-
perate battle for a change of tariff toward
Free-trade principles has probed beyond
question its determination to break down
and destroy protection of American in
dustry as far and as fast as it can. The
very issue which Mr.. Blaine tried to make
the country realize is now forced upon the
country il all its breadth and in all it's
sharpness, by the conduct of the Democrat
ic party when invested with power obtained
by false pretenses.
The Tribune believes that Mr.. Blaine is
right-that the issue, and the Republican
party as the embedinent of American con-
vlctsuns on-that issue, viii be found Strong
er than any man, however popular. Any
candidate whose position is such that he
can draw to himself the votes of those who
agree with the Republican party on that
broad ana vital issue will be elected by
vote so decisive that its meaning will never
be questioned There are such candidates,
more than one, and the nomination of either
OF them ought to be and with reasonable
management will be equivalent to an cleo
ton Because Mr. Blaine's nomination
hOulu nave bu-S ISSUE more uGuQllO ana
clear than any other nomination possible, 1t
was preferred by majority OF the dele
gates chosen to the convention. In looking
beyond the name Of Mr. Blame these dele
gates win not forget the principles which
made him their first choice
Ii there are candidates before the conven-
ton whose nomination would seem to any
body to mean an abandonment or abatement
Of Republican convictions on this vital issue,
1t is reasonable TO expect that The conven-
u3n VIII take care MOI 10 nominate either Of
them. Among the candidates who do fully,
unequivOcallyand unqUestionablvr represent
the convictions of the party, the convention
viii strive to choose the man who will COM
mand the strongest support in the doubtful
States. Every body is wiser than any
body" and the councils of able and earnest
Republicans at Chicago ought to be so calm,
so patriotic and so wise as to deserve and
command greater confidence than the per-
sonal choice of even the most sagacious in
dividuaL.