The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-09
THE IRISH WORLDS SKETCH.
How General Harrison and His Record Look
to the Great Irish-American Newspaper.

been sucked nor landed into greatness or pub
lie influence. He is as much of self made man
a. any Western farm-boy whose father can afford
20 send him for q couple Of years to Western
college. He got education, few hundred
dollars, and had to shift for himself. And he
did the shifting with an energy which proved
that the grit was in his make He married the
girl of his choice. went to indianapolis, hung
out his single. and practiced law. At frst It
was uphill work, as with young lawyers gener-
ally. But people began to that he had the
capacity to take infinite pains In any case In
trusted to him. and his business began to grow
He ventured TO buy house. paying part and
leaving the most on mortgage de went into
politics ESQ on what was then the weaker side
IN Indiana. and he showed himself quite q match
Tor Mr.. Voorhees, 10 public debate. From the
outset ne was Republican, and like his father
and grandfather q stanch protectionist also.
The war found him in such q situation as
might seem to excuse him FIR m service in the
field. He had been elected to N office whose in
come he greatly needed. His house was not paid
for. His family was young and growing For
the frat year he held back while giving his sup
port otherwise to the maintenance OF the Union
Then came the dark days, when the overcoph-
dence Of the North was found to be mistaken
and the shadow of Bull Run and OF Chancellors-
VILE fell heavily the land. The Governor
appealed to him and the appeal fell in with
grave thoughts of bis duty to the country, which
had been costing MIN sleepless nights. The
name of General Harrison counted for some
thing In the West His own professional. po-
llticsl and social influence would be worth some
thing IN the raising of regiment But he
could not ask others to risk their lives while he
withheld bis own. So q regiment was raised,
and with him its colonel took its place in
Fighting Joe Hookersr command. General
Hooker, IN an official communication 10 the War
Department urging that Colonel Harrison &c
given the rank of brigadier for faithful service,
speaks of it as a model regiment It's COM
mander had discovered that the winning OF bat
ties depended not so much on what 10 done on
the field as In what is done with the soldiers be-
fore they get there. In drill, discipline, and
good order he brought his men up TO the highest
efficiency. That they fought well was thing of
course we'll known.
Nobody would claim that General Harrison
was great general or o military genius. de
had not the training for great general de
had not the military temperament in any
marked degree. He was a true representative
of that great body of American officers and
soldiers who had no taste or training for military
life. but who formed, under the pressure OF the
call OF duty, the finest army of the world. Like
his comrades generally he welcomed peace with
honor" even more heartily than did those of US
who had not borne the burden of active service.
So he gladly went back to his home and his
practice of the law, and was at once reelected
90 the Office he had resigned in 1862.
For nearly twenty years he has been the lead
ing Republican of his State, and the man
whom the party has depended in every emer-
eency. Since Oliver p Morton died there has
been no Republican in Indiana name besides
BENJAMIN Harrison. When he had been q can
didate for the governorship he was run ahead
of the rest Of the ticket by thousands of votes.
When the United States seuatorship fell To
Republican Legislature In 1881 the collective
opinion Of the party compelled the retirement Of
oil rivals for the place, that IL might 60 to him.
He was elected while he was away In the woods
On fishing expedition.
His popularity has been due simply to the
entire confidence of the people in the man. 1t
nas not been because he has cultivated the arts
which coneiliate votes. He il somewhat re-
served and always dignifed It has not been
because he has attached TO him a body of per-
sonal retainers such as the Camerons gathered
In Pennsylvania and Mr.. Conkling in New York.
He has no taste for such methods Of political
management 1t has not been because he is .
man Of great wealth. He came out of the Sem
ate as he went into IL, a man In very moderate
circumstances 1t is not because he has fol-
lowed the gusts of popular favor and re-echoed
the popular opinion OF his day. On financial
aud other questions he has stood firm against
she prevailing drifts or opinion Ii mas been
simply because loyalty to duty has been the
controlling principle Of his whole life Every
man who has known him at all knows that he
stands firmly as rock for whatever he thinks
che ri eht thing. With this he combines great
ability as lawyer, a speaker. and q legislator.
But in his case ability 10 the servant of charac-
ter He is not man Of the size We expect In
statesmen" say some OF his Democratic critics;
that being about the only thing they
can have the face to say to his discredit Sup
pose IL were true. We are not choosing between
Mr.. Harrison and Mr.. Gladstone or Prince Bis
marck. but between Mr.. Harrison and MIR.
Cleveland. L. Mr.. Cleveland q man OF the size
we expect IN our statesmenf IL so, our etand-
ard has fallen so pitfully low that Mr.. Harri-
SON friends we'll might decline to measure him
by it OF course il free trade be, as some peo-
pie think. the quintessence OF statesmanship-if
~Ixvl- .F
ing to rule ceasing to give direction to the de-
velopment of the nations lfe-then Mr.. Cleve-
land bulks very large and Mr.. Harrison. like
Washington, Jefferson and Jackson, will take
rank as very small man. But set aside Mr..
Clsvelands achievements as q champion % free
trade, and on what do you rest his claims to
statesmanshipi Is it in his reforms of govern
ment method2 Or his securing us honest men
and economic management In public ofjcesi Or
his diplomatic direction OF our foreign relatiousf
Are not many people in danger. as Mr.. Edwin
ID. Meade says, of q softening of the brain in this
matter OF admiration OF Mr.. Cleveland
Mr.. Harrison is statesman il il be such to
take hold of every public question by the right
handle. to resist the popular drifts of opinion
which move in wrong directions, 60 inspire pop
ular confidence by force of character and evil
dence Of insight. and to spare no amount OF toll
that Is needed TO the right conduct of public af-
fairs He is statesman of the Washington
type, which Lincoln also approached In his own
way. When Lincoln was nominated IL was said
with much greater snow of reason that he com
pared to disadvantage with his great rival, Ste
phen A Douglas. who had played q far more
prominent aud leading part In the public life Of
the country, or with his rival for the nomina-
tion, Mr. Seward. But the test of time tries all
things; and we soon bad reason 70 rejoice that
not upon Mr.. Douglas or Mr.. Seward. but on
Mr.. Lincoln the choice bad fallen.
Mr.. Harrisons course IN the matter of shut
ting out Chinese laborers from this country is
an instance of his statesmanlike way of deaiing
with difficult questions. It has been made a
yubject Of grave misrepresentation. When
Mr.. Hayes, through DIR. ANGEL, negotiated the
treaty with China, we made certain distinct
promises to that power In exchange for the con-
cesson that might exclude Chinese laborers
for "a reasonable time The law passed to
enforce this treaty in Mr.. Hsyess tine was
found detective, and new law WIS introduced
20 reinforce it. The feeling against Chinese Ia
Dor had grown strong that il was a risk TO OPP
pose any proposition which WAS adverse TO its
coming Mr. Harrison, however was mindful
OF the fact that had undertaken distinct
treaty obligations r. China and on comparing
the proposed law with the treaty he satisfied
himself that the two clashed- He
challenged the supporters OF the bill
TO snow that IL did not violate the treaty
on the points ne specified. The record
shows that they did not even attempt to do SO.
but they voted down his amendments. Then
oeing convinced that the uuamended bill
breach OF publis faith he voted against it. and
svery Republican In the Senate except three
voted with him. or course-as he must have
foreseen-his vote and his opposition 70 the bill
were alleged in proof that he favored the impor-
sation of Chinese labor 81 h. -. Iii