Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-09-21
PRESS COMMENTS.
Tho Opinions Expressed by Some Leading
Newspapers.

Tho Opinions Expressed by Some Leading
Newspapers.
NEW YORK, Sept. 12.-The newspapers
here speak of the letter as follows:
The New York Times says: This letter Of
acceptance is the first public utterance of the
Republican candidate which gives the people
OF the country an opportunity to take his
measure. and the inevitable comparison with
his opponent must result in the conclusion
that he lacks altogether the marked ability,
the justified self-confdence, the fine opinions,
the courageous bearing, and the unusual
power Of luminous statement which charac-
terizes President Cleveland.
The Sun: The letter lacks the ring and
decision noticed in President Cleveland's
document. 1t contains few striking passages.
The Herald: The letter is not strong; it is
rather stale No other Republican could do
better, though, than Mr.. Harrison has done,
for the facts are on the Democratic side, and
facts will tell in the present canvass.
The Tribune: The letter is worthy of the
leader Of a great party, and demonstrates his
fitness for the presidency as well as the public
need that the principles he represents shall
prevail. 1t is the letter of a good fighter.
The Boston Press.
Boston Post: The Republican candidate
for the presidency ascribes bis delay
in writing his letter of acceptance,
W LING " VI ulR hIu I'LL
dressing almost daily large delegations Of
his fellow-cltizens, but the document pre-
sents so much internal evidence Of a careful
study Of President Cleveland's letter that an
other reason than that given may easily be
imagined. Like his opponent, Gen. Har-
rison dwells largely upo the subject of the
tariff. He assumes that the declarations Of
the Chicago platform are clear and emphatic;
but he nevertheless takes some pains to inter
pref these u~tterances with all the casuistry
which he has at his command. The contrast
between its false premises and illogical con-
illusions and the direct and cogent arguments
Of President Cleveland is q sharp one, and it
will be clearly recognized by the people Of
the country.
The Boston Herald: Gen. Harrison treads
close on President Clevelands heel. The
presidents letter was given to the public Mon
day morning, and now the Republican candi-
date comes forward with a formal acceptance
Of his party's nomination Appearing thus
together, the two letters challenge collation.,
and assuredly no supporter of the president
has anything to fear from the most searching
scrutiny of the rival appeals Gen. Harrison
is too weak a fencer to cross weapons on equal
terms with his formidable opponent. His let
ter is a clumsy parry to a straight and deadly
thrust. Both in logic and in rhetoric, in his
arguments and his style, he shows to marked
disadvantage when pitted against his master
full antagonist
Boston Globe: The Republican candidates
letter Of acceptance follows close upon the
heels of President Cleveland's. 1t is as if he
had been holding it back until the publication
of the presidents letter, with some impression
that Mr.. Cleveland might make it a target
for his sharp and sure arrows of logic.
The faults of Gen. Harrison's letter are the
faults of his party. He is one of those who
follow, not lead, and any new or valuable
treatment of any public question was not to
be expected of him. He is not a thinker or a
leader like Mr.. Cleveland.
1t must be called a c~olorleSs letter. Com
pared with President Cleveland's, it is as the
work of a mild essayist to the manifesto of a
statesman
Boston Advertiser: We feel sure that Gen.
Harrison's letter of acceptance will be
cordially welcomed by every true Republi-
can and friend Of protection 1t is the pro
duct of a thoughtful, earnest mind, of a man
who has formed convinctions by study, re-
Election and experience, which he speaks
with all due deliberation and modesty, clearly,
tersely and without fear. His sentences are
not laporiously and intricately built up to
house some ordinary conceit or hold some
ponderous platitude, but are fifty and
strongly shaped to give adequate force tc
sound judgments.
Boston Journal: Gen Harrison's letter Of