Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-17
Is Harrison Sincere?

General Harrison had grandfather
He was born to place in the world.
He had not to grapple with the wolf at
the door from his earliest infancy and
fight his way to an education and to a
place where he might do something.
The education was his birth-right; the
place was found for him. All he had to
do was to show there was something in
him as an individual. He was taught
law and admitted to the bar. He seems
to have developed some aptitude in his
profession, for he has long been the
trusted attorney of great corporations,
and he is now the favorite candidate
Of many of them. He is. not an
imbecile. He had furthermore the ad
vantage to be derived from occupying
the place Of General in the volunteer
ar1cy Of the Union for some years. With
all these advantages he arrived at the
very mature age of about fifty years. He
came to point in life when men Of his
experience and of his advantages have
reflected much on the affairs of life.
About this time he was elected to seat
in the United States Senate. When he
took that seat he encountered on the floor
of the Senate debate whose Importance
we on this coast think to be the
most important to the future pros
perity of the Union, and to the veal of
the laboring people especially. OF any
which has come to the front in quarter
of century. The Chinese question is
the one referred to. When Mr.. Harrison
was brought face to face with this matter
as legislator in the halls of the highest
branch OF our law-making body, the
question had been under discussion as
burning one for ten years. Debates had
been had on it in the Senate. The press
of the country had teemed with it.
This Coast had been brought
to the verge of rioting many
times, so high did public feeling run.
There had been imminent danger that
the chief city on the Pacific, San Fran.
cisco, would have been laid in ashes by
an angry mob. Now with all these
means of understanding this important
question, Mr., Harrison sat in his seat
in the Senate for six years. Much debate
was had in reference to Chinese immi-
grafton, many bills relating to it were
voted upon. How did Mr.. Harrison
stand affected to this matter? In
all these six years every word
he spoke, every vote he cast was on the
wrong side-on the side which we all
out here think wrong; on the side Mr..
Harrison's party has reluctantly been
forced to acknowledge wrong; on the
side which Mr.. Harrison explicitly con-
fesses he was wrong on. When did Mr..
Harrison experience change of heart on
this question? Last February, when his
chances for Presidential nomination
grew into hopeful brightness. He held
on to his old views. He maintained hi s
old position. And that in the full blaze
of light which he had enjoyed for seeing
it in its true significance. He saw no
reason to repent of his errors. But all at
once, when he thinks he may gain civic
commission by repentance he confesses
his error. He cries peccavi, and processes
a change of mind. He is about midway
between fifty and sixty years of age
when he "fops." Is this real, sincere,
heartfelt repentance and thorough con-
version? There is not one unbiased
mind in the world which will SO Judge.
Mr.. Harrison has played tho trick Of the
demagogue. He has "1opped" to catch
votes.