The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-02-16
BLArNE.s pEcLrxArIoS.

Republicans Nafi0HGt Committee
SIR wish through you 20 state
to the members Of the Re epubiicsn
party that my name will not be pre-
sented 70 the national convention
called TO assemble in Chicago In
June next for the nomination Tor
candidates for president aud vice
president Of the United States
am constrained to this decision by
considerations entirely personal 80
myself, OF which you were advised
more than a year agO. But i eaqnnt
make the announcement without
giving expression to my deep sense
Of gratitude 20 the many thousands
OF my eOuutFymec who have sustain
ed me 50 lOug and so cordially that
their feeling has seemed 20 go be-
yOnd the ordinary political adher-
enee OF fellow partisans and 10 par
take somewhat OF the nature OF per-
sOnal attachment. For this most
generous loyalty Of friendship / can
make no adequate return, but l shall
carry the memory Of IL while life
lasts.
"NOr can refrain from eOngratu-
lating the Republican psrty upon
the cheering prospects which distin-
guish the opening Of the national
contest Of 1883 a. compared with that
Of 1884. In 1852 the Republican par
ty throughout the Union met with
disastrous defeat. Ten states that
had supported Garfield and Arthur
in the election OF 1850 were carried
by the Democrats, either by majOri-
ties or pluralities. The Republican
loss In the Northern elections com
pared with the preceding national
election exceeded 10000 votes, and
the electoral votes OF the Union, di-
vided ON the basis Of the result Of
1852, gave 70 the Democrats over 3D.
electors out of a total Of 40l. There
was pc rtial reaction IN favor Of the
Republicans Ia the elections OF 1883,
but the Democrats still held posses
sion OF seven Northern states, aud
on the basis rf the years contest
could show more than I0J majority
in the electoral college Of the whole
country.
But against this discOuragemeu
naturally following the adverse elec-
tiOns Of these two years, the spirit OF
the Republican party in the national
contest Of 1884 rose high, and the Re-
publican masses entered into tir
campaign with such energy that the
final result depended on the vote of "a
single state, and that state was car
ried by the Democratic party by "a
plurality so small that Il represent
ed less than One-eleventh Of ] per
cent OF the entire vote. The change
OF a single vote in every two thous-
and (2,0U0) of the total poll would
have given the state to the Repubii-
cans, though only two years before
the Democratic plurality exceeded
one hundred and ninety-ThOusdud
I9O,OO0).
"The elections Of 1886 and 1857 have
demonstrated growing strength in
the Republican ranks. Seldom in
our political history has a party de-
feated in a national election rallied
Immediately, with such vigOr as the
Republicans since 1855. No cOmpar-
isOn Is possible between the spirit %
the party in 1928 and its spirit in
1857. The two periods present SIM
plv q cOntrast-the one Of general
depression, the other Of enthusias-
tic revival. Should the par Y gain,
in the results Of 1855 over those over
thOse Of 1867, in anything like tue
1888, il would secure one of the
most remarkable victories Of its eu-
tire existence. But victory does not
depend on so large q ratio of in
crease; the party has to maintain
relatively its prestige of 1857 TO give
10 its national candidates every
Northern state but one, with far
better prospect of carrying that one
than il has had for the past six
years.
Another feature Of the political
situation should inspire Republicans
with irresistible strength. The pres
eut national administration was
elected with, II not upon, the repeat
ed assertions of its leading support
ers In every protection state that no
issue on the tariff was involved.
However earnestly Republicans
urged that question as the one con-
trolling importance in the campaign
they were met by the Democratic
leaders and Journals with persistent
evasion, cOncealment and denial.
That resource the president has for
tunately removed. The issue which
the Republicans maintained and the
Democrats avoided in 1884, has been
prominently and specifically brought
forward by the Democratic president
and cannot be hidden out Of sight in
1888. The country is now in the en-
ioyment Of an industrial system
which I'm a quarter Of = century has
assured a larger national growth,
more rapid accumulation and
broader distribution Of wealth than
were ever before known to history.
The American people will now be
openly and formally asked to decide
whether this system shall be reck-
lessly abandoned and a neW trial
made Of an old experiment. which
has uniformly led to national EN-
barrassment aud widespread iudi-
vidual distress. On the result Of
such an issue, fairly presented to the
popular judgment, there j. no room
for doubt.
zone thing only il necessary to a.
sure success-eOmplete harmOuyan
cordial cooperation on the part Of
all Republicans-Ou the part both of
those who aspire to lead and of those
who are eager to follow. The duty is
not one merely OF honorable devn-
tiOn to the party whose record aud
whose aims are alike great, but il T.
one demanded by the Instinct Of self
interest and by the still higher
prOmptings Of patriotism.
"a closer observation OF the eondi- /
tiOns Of life among the older nations |
gives one q more intense desire that |
the American people shall make no |
mistake in choosing the policy |
which inspires labor with hope and |
crowns 1t with dignity, which gives |
safety TO capital and protects its in
crease, which secures political pow
er TO every citizen, comfort and cul- /
ture to every home. To this end mot |
less earnestly and more directly as a
public candidate, ! shall devote my
self with the confident belief that the
OF the government
will be restored to the party which
has demonstrated the purpose and
the power to WELD Il for the unity
and the honor Of the republic, for
the prosperity and progress Of the
people. ! am, very sincerely yours,
JAMES G.. BLAINE.
SPEAKING Of the "war tax" ex.
Senator Warner Miller said the
Dther day: $50 long as there is q
war debt Of twelve hundred millions,
with a5n nOo 0n0 of annual inforsst a., l