Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-15
BLAINE AND THE PEOPLE.
his Cncuestioned Popularity-H He Were
Candidate He Would Be Nominated
Some Things That Should He Consid-


| bis Cncuestioned Popularity-H He Were
a Candidate He Would Be Nominated
! Some Things That Should He Consid-
| cred.
Careful inquiry made in most of the
Eastern States demonstrates the fact that
! the most popular Republican candidate for
! President this year would be James g..
Blaine. His hold upon the affections of the
| people appears to be entirely mistaken.
| Whenever Presidential candidate is
brought into prominence, he is Endorsed
with an 90 if - the 'if'' being, that Blaine
| viii not be a candidate.
This universally of public sentiment
for sush it may fairly be claimed 10 be
puts the Republican party face to face With
| this question, namely, II the country de-
mands the nomination of Blaine has the
party or have its leaders any right to set
| themselves upin opposition to the popular
villa Is it not the privilege of the people
to name their candidate, and is it not dis
loyalty TO the people to seek to force another
! nomination upon them!
Regarding the question in this light, says
the San Francisco Chronicle, Blaine's will
ingness to become candidate cuts no fig
ure. 1t is conceded that he is not candi-
date in any sense of the word; that he will
!
nomination; that he will throw no stone in
the way of any one who may be candi-
date; that his personal feelings are most
strong against the acceptance of a nomina-
ton, and that he Is, so far as his own
wishes and actions can affect the matter,
wholly out of the field. But in spite of this,
suppose that the Republican National con-
vention, responsive to the will of the peo-
pie who create it. should nominate Mr..
Blaine by reclamation, what would be the
resultl
Would the mugwumps have any reason
for declining to support him, except that
they are, one and all, free traders, and that
Blaine is an avowed protectionista Would
those ultra-conservative Republicans, who
objected to Blaine in 1884 because he was
too much of a politician and too persistent
a seeker of the nomination, make the same
objection if a nomination by reclamation
came to him, not only wholly unsought for,
but against his express wish! If the people
should demand that he be their standard
bearer, would he have any right to decline,
or would an unwilling consent obtained
from him warrant any Republican in sulk-
Ing in his tent while the battle was raging!
The convention is not far distant and it is
time to consider these things. At the time
of the meeting of the convention Mr.. Blaine
viii be on the Atlantic ocean. At that con-
vention there will be no one authorized to
speak for him or to present his name to that
body, but if that convention shall choose to
exercise its undoubted right and nominate
Blaine by acclamation, what Republican will
protest against its action.
As to the prospects of success with Blaine
at the head OF the ticket, there can be but
one honest and thoughtful opinion. He
would be elected by majority which would
recall the day Of Abraham Lincoln and
Ulysses S. Grant, a majority so decisive that
his taking Office would not depend upon
few hundred votes in a single STATE, and
with margin so wide that he could not
again be counted out by sBillful Democratic
manipulators of the ballOt-boX.
1t is not asserted that any such thing will
take place; it is only suggested that it is
within the bounds of possibility, and that,
if it does so happen, Republicans must
think sobcrly and seriously before they de-
sert their party and leave the Nation to four
years more of Democratic misrule.