San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-20
THE PARTY. NOT CANDIDATES.

THE PARTY, NOT CANDIDATES.
There never was q period In the his
tory OF the republican party when calm,
deliberate, unbiased judgment was more
needed than at present. Never . time
when the claims OF the party to take pre-
cedence of all candidates should be 30
carefully weighed and so implicitly con.
coded. There never was time since
the first republican president was cleo.
ted, In 1860, in which the republican
party was 80 heavily handicapped as 1t
is now, for never before In all these
twenty-eight years have the republican
party been compelled to meet the oppo-
sition Of the national government demo-
crstioaIly administered. The immense
odds thus given the democratic party is
not fully understood by the younger
leaders and members Of the republican
party, who have had no actual exper-
fence in fighting democracy, thus en-
trenched In the stronghold of the ma
tional government. II the democracy
could win In 1884, with the national ad-
ministration In the hands of the republic
can party, it will be much easier for
them to win in 1888, when the nationel
army of office holders is on their side.
The argument Of change is alone
In favor of the republican party.
Four years ago change was
demanded. on the ground that the
republican party having been In posses
sion of the head Of the government for
twenty-four years, q change was de-
manded In the interests of economy and
reform. The change came but the reform
did not, and the country is more clamor-
GUS for change today than 1t was four
years ago. Upon this universal demand
for a change, growing out Of the unsatis-
factory record of the democratic admin
istration Of Mr.. Cleveland, is the hope OF
the republican party today based. 1t lie
apparent that the democratic party has
learned nothing during it's enforced re-
tirement from power. and that the old
disregard Of public interests which char
acterized its administration before the
war. continues to manifest itself In lite
present public service. 1t becomes the
duty of the republican party, and a
necessity no less, to demonstrate that
during it's temporary release from the
responsible position of government 1t
has not been unmindful of the tendency
Of the thought of this nation; to show
that in it's adversely 1t has not been
without careful attention to those
matters which make for it's own eleva-
ton and Improvement; to prove that it
is better fitted to administer the gov
eminent OF these United States today,
than when it laid down the reins of ma
tional authority four years since. By no
means can the republican party demon
s.rate this more conclusively than
by showing itself party attached
to principles rather than to
persons. The republican party cannot
afford to make defensive campaign,
and the injudicious friends of Mr.. Blaine
are forcing that possibility upon the
party by their refusal to accept his de-
clination of the nomination as final. 1t
is not the enemies of Mr.. Blaine, but his
true friends who demand that he be not
placed in the false position of seeming to
decline nomination while 90 actually
counting it. No power on earth can pre-
vent the charge that Mr.. Blaine's letter
OF declinstion was a mere trick, II Mr.
Blaine receives the Chicago nomination.
There are tens of thousands of good re-
publicans who very much regretted that
letter OF the great Maine statesman, but
who feel that the letter having been
written, and made public, must he
abided by. There is no Disgusting the
fact that the refusal of Mr.. Blaine's in
judicious friends, to accept the matter
of his candidacy as settled, is unsettling
the republican minds Of the nation and
will be disturbing element 10 the ma
tional convention. This should not be.
The needs Of the party must be first con-
sidered. The personal elements must
be relegated to the background. The
party is stronger than any candidate of
the party. Unity the party upon some
candidate and a republican victory is as
certain ss fate. Let the friends of James
G. Blaine initiate his greatheartedness,
and surrender their great desire to see
him nominated to the harmonization