Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-02-17
evasion, concealment. and denial

evasion, concealment, and DENIAL
THAT resource the President has fortunate
ly removed. The issue which the Republi-
cans maintained and the Dem Gratis 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 enjoyment of an
industrial system which in quar.er of cen
fury has assured larger national growth o
more rapid accumulation and broader distri.
button 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 recklessly abandoned
and new trial be made of an old experiment
which has uniformly led to national emba-
rassment and widespread individual distress.
OF the result of such an issue fairly presented
to the popular judgment, there is no room to
doubt
Zone thing only is necessary to assure sue
cess-complete harmony and cordial co-ope-
ration on the part of all Republicans the
part of both those who aspire to lead and of
those who are eager to follow. The duty is
not one merely of honorable dey otion to the
party, whose record and whose aims are alike
great, but it is one demanded by the instinct
of self interest and the still higher prompt
ings of patriotism. A closer observation of
the conditions of life among the older nations
gives one more intense desire that the Anne
rican people shall make no mistake in choos-
ing the policy which inspires labor with hope
and crowns it with dignity, which gives safe
ty to capital and protects its increase, which
secures political power to every citizen, and
comfort and culture to every home. To this
end, not less earnestly and more directly a
private citizen than as a public candidate l
shall devote myself, with the confident belief
that the administration of government will be
restored to the party which has demonstrated
the purpose and the power to WELD it for the
unity and the honor of the republic, for the
prosperity and progress of the people, 1 am,
very sincerely, yours,
JAMES G.. BLAINE"
A STRONG BLAINE PAPER s VIEW OF IT
AS FAR AS IT is IN HIS POWER"
New York Tribune" Republican and
a strong Blaine paper: "a letter from
Mr.. Blame, published this morning, with
draws his name-so far as it is in his
power to do so-from the consideration of
Republicans for the nomination in their
approaching national convention. This
letter is no surprise to those friends of his
who have known how reluctant be has
been from the outset to give the sanction
even of silence to such consideration. II
is the simple fact that Mr.. Blaine was al
most dragooned by his friends into the
candidates. of 1880 and 1884, and that he
has constantly assured them that he would
not be put ia the position of even seeming
to seek nomination again. 1t has long
been evident that nothing but his own
positive action could prevent renomina-
ton this year, and so he has finally felt
forced to say to the public what he has
been saying in private. We regret the de-
cisiOn profoundly, since we have believed
that he would command more votes in the
doubtful States than any other Republ-
can yet proposed. But various candidates,
all excellent men and deserving we'll of
the Republican party, are actively 10 the
field, and the next few weeks may be eX-
pected to present some unusually lively
politics. May the best man win !"
MUGWUMP VIEW OF 1T.
New York "Times,'' Republican: "We
have a lingering suspicion that Mr..
BlaiGe's forecast Of Republican victory
may not be, on the whole, entirely sa-
tisfactory to himself. If in spite Of bis
glowing descriptions he really takes de-
spending view of the prospects of the con-
ing campaign, it may be that be Will insist
on refusing the nomination. We should
say that this view of the case would bring
exceeding great joy to the heart of the
Hon. John Sherman. But after all, the one
striking feature in the present political
situation is the extraordinary activity Of
the Republican clubs all over the country.
These clubs are Blaine clubs. The men
who have organized and who control them
are Blaine men, and it is from Blaine
centres that the influences have gone
forth and are still going forth to build up
these clubs and to prepare them for eff &c
tive work at Chicago in June and during
the campaign. This cOnsocunns political
fact bellies the words which Mr.. Blaine
writes from Florence, and makes his letter
almost ridiculous. A machine of such I'M
usual proportions. so carefully elaborated
and put together, has not been set up on
on the mere chance that Mr.. Blaine would
be candidate or might be persuaded to
be candidate, and it will not be taken
apart or turned over to the service of any
of Mr.. Blaine's rivals merely because Mr..
Blaine has written a letter to Chairman
Jones stating that his name will not be
presented to the nominating convention 9.
THE FEELING AMONG BLAINE's FOLLOW.
ERs IN NEW YORK.
The Baltimore 'Sun 81 New York cor
respondent says: If James Il. Blaine
wrote his letter from faraway Florence
with the desire of arousing enthusiasm
among his adherents in this city he was as
successful as his heart could have desired.
The universal verdict here is that Blaine
must be nominated that is, among Re-
publicans. OF course the letter Is regard
ed with respect, inasmuch as it outlines
the Republican platform for the approach
ing presidential campaign. The feeling
among MIR. Blaine's partisans is that be
must be nominated anyhow. Talks with
the Republican leaders in their headQuar-
tiers and in hotel corridors all disclose the
same sentiment.
''Blaine is your only hope of beating
Cleveland said Col. Tom Ochiltree, in
the Hoffman House tonight, "and unless
the Republicans put him at the head of
their ticket this fall Cleveland is sure to
be elected" This feeling prevails among
most Of the Republicans in this city
Persons who take Blaine's declination in
earnest are made more determined than
ever to insist on his nomination, and per-
sons who read between the lines of The
letter say with glee, "Well that is = smart
move, and it means that he proposes to go
into the fight with his plume erect against
Cleveland's tariff reform policy" Scarcely
Republican in New Y ork will accept
Blaine's ostensible withdrawal from the
the canvass as final. They each insist
that be is the only Republican whose
name will be potent with the electors in
the campaign of 1888, and they refuse to
believe that he is sincere in Withdrawing
from the impending contest. Enthusiasts
will adopt bis letter as their platform, and
mugwumps will regard it as warning
that Blainism is to be "bcomed7 to an
extent hitherto unthought of. The cold,
practical leaders of the Assembly districts
meanwhile will go ahead and lay pipes to
elect Blaine delegates to the next national
Republican convention.
WHAT VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS SAY.
The Virginia correspondent OF the
Gazette" says:
Senator Riddleberger of Virginia says it
will have good effect upon the Republic
can party in his State, but by no means
unite the patty for Sherman. He says the
-. - ;a.,.s "