The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-02-16


For this most generous loyalty of
friendship, can make no adequate
return, but shall carry the memory |
of it while life lasts.
Nor can | refrain from congratula
ting the Republican party upon the |
cheering prospects which distinguish
the opening af the NATIONAL contest of
lSSS as compared with that of 1884 In
1882 the Republican party throughout
the union met with disastrous de-
feat. Ten states that had supported
Garfield and Arthur in 1880 were car.
ried by the Democrats either hy ma
jorities or pluralities. The Republican
loss in the Northern elections GdsQp4r
ed with the preceding National eIec
ton, exceed half million votes, ani
the electoral votes of the Union, divi
ded on the hssis of the result of 1882
gave to the Democrats oyer three
hundred electors out of total of four
hundred and one. There was partial
reaction in favor Of the Republicans
in the elections of 1883, but the Dem
ocra;s still held possession of seven
northern states, and en- the basis of
the years contest could show more
than 100 majority In the electoral COL
leges of the whole country.
| Bat against the diseouragement nat
uraily f,llOEing the adverse elections
Of these two years the spirit Of the
Republican party in the national con.
test of 1884 rose high, and the Repub-
| lican masses entered into the campaign
with such energy that the f Ial result
depended on single state, and that
state was carried by the Democratic
party by a plurality so small that it
represented less than one-eleventh of
one per cent. OF the entire vote. The
change of single vote In every (2,000)
Two thousand of the total poll would
nave given the state to the Republi-
cans, though only two years before
;he Democratic plurality exceeded
U92, ,OCO) one hundred aud ninety-two
Thousand.
The elections of 1886 and 1857 have
demonstrated growing strength in the
Republican ranks. Seldom i'm our
political history has a party, def, a ed
in a national election, rallied immedi.
ately with such Vigor, as have the
Republicans since 1884. No compari-
son is possible between the spirit of
the party in 1882 8 and its spirit in
1867. The two periods present sim.
ply q contrast - the one of general
depression, the other of enthusiastic
revival. Should the party gain, in the
results of 1888, over those of 1886 7,
IN anything like the proportion of the
gain of 1884 over 1898, it would se-
cure one of the most remarkable vic
tories of Its entire existence. But vic.
| tory does not depend Oh so large ratio
Of increase the party has only to
maintain relatively its prestige of
1886 to give to it's national candidate
every northern state but one, with
lar better prospect of carrying that
one than it has had for the past six
years.
Another feature of the political sit
uation should inspire Republicans
with irresistible strength. The pres
ent national administration was elect
ed with. II not upon, the repeated as
sertions of its leading supporters in
every protection state that no issue op
the tariff WAS involved. However
earnestly Republicans urged that
question as the one of controlling i'm
portanoe in the campaign, they were
met by the Democratic leaders and
journals with persistent evasion, con-
lcealment and denial. That resource
the President has fortunately removed
The issue which the Republicans
| main tanned and the Democrats avoid
ed in 1884 has been prominently and
specifically brought forward by the
Democratic President, and cannot be
hidden out of sight in 1883. The couu-
try is now in the enjoyment of an in
dustrial system which in quarter of
a century has assured large national
growth, q more rapid accumulation,
| and broader distribution of wealth
than was ever before known to history.
The American people will now be
openly and formally asked to decide
whether this system shall hs recklessly
abandoned and new trial be made of
| an old experiment which has uniform.
ly led to national embarrassment and
! sufAocr1raoA Ind ixil
the result of such an issue, fairly pre-
ssnted to the popular judgment, there
is no room for doubt.
One thing only is necessary to assure
success-cOmplete harmony and cor.
dial CO operation on the part of all
Republicans-on the part both of tn ose
who aspire to lead and of those who
are eager to follow. The duty Is not
one merely of honorable devotion to
the party whose record and whose
aims are alike great, but it is one de-
manded by the instinct of self-interest
and by the still higher promptings of
patriotism.
A closer observation of the copdi.
SAOhS VI AAO 0hAOb6 ShC OAuCl
gives one a more intense desire that
the American people shall make no
mistake in choosing the policy which
inspires labor with hope and crowns
it with dignity, which give safety to
capital and protects its increase, which |
secures political power to every citizen, |
comfort and culture to every home. |
To this end, not less earnestly and |
more directly as private citizen than |
as public candidate, shall devote
myself, with the confident belief that
the administration of the government
will be restored to the party which has
demonstrated the purpose aud the !
power to WELD it for tho unity and
the honor of the republic for the PROS
perity and progress of the people.
] am very sincerely yours.
JAMES g. BLAINE.