The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-15
This Space is Reserved
!As Hooking County Agricultural Far,
TO BE HELD ON
The New Fair Grounds,
October 3,4,5 ), and s.
1888.

81 last by the National Convention
of the Republican party. Mr.. Har-
rison has had the misfortune to oc.
cupy, as regards his own political
party, somewhat peculiar posi-
tion. He has never been an ag-
gressive politician or a leader
among statesmen; he has not been
accustomed to sounding key-notes
in great campaigns, and in his
limited dealings with the people as
a public man, judging from his re-
cord, he has never evinced any ex-
traordinary solicitude for the well
fare of the ,wprkingman and the
laborer. These. considerations lend
additional interest to the reading
of Mr.. Harrison's letter of accept
ance; for in this document he
formally assumes a conspicuous
position as the leader of his party,
its director during the political
contest now being waged, and the
friend and champion of those whom
he and others like him call the
"laboring classes"
Hitherto, it must be admitted,
the utterances of the Republican
candidate for the Presidency have
not aroused a partisan fire of en-
thusiasm among those of his own
political faith, any more than they
have commanded respect and at
tention from his political antagon-
lists. The Republican organs have
been content to occasionally report
without comment the prosaic plati-
tudes with which Mr.. Harrison
has chosen to amuse his callers
at indianapolis, while the Demo-
cratic hot shot has been directed
almost exclusively against Mr..
Blaine, who up to this time has in
terpreted the Republican platform
with authority and according to
his own reading at that remark
able declaration. But now comes
along Mr.. Harrison with his letter
of acceptance and strikes a key
note that must be regarded as a de-
finite expression Of the intentions
of his party should it be again
placed in control of the Govern
ment.
We do not see how or why this
deliverance should improve either
Mr.. Harrison's personal chances or
the prospects of the Republican
party. He INDUCES in assertion
instead Of argument upon an econ
omic question of tremendous mag
nitude and Importance, puts forth
misstatements of the opinions and
purposes of the opposing side, re-
capulates seriously the exploded
industrial and economic fallacies
of English Toryism, appeals in
nerveless phrases to the fears and
timidity of unthinking people,
seeks to explain away the palpable
absurdities of his party platform
by the very process which he re-
prehends in his political antagon-
lists, and deliberately turns his back
upon his own fixed record upon the
Chinese question in the hope of
gaining little fieeting popularity
at the sacrifice of consistency. OF
that high courage and fine sense of
the dignity and responsibility of
American citizenship which we re-
cognized as attributes of the politi-
cal leader Mr.. Harrison's letter
bears scarcely trace. Beginning
with an: apology, it winds through
a wilderness of protectionist
phrase-making. to end in recan-
tation of personal views anu a
complete sabjugation of these to
partisan necessity. While this
may beigood policy, it will not be
likely to strike the American pub.
lie as indicating either the firmness
of purpose which should command
success or that devotion to their
interests which might at least de-