Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-04
FRIDAY. ......D DECEMBER 4. 1891.
Mr.. Blaine md the Dispatch.

Ever since he aided Mr.. RANDALL in the
good work of killing the force bill, which
the Republicans tried 10 force through the
last House of Representatives, of which
be was Speaker. Mr. BLARE has been re-
gardod by us as having done something to
hntitle himself TO be considered better
han his party leaders and ever since he
defeated GRANT Of the nomination foE a
third term as President OF the United
States we have had stlll higher opinion
of him. We are willing for him to have
such honors as the Republican party can
confer upon him, but not the honors which
the American people have the privilege OF
comforting. We favored his nomination
by the Repu blicans in 1880 1884, and 1888.
But we sometimes failed to get him set
mp TO be shot down. We are not sure that
we would like 10 have the Republicans
nominate him this year. We might get
more than we wish 10 bargain for. The
present prospect is that the Republicans
will nominate HARRISON, and the Demo
Gratis have walk-oyer. II the Repubh-
cans nominate BLAINE the Democrats will
have the most trying contest on their
hands that they have had for maoy years,
We can dofeat BLAINE OF any other RePub-
lican nominee IL the situation continues
until the election as it is now. The trou-
bic is that the situation may bo changed
Anyhow. the DIsPAToH has no axe TO grind,
and will continue to follow the even tenor
OF its way.
We made some reference TO Mr.. BLAINE
the other day which has called forth from
the Petersburg Hder-Appcdl short article.
That paper says jooularlY that If BLAINE is
so popular and SO magnetic perhaps the
Democrats would better not run anybody
against him. But hIs popularity is within
his own party, and his magnetism is
brought to bear upon his own friends.
Like HESBY CLAY, no has more friends and
supporters inside his own party than any
other man. But also like HgNRY CLAY, he
can call out larger opposition vote than
any other man. We need not argue this
point with our Petersburg contemporary,
for his article plainly shows that he
understands Just how DIR. BLAINE stands
both with the people of the country as a
whole and with the Republicans. For after
attempting TO poke fun" at fora while,
it puts on long face and declares that,
seriously speaking, the nomination OF MIR.
BLAINE would give the Democratic party
some hard work to find an opponent even
approximately as strong" The joke seems
TO us 10 be on the Indec-Appoai, seeing that
we have never for one moment conceded
that Mr. BLAINE was so strong with the
people as that paper says heis. Serious
ly speaking" We may say that the Demo
cratic prospect Is poor indeed if the Demo
Gratis have no prominent man who is even
approximately as strong IS Mr.. BLAINE.
Let us hear the conclusion of this little
matter. Ii is that the Iade1-AppeaI concurs
with us fully in the opinion which it un-
dertook TO discredit.
Our Petersburg contemporary goes on to
"touoh up" CLEVELAND and MILLs as dan.
cerous men for the Democrats to "fool
with" As we have hereinbefore said that
the Democrats have the strength TO elect
even the weakest of their candidates fol-
President we need not here notice what
our Petersburg contemporary says on this
point.