Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-19
BLAINE AND THE PRESIDENCY.

BLAINE AND TIKI PhkSlDENCf.
With the first month of 1892 Mr..
Blaine becomes sixty-two years OF age.
Up to his sudden and severe sickness in
1876, in the midst of the national con-
yention before which he was the most
prominent candidate, he had been abso-
lutely well. Naturally of tough fiber
and strong frame, he had added to these
temperance and the most careful gen.
eral habits in every wav. But his later
life has been hard and wearing, and the
recent illnesses that have come upon
him have not been OF the kind to be
readily thrown off. They have clung to
him and made him an invalid. This is
the simple fact, attested by all the cir
cumstances of the case and concerning
which his real friends make no secret
He and they must decide, when the
time comes, whether it will do for him
to accept the nomination for the presi-
dency next summer; for it would now
seem that he can have it if he will. 1t
should be left to them; and it is indeli-
cate if not indecent for his competitors
to assume to speak for those who alone
can Justly be held responsible for the
decision as to his fitness to enter upon
the conflict.
If his family and friends do decide he
can run, and he does, will he be strong?
Let us see: He canget no Democratic
votes, for that party now has added
hopefu]ness to its conspicuous loyalty
and devotion to tradition and principle.
It is simply question of the candi-
dates strength in his own party. Mr..
Blaine, in some ways, stands better with
his party than he did in 1884. Not only
have most of the things charged against
him been forgotten with the lapse OF
time, but many of the men who seri-
ously tried to keep high the standard of
official integrity in that party have now
ceasedj to be Republicans altogether.
.Others-and they are the leaders-have
apparently concluded that it does not
pay to even try to be good, and so take
all the chances. They elevate Clarkson
to be the head of the Republican clubs
and commit to him the teaching of their
youth. They have shamelessly en-
,dorsed systematic thievery in Pennsyl-
vania in manner that has shocked the
nation. Indeed they would seem to have
taken Juneu g hint to Sir William
Draper, that "they who have lived
without virtue should be consistent and
die without repentance. So Mr.. Blaine
has nothing to fear from former critics
in his own party. They are all gone or
are silent, while he himself has turned
censor and has been attempting to teach
them morals as we'll as manners.
The contention between Mr.. Blaine
and the president-the only other real
candidate vets not small matter,
and will weaken either at the polls.
Mr.. Harrison has authorized and, for
that matter, apparently employed, Gen.
III. V. Boynton to argue, prove and de-
clare through the public press, that it
was he, and not Mr.. Blaine, who fore
shadowed and evolved the reciprocity
scheme to sugareoat the Mckinley tariff
measure. Within week Mr.. Blaine has
on his enemy by attempting to
that during his short stay
in the state department under Garfield
he had set the whole business on foot
before Mr.. Harrison was born, so to
speak. A rivalry so pronounced and
early begun bodies nc good to the sue
eessful candidate. Such spectacle
was never seen in the old days when
the Republican party was young and
strong. 1t plainly shows that the or
ganization is being dreadfuly strained
in the center, as well as continually
raveling at the edges. No party can
stand still and quarrel without losing
ground. Ii it does not grow it is deeaying.
Much sympathy for Mr.. Blaine has
come OF his political attitude
and his invalidism, and for the
he will have the vociferous
help of all the enemies of the admins
tration; but if he becomes the candi-
date he cannot save himself from the
assaults of many cunning fighters who
have recklessly followed the orihamme of
the family white hat. He can get no
votes outside his party; and it is not
plain how he can get all within it. 1t |
is only fair to say, however, that he can
come as near to uniting his
party as anybody, and that it must and
will make big fight for MIN. 1t not
only seems to want to nominate him
after putting him off SO long, but it is
1nder the necessity Of disposing Of some
,ther veteran suitors at the same time.
IN word, though it cannot elect him, it |
will yield to him the nomination If be