The Princeton union., 1891-02-26

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Blalne'S Star in the AScendancy-
Reciprocity the Winning Card
Republican Farmers Will Re.
turn to the FOld-Cush Da-
Wis Always Level-Headed-
Buchanan and the Sur
veyOr-Generalship.
Union Special Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Feb. o.. 1891.
James G. Blaine is still the hero
Of the Republican party, and more
so than ever since the reciprocity
elixir that he injected into the tariff
has worked SO well. This country,
and especially farming communi-
ties of this country, will now have
an opportunity to get something
out Of the tariff bill, but it took
Jim Blaine's nerve and brains to
have that bill so fixed that the peo-
pie would receive this benefit. So
the Republicans are now looking
forward to the nominations and
campaign of 1892 with some hope,
believing that with Blaine they can
carry the election.
No one need make the error bv
asserting that the Republican party
is dead. It is one Of the liveliest
institutions now going. The peo-
pie who have trusted the Farmers
Alliance crowd-the Republicans
who have left their own party and
rushed after strange gods-have
seen the error Of their ways. They
have observed the disgrace that has
been brought upon the State of
Minnesota by Donnelly and the
Democratic-Alliance combine in
the Legislature. The result in
South Dakota, where the Alliance
men have sent to the United States
senate a man who is a stranger in
the State, who came there mis-
slonary and was ready to depart
when he was chosen, who has not a
foot of land or a dollars worth of
interest in the State. In Kansas
nonenity has been elected to sue
coed Senator ingalls,, who has been
one OF the most prominent figures
in public life for the past Is years.
The Farmers Alliance craze is not
necessarily a fatal disease like
mugwumpery, and those who are
attacked by it may recover. There
is q possibility that the western
farmers will recover in 1892.
Senator Davis has been putting
in some very good blows lately.
He has demonstrated that when he
speaks on anything that he goes to
the bottom of it and knows what
he is talking about. He made an
earnest plea last week for the set
tiers of Minnesota whose property
had been destroyed by the Indians
in the great Indian war of 1862.
He did not win his point although
he made a determined effort in that
direction. He also attacked the
Nicaragua canal scheme, a pro-
position that means that this gov
ernment will expend one hundred
million dollars upon canal which
it will not own and only nominally
control. Senator Davis took a
practical view of the case and DEM
onstrated beyond doubt that it was
not the thing to do. He showed
that the canal was very likely to
be destroyed by an earthquake at
any time and all the money which
the government put in 90 to
naught. The presentation of the
case by Senator Davis caused
great number of senators to pause
in their support of the measure.
There is already some specula-
ton here as to what will occur if
the Minnesota legislature fails to
apportion the State into congress
sional districts. Two members of
congress will be elected at large,
and the other five from the districts
as they are now formed. This will
give the five Republicans now in
congress an opportunity for an
other race in their old districts, and
perhaps an ambitious Duluth and
st. Paul man a chance to run at
large.
In Minnesota there may be some
wonder over the long delay in MAX
ing the appointment of a Surveyor
general in Minnesota, but those
who know President Harrison and
have become accustomed to his
manner of doing business are not
in the least surprised. Buckman
was all right, had the endorsement
of two senators and tworepresenta-
tives in congress. These men
stood solidly by him and yet the
president keeps them on the anx-,