The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-13
SEATTLE. SUNDAY. nor. IL.


Political campaigns have ceased to be
pleasant, because they have become not
only non-romantic, but in any large sense
nou-patriotic. The Rev. DIR. Swing, of
Chicago. expressed regret that Mr.. Harri-
son and Mr.. Cleveland should not both
have been less self-seeking; he believes
that they should have been content with
their past honors and should have stood
aside 10 give opportunity to other men
who had earned the confidence Of their
respective parties.
This view of DR.. Swing may seem little
strained 70 a politician who no more ex.
poets magnanimity in politics than in bust
ness. but DR.. Swing probably believes that
the world would be better off if there was
touch of magnanimity in both business
and politics. At all events DR.. Swing is
right to this extent, that the candidacy Of
both Harrison and Cleveland stands for
something very different from that for
which the candidacy of Lincoln or Grant
stood. A great and noble cause, looking
Lincoln on trust in 1850 and re-nominated
him on proof of surprising and indispen.
sable quality in 1854. A grateful people
nominated Grant in 1868 and re-nominated
him in 1872.
What glorious campaigns were those OF
the Republican party from 1856 to 1872 in-
elusive; the life, the lift. the light of those
great campaigns were never equalted before
in the history of the country and have
never been egualled since. The moral
issue Of slavery touched the lips of even
second-rate orators with eloquence before
the war; the object lessons of heroism and
sacrifice kept the people in sensitive, re-
sponsive mood during the war; the invo-
cation of patriotic memories was quickly
answered by the North during the ten
years that followed the war. BY that
time. as Grants administration drew to q
close, the war drums began to die away
and the struggle for the presidency that
ended in the nomination and election of
Hayes showed distinctly that We had sunk
to lower and less patriotic plane Of
politics.
The nomination Of Hayes was q com.
promise that became necessary by the bit
terness of q purely selfish struggle between
the chiefs of the party for the presidency.
The great victory of TiIden in New York
emphasized the fact that in spite Of his
non-patriotic opposition to Lincoln's adj
ministration he had seduced more Repub-
Leans to his standard than so loyal q
champion of the Union as Greeley could
in fs72 The national election of 1876 was
the parting of the ways. From that time
forward the Republican party has had to
fight desperately for victory. In 1880 Gar
field would surely have been beaten by
Hancock had not Grant and Conkling
come to his rescue at the last moment.
The bitter struggle which preceded the
nomination of Garfield in 1880 was re-
sumed on his accession to the presidency !;
was further embit,ered under Arthur, and
TO this factious condition of the party was
due the defeat of Mr.. Blaine in 1854.
The victory of Harrison in 1888 was due
something 10 the fact that Cleveland was
but codly supported by Tammany Hall
and David r. Hill, and further to the fact
that neither the free silver" nor Populist
craze had then appreciably atiec ted the
integrity of the party. Had the same
malcontent conditions existed within the
Republican party in 1855, had Cleveland
then surrendered TO Hill and Tammany,
doubtless Mr.. Harrison would have been
defeated. In all the political campaigns
since 1872 there has been conspicuous
absence Of the high, romantic, respon-
cd "a
previous struggles, from 1856 to iS12 in
elusive.
With the close of Grants second term
the higher political emotions Of the party
had burned themselves away and the strife
OF factions within the party followed.
After that there was an end to all cam
paign eloquence; an end to all effective
invocation of patriotic memories; an end
70 pointing with PRIDE to the past record
Of the party. The dry, hard questions OF
finance and the tariff pressed to the front
OF the debate; questions not easy TO make
interesting or ineligible TO the average
voter. who delights IN personalities and
Is impatient or indifferent to the discussion
of principles. II WAS evident that the
question Of success between the parties nc
longer turned on the records Of the past O,
the discussion of the PRINCIPLES of the
present A great and impressive intel
leciual personality like Tilden or Blaine
might lead either party 20 victory,
and lacking such a leader the victory was
likely 70 go to the party that was mos;
successful in working current popular
craze or class prejudice for al il wa,
worth. The absence OF q commanding
leader. and the dsarth of any specific
issues of discomfort lost the Democracy
the day In iSSS This year Cleveland VS.:
not especially popular. but the Farmers
Alliance revolt OF November, 1890 had LEFT
tho air full of discomfort and unrest; the
free silver craze followed: the labor riot.
came opportunity for the party that Wa,
prompt to substitute for dry discussion o.
principles illustrated by cold facts and is
sres, tiorId appeal to ignorant and pas
siouate class prejudice.
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