Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-10-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.

( hrst election OF Lincoln, with the single
exception Of Cleyelsnd's campaign,
they have about this time, as they viewed
the signs Of defeat on every side, began a
concerted yell all along the line about
the activity of federal Office holders in
behalf OF the republican candidates. A:
a matter of absolute fact there never was
campaign in which so few federal
officials took part as in the present one,
nor was there eyer one ia which so many
of them took an active part as that OF
1888, when Mr. Cleveland was President
The President, soon after his re-nomina-
ton, made 1t plain to all his subordinates
that while he did not wish any man hold.
ing federal Office to feel that he thereby
sacrificed any political privilege to which
he should be entitled as a private citizen,
be did wish to impress upon every one OF
them that no public duty must be neglect
ed in order to do political work, and that
both the letter and spirit of the civil ser.
vice law must be obeyed, and that hi;
wishes have been and are being respected
is shown by the assertion of the civil ser.
Twice commission that there have beer
fewer complaints of violation or attempt
ed violation OF that law in the present
campaign than in any since its adoption
So much for that democratic lie.
If Mr.. Blalne's Ophir farm speech was
as well received elsewhere as it was II
Washington it will certainly create lots
of republican enthusiasm. Short as il
was it had the ling of the old Blaine
bugle blast, so familiar to republicans in
every campaign for quarter of century
past, and which may confidently be ex
pected so long as Mr.. Blaine lives. james
G. Blame is not fair weather republican
nor is he sulker or a sore head. He is
republican because he believes IN the
principles of the party and not because
he or any other man holds or does not
hold Office.
Mr.. Blaine and his family Will TIL:
week return to their Washington resi-
dence. In this connection 1t will be
interesting to see what construction those
democrats who have go persistantly main
taired, without the slightest foundation
therefor, that the President and Mr..
Blaine severed their personal friendship
when Mr.. Blaine retired from the Cabi-
net, will put upon the message OF SYM
pathy for Mrs. HarrisOn's illness thai Mr..
Blaine sent to the President. Your cor
respondent stated upon positive knowl-
edge at the time Mr.. Blaine left the Cabi-
net that there had never been any personal
disagreement between him and the Presi-
dent, and the statement is now reiterated.
The Presidents mail bag is unusually
big these days and the subject matter OF
most of the communications is politics.
Men who know exactly what the situa-
ton is in their respective localities are in
constant communication with the Presi-
dent and they tell him frankly what the
prospects are, thus keeping, as it were,
his finger upon the political pulse of the
people all the time. So much of the Pr9si-
dents time is now spent at the bed side
of Mrs. Harrison who Is slowly but surely
failing, that he finds the trained skill Of
his Private Secretary ELIJAH Halford, who
spent many years Of his life as a manag-
ing editor, Invaluable in handling and
digesting this enormous political cores
pondence. The republican prospect, as
shown by these letters, IS bright and daily
becoming brighter; republicans are fully
aroused to the necessity of keeping the
party which has given the country its
greatest period of prosperity in power
and the overconfdence which prevented
earnest work in many sections early in
the campaign has given place to hard and
telling work, which will be kept mp until
the victory is won. The Presidents
theory has been from the first that it is
better to WIN by rs or 50 electoral votes
than by 5 or 6, and that seems to be the
idea upon which republicans everywhere
are now working. The republican party
always wins when thoroughly aroused,
and it is now thoroughly aroused.
The signing of the contract by Post
master General Wanamaker, under which
he international navigation company is
to maintain a semi-weekly |
nail service between New York and
europe, in seyen steamships of the first
lass, all manned by American officers,
III carrying the American flag and all
ubiect to the control of the U. s. Govern
nent IN case of war, marks an era in our
commercial history, and it should not be
Orgotten that the credit for the law which
lade this contract possible belongs to the
asst republican Congress. The Company
warded this contract will have built at
nee in American ship yards five of these 7
teamships. costing in round figures 50, T,
DO, 900, the greater portion of which will r
e paid to American workingmen. d