The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-09
The MISTAKE.

time TO speak. The time to speak has
come, while we stand in the gray shadow
of national disaster, and derelict to
its duty, indeed, would be the paper
protesting Republican principles which
would hesitate now to point out at once
the moral of defeat and the path of
future victories. No one will charge
that the NEWS has not done all
in its po wer TO promote Republican sue
cess in this election if, now that the last
ballot has been cast, it says in sorrow
and for the sake of wiser choice in days
to come, that the mistake was made at
Minneapolis, and that when again the
Republican delegates, in national con-
vention assembled, wish to invite the
electoral votes of doubtful states they
should pay greater heed to the advice of
the delegates of those states than was
done at Minneapolis last June. No
man in RHODE ISLAND, whatever his
personal choice, can gainsay that fact.
No man who places the success of his
party and the welfare Of his nation
above his personal preferences will fail
TO echo the NEWS hope that the next
convention will build upon more solid
foundation of wise action in the spring
its hopes of success in November.
When the Republican delegates as
sembled at Minneapolis, all eyes were
turned, or should have been, upon New
York, Indiana, New Jersey and Connec-
ticut and upon the States of the West
and Southwest whose future political
complexion was uncertain though the
free silver and Populist movements.
Indiana desired the denomination of one
Of the best Presidents the United States
had ever had, Benjamin Harrison.
BY his stainless character, his intrep-
idity in war, his brilliant public services
in peace, his admirable administration,
his unquestioned ability, Mr.. Harrison
deserved the nomination if ever man
did. But there could be no question
that the votes Of the doubtful States,
except Indiana, were to be in
vited in quite another way. We
do not care to compare great
President with his great Secretary, for
the question of June was not one of
personalities but of success but most
men knew that the strongest popular
candidate the party could present was
none too strong.
That man was Blaine
Blaine would have lost Indiana with
out doubt. He would probably have
carried Illinois and the other middle
Western States. He would certainly
have carried New York and Connecti-
cut and probably New Jersey. He
would have swept the silver States tri-
umphantly, without losing anything
in the extreme East. And if any
living man could have broken the solid
South, James G.. Blaine, with his record
of eloquent opposition on the floor of Con-
gress TO a so-called Force Bill, was that
man. Far stronger than in 1884, both
with the plain people and with the
leaders who organize success, lie was
the man of the hour.
The Democrats showed as little re
gard for the choice of New York, but
with less unwisdom. A Democrat al
ways votes.
The nomination of Benjamin Harri-
son was mistake, but it was gener-
ous one. We have met the enemy and
yielded to his superior power. but no
army ever marched TO defeat under the
lead of braver or better man.
The nomination of Whitelaw Reid
was not mistake. 1t was colossal
blunder. Mr.. Reid is an able man, and
would have made an admirable Vice
President, but he was worse thas~mere-
ly weak candidate by his very
strength. He was vote-repeller. His
nomination was signal to the printers
unions Of the United States TO vote the
Democratic ticket, and TO urge that
course upon other labor organizations
Especially bitter was this feeling In
New York where il could do the most
harm. Mr.. Reds final settlement with
the union did not save him. Why, 1t
was asked, was he willing 10 concede,
after eleven years of struggle, what he
had not been ready TO concede in 1884
when the fatal support Of the non-union
Tribune defeated James G.. Blaine?
The tariff was not worsted in yester-
days fight. A dozen causes co-operated
in the defeat Of Harrison. Local issues
were powerful. The silver movement