The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-01
Second Heats.

One thing Is clear through oil the dust
that is now kicked up by tho opponents OF
Gen. HARRISON. who include, by the way.
nearly all the most highly skilled. practical
political talent in the Republican party:
and that Is that second terms are played
out. Gen. HARRIsoN's Administration has
been honest. dignitied. and able. 1t
may be said that the conduct OF for
eign affairs and the introduction OF
reciprocity. the Two big merit marks to
which the Administration is entitled. be-
long to Mr.. BLAINE and not to Gen. HAIR
RIsoN; while in regard to the Behring
Sea trouble. the fatal arbitration treaty
into which tho Government has been
wheedIed by Lord SALISBURY is due to
Gen. HARRIsoN's interference with the func-
tons Of the State Department. But IL he
must bear tho blame Of the mistakes, he
ought to receive also tho credit Of the Ad-
ministration. The success OF Mr.. BLAINE
and Of Gen. TRACY must confer honor
upon the man who called them to the
Cabinet. albeit the invitation to Mr.. BLAINE
may have been written by fear and not by
love. If the Hon. JEREMIAH MULLEN RUsK
has given the farmers new and fearful
knowledge OF the capacity OF the horse
Tor acquiring diseases. all the ridlcule for
him must be turned over to the Hon. BEN
sAMIN HARRISON. But If we mark HARRI-
Son down on account Of WANAMAKER and
RUsK, We must in common fairness mark
him up on account Of BLAINE and TRACY.
His Administration. then, has not been
weak or inefficient. He has revealed HIM
self gradually to his party and to the coun-
A., - 40. 10 tv,%D Ilao% ,,,,l
ability. His position has been difficult.
He has no enthusiastic personal adherents.
He was nominated because he was
soldier. because his friends thought he
could carry Indiana. and because he had
not made enemies In New York. He had
the good fortune to be pltted against the
weakest candidate the Democracy could
lind. 1t was a case OF the Unknown
against the Duffer. and the Unknown
won. AS the Unknown became known. 1t
was seen that he was not deficient In
brains. This little Hoosier lawyer. who
q few weeks before was trudging con-
tentedly along the streets Of indianapolis
with his green bag. was called upon to pre-
side over u Cabinet in which was the most
famous and most popular Of Republican
statesmen. The Hoosier soon began to
paddle his own canoe. He formulated his
own policy: and when that policy was shown
BY the election Of 1890 not to be what the
country was waiting for. he promptly took.
and with unsupported elasticity. Mr..
BLAINE's policy. lie caught reciprocity
hot from Mr.. BLA1NE's hands. and believes
that 1t was his own. He undoubtedly
thinks highly OF himself. but he Is not
hat tot MI
In what may be called the Presidential
dress parade--the public appearances Of the
President before his countrymen-Gen.
HARRIsoN has been successful. Tho ability
TO make a good speech. or even series of
speeches. Is not. perhaps. rare or OF the
highest kind: but Gen. HARRIsoN's Pull
mon car speeches. Ike those which he de-
Nvered on the way from Washington to
Rochester last week. were always suitable,
and often felicitous. They gave the i'm
preston OF u nimble intelligence. Of a facil-
ity not to be expected from man rigid and
narrow In his ideas, Of n basis OF common
sense, and OF q certain faculty OF oratory.
Gen. HARRIsoNs appointments to Office
have on the whole been fair. He has ap-
piled himself industriously to tho bust
ness OF his post. Leave out the nepotism.
which was 80 conspicuous In his early days:
leave out WANAMAKER. who is part payment
fnr M election debt. and leave out the Cen
sus ONCE and Pension Bureau. In both OF
which Republican exgencies have had their
way. and Gen. HARRIsoN's Administration
has been pretty creditable one. There Is
good deal OF testimony to the effect that
he confers u favor as II 1t were kick.
and denies one with the air Of intimating
that the asker ought to DO hanged; but
these infelicities. though they may inspire
their victims with desire for blood. do not
greatly Affect tho general estimation Of the
President There arc great many per-
sons. In fact. who esteem an op-
pressively disagreeable manner as an
Indication Of unapproachable virtue
on tho part Of its possessor: and OBJ
viously there can BIO no corrupt OF selfish
aim in 30 feating your visitors that they
30 70