Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-01-27
WALKER BLAINE,

WY ! 7
MARGARET BLAINE. WALKER BLAINE,
JAMES @. BLAINE, JR. ENNIoNs BLAINE,
We thus have the remarkable spec
tacle of a man who has been fire times
consecutively before the national con.
ventions of his party, and always pre-
ferred by his party to any other com
petitor whomsoever, and always greater
than his competitor, whoever that might
be-greater in the sense that he was bet
ter qualified for the presidency Of the
United States than any who stood
against him--and yet but one time nomi-
mated and never elected II is repe.
tition of the irony Of fate,
We may here note the reactionary eff.
feet of this long continued, arduous and
unsuccessful struggle upon the great ac.
tor himself. This effect has been that
which generally comes to great character
under such trials and abrasion Of des-
tiny. 1t is the effect of discipline-thC
Improvement of human nature by the
hardships Of experience, by sorrow aud
by defeat. 1t were not far from true tC
say that James G.. Blaine has been more
improved in his moral and intellectual
nature and in his purposes and methods
and theories of craftsmanship by the va.
rious hurts and disappointments Of bis
career than have any Of his rivals by
their successes, however great
Blaine's character has been lifted NJ
and perfected in remarkable degree,
and it is an astonishing fact that what
ever is true and lasting in his statesman
ship and the most of that which is beau.
tiful in his personal life have come from
the hard discipline Of the last fifteen
years. The fact is that Blaine in the
hour of the setting sun has not been fal
from true greatness as it is measured by
historical standards. He has come tc
this by tribulation rather than by glory
His spirit has been moderated, chastened
and purified from dross by the buffetings
to which he has been exposed and by the
very ruin Of his political fortunes,
Something Of the same fact has beer
seen in many great Americans. 1t wa'
seen pre-eminently in Lincoln, though
Lincoln was always great. 1t was oee
in Samuel J. Tilden. II was seen ant
exemplified most strikingly in that othe,
conspicuously successful American be
fore whose stubborn front Blaine him
self quailed and went back in 1884.
In his last years the life of James G
Blaine stood forth in striking outline
against the horizon. He was alwayi
sustained by following which never
drew back or doubted, His magnetic
power and great personality prevailed tC
the last. The excellence Of method as
well as the sterling genius of the mar
shone forth with unusual luster ant
flashed fine light into every department
Of his activity.
In the literary work to which he gave
himself at all times, according TO oppor
tunity, but more particularly in the last
decade OF his career, we discover an -nn
mistakable superiority. Many Of oui
public men have essayed something h
the way Of permanent production. Will
most II has ended with the trial. Poll
tics and literature are not bedfellows
The one puts the other out. There is moi
much concord between Belial and the
angel. In few great minds, however
there has been union of the literary anC
the political faculty, and this was pre-
eminently true Of Blaine. The country
ought to have been more astonished thar
it was at the excellence, the greatness ol
his book. Twenty Years Of Congress
is one Of many such works; but taking
them all in ALL from Benton's Thirty
Years View" to Sunset Cox's "Thret
Decades" Blaine's work is distinctly ant
emphatically the best.
AS an author he Is innocent Of th'
egotism Of Benton AS a statesman b,
shows himself TO have been, with his pei
atleast, incapable Of the partisanship ant
passion Of Cox. AS matter Of fact, ther'
is hardly more dispassionate or rationa
work on the public history of our coun
try than Is the Twenty Years Of Con
gress." In no other part of his produc
are Blaine's capacity and his better tenn
per shown to so great advantage. Tn
time comes when, all current sentimen
dying away, tho great secretary shall b
known TO his countrymen by tho cain
statement Of fact and the cogent and Inn
partial deductions which ho has left OF
record in his book.
What has James q. Blaine contributed
to his age and country? Has he really ac
complished anything? Has he left per
manent impress? Has he transmitted
from himself to his times and TO aftel
times something that shall survive ant
flourish, giving It's leaf and fruitago II
the Twentieth century, These question:
must bring with their answers the tlu'
estimate Of Blaine's life and work. i
he has done nothing, let him pass. II h'
has left no impress, let the grave clost
and the grass grow; for the morrow, n
that event, will be even as today.
Blaine has contributed something e
his age and country. He has been q liy
ing, inspiring force among the motives