Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-02-04

Ever and anon while still in the house
OF representatives he struck ont with
original force the first sparks of that
policy between which and the high jingo-
ism OF British politics SO many points OF
similarity may be discovered. 1t may
be defined as the policy of AGATE Aneri-
caniSm! 1t develops itself into the
theory Of the complete segregation Of the
American republics and of the utilization
of ell under the Cogis Of THE United
States. II is form Of patriotic indiC-
nation Of which one Of the fundamental
principles is attachment 70 the Irish
cause and ave ion 70 British influences
on tins side OF SEa sao 1t "a probable
that the doctrine OF protection, to which
Blaine gave such 1werful and rational
advocacy, w,s rs llm EclI IS secondary
TO the deeper motive of American self
suficiency and Of the confirmation Of
the United States il the primacy of the
three Americas.
Blaines whole career in congress was
spectacular and dramatic. The genius
of the man favored display and great
acting. Without doubt Blaine had the
power to grasp a situation, to extract
from it its dramatic elements and TO
work those elements into a scene In
this particular American history he's NOT
furnished his equal His audacity al
ways stood him well in hand Time and
again he was brought into collision with
dangerous men and still more dangerous
facts. 1t may be doubted whether in
such contingencies he ever suffered dis
arrangement, to say nothing Of defeat.
Time and again he issued from the most
serious complications, portending ruin
to his fortunes, with victory on his crest.
In such contests there is little doubt that
he was capable Of supplying in his own
cause, by well placed fiction and unsup-
ported defamation, those elements Of
fact which truth withheld. In the crises
Of his career he was wont to shoot the
rapids like a skillful and daring boat
man There were days when his proud
ship and valuable cargo were crowded
hard between Scylla and Charybdis, but
he always went through with shout
and was answered by the roar Of the sur
rounding seas.
We may here refer at once to Blaine's
personal antagonisms and ever recurring
encounters. No other American states
man of great rank has had so many and
such serious battles. Some were battles
with men and others with circum-
stances. These cost the gladiator dearly.
1t was his anita gonism, be it said, that
finally stranded him on the shores this
side of the White House. He attacked,
and attacked bitterly, all of his rivals,
He seemed TO be inspired with the belief
that he must vanquish them and put
them down. As he rose toward the
speakership, and from the speakership
toward the presidency, he discerned with
clear eye the facts and the men with
whom he had TO contend. There was
Roscoe Conkling for one. Blaine at
tackled Conkling, and in that hour Mem
esis looked down from the gallery He
eyed Morton askance He saw Garfield
with jealousy which became acute as
Garfield pressed up to his flank. His
impetuosity knew no bounds. At times
it seemed that he could not curb him
self He flung sarcasr.ls and ironics and
invectives by the handful. They struck
where they might. His was to be lead
ership by conquest and by the humila-
ton Of the foe
In Blaine there was, however, a strong
mingling of the calm he judicial, the
conservative method Strange how just
he could bel The house Of representa-
tives never had a better or trucr speaker
His personality in the desk was immense.
AS presiding officer he not only won but
merited universal respect, His rulings
were impartial. His eye had the glance
Of the eagle, and his pose and self posses
sion were magnificent He was capable
of justice and truth He would not
brook such infamy as the caucus occa-
sionally propounded. At one time he
was well nigh losing the allegiance of his
party by a defiant counter ruling in ia
vor of the Democracy. The strange
thing about Blaine was that though he
in that crisis set himself against the
first force bill with the determination Of
duty and truth we are still left doubt
full whether he was inspired with the
belief that his ruling was good politics
for himself or whether he felt the power
Of the speakers oath upon his conscience.
If Blaine attacked his great rivals with
all the resources Of his genius, what shall
we say Of the onset upon the political
foe in both houses? The recrimiLations
Of the war were hot within. There was
one spectacular episode after another
Did Blaine purposely devise and plan
the situation and the day of his famous
deliverances? AT any rate he provoked
Benjamin H. Hill and made him his foil
jefferson Davis should not be pensioned
as a Mexican veteran-not indeed because
he had been president Of the Confed-
eracy, but because he had been response
BILE for AndersonviIle and Libby That
indeed was bombshell. 1t exploded
and the roar Of it was heard to Cahfor
MIA. Vainly did the man Of Georgia raj
" and countercharge and assail He
was vanquished, and the plume Of Blaine
was the one conspicuous sign seen above
the field.
The age following the civil war was
corrupt That word, in its radical sense.