Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-28

Sorrow Cssssensd Hssa and His Trns
Greatness Game osss
Blasns's character has tsen nfsed up
and perfected ii = relnarkalie dexrpe,
and il j. ~ astonishing fat that what
ever Is true and lasting ia LIS stat man
ship and the IlEst OF that which Is l.ean-
tifui Ia his personal HE have eo1ns from
the hard discipline II the lat flfteen
years. Tho fact Is that Elaine IN the
hour of the setting sun has BOT l.~-n far
from true greatness a. II l. sasasured s,y
historical standards he hAs eonle 90
this BY tribulation rather han by glory.
lis sp.Ti. has besn moderated. chzsssneI
and PARTED from dross isy the buffstinxs
10 which be has beSsi exposed and BY Tia
very ruin Of his political fortunes.
Something Of the same fact has been
..aen in many great Americans. Il was
seen pre-esninently IA Lincoln. though
Lincoln was always great. II was -ee
In Samuel j. Tilden. IL WIS seen and
exemplifed most strikingly in that ether
conspicuossly successful American be-
fore whose stubborn front Blaine him
self quaIlei and went back in 1854.
la his last years tho life Of James q.
Elaine stood forth in striking outline
against the horizon. lie WAS always
sustained by following which never
drew back or donbted. His magnetic
power and great personality prevailed 10
the last. The excellence OF method as
well as the sterling genius Of the man
shone forth with unusual iuster ard
flashed fine light into every department
Of his activity.
In the literary work To which he gave
himself ut al times. according 10 orpor-
trnity, but more particularly in the last
decade Of his career. we discover an un-
mistalsable superiority. Many Of our
public men have cssayed something in
the way Of permanent production. With
most it has ended with the trial Poll
tics and literature are not bedfcllows.
The one puts the other out There Is rot
much concord between Beliai and the
angel In few great minds. however,
there has been union Of the literary and
the political faculty. and this was pre-
erninently true Of Blaine. The country
ought to have been more astonished than
it was at the excellence. the greatness Of
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 Three
Decades" Blaine's work is distinctly and
cmphatically the best.
As an author he is innocent Of the
egotism Of Benton. As statesman he
shows himself 10 have been. with his pen
at least. incapable of the partisanship and
passion of Cox AS a matter of fact, there
is hardly more dispassionate or rational
work Oh the public history OF our coun-
try than is the Twenty Years Of Con-
gress." In no other part Of his product
are Blaine's capacity and his better tenn
per shown to so great advantage. The
time comes when, all current sentiment
dying away, the great secretary shall be
known to his countrymen by the calm
statement Of fact and the cogent and i'm
partial deductions which he has left on
record in his book.
What has James CT. Blaine contributed
to his eye and country; Has he really ac-
complished anything; Has he left per
manent impress? Has he transmitted
from himself to his times and TO after
times something that shall survive and
flourish, giving its leaf and fruitage in
the Twentieth century: These questions
must bring With their answers the true
estimate Of Blaine's life and work. If
he has done nothing. LET him pass. II he
has left no impress, let the grave close
aud the grass grow; for the morrow, in
that event, VIII be even as today.
Blaine has contributed something TO
his age and country. tie has been a liv-
ing. inspiring force among the motives
OF American patriotism. Let us conceds
10 him sincerity. and in so doing Dis
cover the essential patriotism Of his M
ture. 1t would be difficult 10 find in bis
whole life aught that was inconsistent
with this Interpretation Of his character.
His public career Of more than thirty
years, ever widening and deepening IN
the channels of national life, has been an
example Of patriotic devotion to ArneTi-
can institutions. The very VICES OK his
statesmanship--if such there behave
had like root and vitality. IL be fought
OF the Chinese ii was because be was
blinded with his passionate American
ism. The great idea with Blaine seems
To have been the establishment Of CON-
plete republican autonomy in this ma
ton. He desired the individuality and
glory of America He was seriously in
spircd with the sight II bis counfry's
Gag. Nor may we well, now that this
-apssrkpi1e career Is ended sneak hyatly
Of that fervid, unvayering passion which
Blaine ever displayed NJ the very men
ton Of his country's name.
1t Is well that such an example shonld
have been st in high place Of our ma
tional life. The young mon OF our com
try have seen il from afar, and in pro-
portion rs they have imhibed from this
fountain they ere better and truer than
IL they had drunk from the cold and drib-
bling waterspouts Of the caucus Lcfns
hope aud believe that the living part q
Blaine has entered into union with the
soul Of his country. and that tie Amer
can nation will feel through several aSes
tie warmth Of bis surviving blood aud
grzaius
In the next place Blaine has Demon
strafed that man can be great without
success. This proposition las strnngs
sound in American cara u j. arains.
tho teaching q the schools. Our doc
trinc IL that oaly the inan who i excited
il anything. the other Il nothing. Elaine
has shown that tie msn Who il net
elected Il greater than the other. Asa
matter a. fact. few EXAMPLES ia ts.e l.ia-