The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-02-03

bitter tears over his losses and wounds.
May all these be closed-as they will be
with the closing Of the grave!
Blaine's rise to public notice was aus
picious, but not singular. He entered
easily and successfully into the stormy
life of politics. He devoted himself to
that pursuit with native zest under the
sharp spur of an unusually active am
bition. His early experiences in jour
nalism stood him well in hand. The
period in which he held the editorial pen
was precisely that in which the old style
of explosive and redundant oratory was
giving place to the exacter and truer
forms of speech
The transformation demanded that the
orator of the new period should be man
of exact language and cogent argument
Blaine's quick and capacious mind con-
formed readily and in excellent measure
to the new demand, and when he ad-
vanced to the national platform he went
with the equipment of perfect linguistic
forms, a fair measure of imagination
and ever improving argumentative re
sources.
The editorial career Of Blaine had an
intrinsic as well as secondary merit. BY
his pen he commanded his first public
applause. The young Republican party
had the Pathfinder for it's candidate
Blaine was in at the birth. He was then
twenty-six years of age. He was dele
gate to the audacious convention which
nominated Fremont for the presidency
Such a candidate was worthy of such
support. The aspiring young Maine ed,
itor made his columns fame with passion
and appeal Glorious spring days were
those when human liberty began to re-
vive! Happy fortune of the young men
of 1856 to appear on the stage when truth
was put on trial; when party debate had
not yet degenerated into wrangle, in'
trigue and falsehood; when the defense
of principle still promised as fair reward
as is now promised for hateful subserv'
iency to the caucus! Blaine's virgin ed
itorials were eagerly sought by the jour
nalists of Boston and were reprinted I'D
Ohio and Michigan His name was al
ready heard as far as Minnehaha and the
Platte.
James q. Blaine entered the house of
representatives in 1868 to continue in
active service in that body for fourteen
consecutive years. This was the period
in which he achieved his national repu-
tation. He was one of the many aspiring
young civilians upon whom the after
forces and passions of the great wal
tod "A, nfTo
In proportion as his faculties were strong
er and his ambitions more prevalent thar
those of his fellow members he rose above
them until only a few competitors re.
manned of like stature and mettle. On
one side was seen in the same rank with
himself the persistent Garfield, and on
the other the magnificent and arrogant
Conkling These three perhaps already
saw the presidency affair off. They also
saw each other. Not all of them could
reach the goal.
Blaine at this epoch had many advan
tages. In addition to native gifts an6
well earned attachments he had the powe.
of growth. He was always growing
man. To the end of his career-or We '
nearly to the end-he continued to branch
and flourish. His growth was strong
and conspicuous. Each year added tx
his stature. His figure, his intellectual
and personal life, became picturesque
and striking.
Herein is difference between the
strong man and the weak. The strong
man grows long and well. The veal
man grows for short space and the1
grows no more. He has brief efhOres
cence and then a dwarfsh delivery O.
sour fruit! But the strong man grows
and continues to flourish in thought .ui
spirit to the end Of his days.
It were not amiss to ascribe to james
G.. Blaine this unusual power of develop
ment Have his last years been years o.
weakness? Has there been in him intel
lectual decline? Has he had an epoch OF
senility and the second childhood Of ole
age? Nay, the last estate has not beer
of this color in the case of the grea
secretary.
We need not here repeat to what ex
tent James G.. Blaine wrought himself
and his purpose into the legislation ant
history of his times. Three times speake.
of the house of representatives in tn
stormy and anarchic period which fol
lowed the civil war, he must needs hav
contributed much to those public meas
ures in which the current history of ou
country was recorded. Upon all of th
issues arising in the train of the re
80
\