Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-01-28


MARGARET BLAINE. WALKER BLAINE
JAMES @. BLAINE, JR ENnioNs BLAINE.
We thus have the remarkable spec
tacle of q 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 "a repe
tition of the irony Of fate
We may here note the reactionary ef-
feet Of this long continued, arduOus and
unsuccessful struggle upon the great ac-
tor himself This effect has been that
which generally comes 10 great character
under such trials and abr;l ion Of des-
tiny. 1t Is the effect Of discipIine-the
Improvement of human nature by the
hardships of experience. by sorrow ard
by defeat II were not far from true 10
say that James q. 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 his
career than have any of his rivals by
their successes, however great.
Blaine's character has been lifted up
and perfected in a 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 bard discipline of the last fifteen
years. The fact is that Blaine in the
hour of the setting sun has not been far
from true greatness as it is measured by
historical standards. He has come 20
this by tribulation rather than by glory
Elis spirit has been moderated. chastened
and purified from dross by the butfetings
10 which he has been exposed and by the
very ruin of his political fortunes.
Something of the same fact has been
seen in many great Americans 1t was
seen pre-erninently in Lincoln, though
Lincoln was always great. Il was sse-
in Samuel J. Tilden. II was seen and
exemplified most strikingly in that other
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 q.
Blaine stood forth in striking outline
against the horizon. lie was always
sustained by a following which never
drew back or doubted. His magnetic
power and great personality prevailed %
the last. The excellence Of method as
well as the sterling genius of the man
shone forth with unusual luster AMI
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 un-
mistakable superiority. Many of our
public men have essayed something Ia
the way of permanent production With
most it has ended with the trial Poll
tics and literature are not hedfcllows.
The one puts the other ort. There is not
much concord between Belial and the
angel. IN a few great minds. however.
there has been union Of the literary aud
the political faculty, and this was pre-
eminently true Of Blaine. The country
ought to have been more astonishe,l than
it was at the excellence, the greatness q
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
eInphatically the best.
As an author he is innocent Of the
egotism Of Benton. As statesman he
shows himself to have been, with his pen
at least, incapable of the partisanship and
passion of Cox. As matter of fact, there
is hardly more dispassionate or rational
work on 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 TEN
per shown to 50 great advantage. The
time comes when, all current sentiment
dying away, the great secretary shall -
known to his countrymen by the calm
statement of fact and the cogent and Inn
partial deductions which be has left On
record in his book
What has James @. Blaine contributed
to his age and country? Has he really a.
complished anything Has he left a per
manent impresss Has he transmitted
from himself TO his times and 70 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 II
he has done nothing, let him pass II he
has left no impress. let the grave Close
and the grass grow; for the morrow, IN
that event, win be even as today.
Blaine has contributed something to
his age and country. He has been liv-
ing, inspiring force among the motiEes