Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-27

| abandoned that profession and in 1858 moved
TO Maine, locating at Augusta. He bought the
hennebec journal and began his career as a
journalist, which finally led him into politics.
! where his great fame was won. After discon-
| anuing his associations with the Kennebec
1ound! he became editor of the Portland
Advertiser. In 1856 he was delegate to tho
convention at Philadelphia which nominated
| Fremont Two years later be WAS elected to
| the state Legislature and was afterward speaker
OF the lower house. The reputation he gained
| there sent him to Congress in 1862 when began
| his congressional career of twenty years. Dur
| ing the Forty-frst, Forty-second and Forty
| third Congresses he was Speaker Of the House.
SENATOR AND CABINET MINISTER
/ In 1875 Mr.. Blaine was appointed to the Sem
ate to fill the vacancy caused by the resigna-
tion of Senator Morrill,. and the next winter
was elected by the legislature to the succeeding
| term. HIS career in the Senate was both bril-
| liant and distinguished. az it had been in the
| House. He was called from the Senate to en-
ter President Garfelds cabinet as Secretary OF
State. The death Of Mr. Garfield led to Mr..
Blalnes retirement from the cabinet in De-
| cember. 1882. From that date until he en-
! tered Mr.. Harrson's cabinet as Secretary of
| State he was IN private life, except during his
| campaign for the presidency in 1884 Whether
in public position or in private life, he always
| remained central figure in national affairs.
| During his retirement he wrote his Twenty
Years OF Congress-, work Of great historical
| value.
| As A STATESMAN.
Mr.. Blaine must rank in all impartial history
| as one of the very first American statesmen
| He was man OF extraordinarily keen percep-
| tion and OF broad views TIE horizon of his
] vision enclrcled the universe and his sympa-
| thles put him ia touch with mankind Having
| extraordinary intellectual endowments, he was
I diligent student, and not satisfied as most
! brilliant msn are to fash forth the ideas that
/ all questions which called tor his attention and
| completely mastered all that he ever under
| took Capable OF discovering at glance what
| only diligent research discloses to most men. he
devoted time to the careful study o: details
| and went to the very bottom OF question,
| toiling as earnestly the veriest plodder His
brilliancy, therefore. had some thing substantial
| IN II and his sacacity was great his wit.
! With natural powers which enabled him to lead
! men his aims were always higher than personal
I aggrandizement and he was never a demayogue
| His undertakings were all ambitious and their
| magnitude often placed them beyond the un-
| derstanding of the mere politicians who are in
/ the majority in affairs of government. His
purpose has always been to extend the power
| and influence OF the nation. He would have
| placed this republic before the whole world.
He eomprehended the spirit of our free in
| sttutions as few men are capable of compre-
| hending them. He could see what the growth
| of those institutions should be and wanted to
| remove all obstacles and encourage their ex-
pansion to the logical extreme. In all affairs
| of government he aimed at that which would
| be lasting and general rather than that which
| would be confined and temporary however
| tempting might be the inducement to meet
| present demands. He recognized that the ad-
| vantage OF this government over all others lies
| in the scarcity Of restrictions placed upon the
| individual and the opportunity it opens to all
for the pursuit of prosperity. With liberty
| sured he saw that the progress of the nation
| depended upon the enlargement Of the oppor-
! tunities for individual effort. He believed it
| to be function of the government to open up
and expand the opportunities of its citizens
| and that then individual effort would develop
| the progress which would place this first among
| nations. To his mind this whole continent was
| not TOO large theater for American enterprise
| He saw the undeveloped wealth that lies at our
| borders: he knew that there was great COM
\ merce of the western hemisphere to be aevei-
| oped. It was a question whether this wealth
| and commerce should 60 to strengthen the
monarchies Of Europe or whether 1t should be
developed under the institutions which our
| forefathers planted on this continent; whether
! this continent should be developed and made
| productive for its own people, or whether 1t
should be merely contributory to power at
variance with the system Of government which
prevails here.
| AMERICA Fon AMERICANS.
| To his mind America was for Americans and
ali were Americans who came under republican
institutions.
| He regarded it as an objectionable neglect
OF duty and almost crime against the
| human race TO fail to improve every oppor-
| tunity for the development of this continent
| and TO preserve it with all its wealth aud power
| as home for freemen, independent of and
| superior to foreign despotisnis. He saw that
| there could be but nominal independence
| where a nations commerce controlled by
| foreigners in the interest of a foreign power,
! and his ambition always was TO preserve the
| commercial independence first of this country
| and second. OF this continent All his efforts
were directed toward the preservation OF lib
| erty, the encouragement Of industry and the
| development OF commerce, and his grasp OF
| ali great questions was such as to give great
| magnitude to all his plans yet 90 clear were
| they always as never to leave doubt as to the
| possibility Of their fulfllment. He has always
had the people with him, for he has made them
understand his purposes and appreciate his
| patriotism. and his failures are easily attrib-
utable to his being in advance of other political
leaders Of bis time and to the spirit of Jealousy
| which has thrown obstacles across his path.
He has been applauded throughout the coun-
| tries for policies which he has formed and his
| political associates (of both parties) have re-
| fused or failed to carry out Measures OF
! which he has been the author have been
| rejected at the time. and afteTward those who
| we're instrumental in their failure have taken
them mp and got distinction by them, though
but partly comprehending and but feebly pre-
| tened on his ideas, though often incapable Of
digesting them. The greatest leader of this
generation, admired by the whole people and
having a personal following hardly to be
matched in our history for extent and enthusi-
asm envIous mediocrity, malice and falsehood
have constantly stood in Blaine's way seeking
| TO distort and circumyent his most patriotic
plans. He has always triumphed over his
enemies In the end but the harassing guerrilla
warfare has retarded his progress, delayed the
fulfllment of his prophecies and prevented him
from enjoying the ripened fruit Of his labors.
But in this his experience is that of most men
who have stood out prominently as the greatest
men OF their times.
| HIS GREATEST AMBITION.
Blaine's greatest ambition was the CONNER
cial subjugation OF this continent This in his
mind did not imply political domination by the
United States over the other republics Of the
! continent He did not seek anne xation but
his broad purposes for the Advancement Of the
interests OF his own country necessarily carried
benefit for the less powerful republics. whose
rights he would not encroach upon and whose
liberties he would help 10 preserve from the
insidlous encroachments Of foreign influence
The only band with which he would hold these
nations together is the band of sympathy and
mutual interest At the very opening Of his
book, Twenty Years of Congress" his ambi-
| tious for his country are disclosed in tho ear