The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-28


against a refusal which carried. In the
position. period and circumstances Of 1t,
his obligation of fealty to another and
that other his chief. The advance OF
General Harrison from undertaking TO
primacy I'm Republicanism and the re-
progression OF Mr.. Blaine from primacy
to the forfeiture of IL in Repubicanism
have been the features OF that partys
internal politics for four years. Neither
result was affected by Republican defeat
last month. That defeat was due TO
political revolution of which any candi-
date other than Harrison would have
increased the magnitude.
Chronicle will deal kindly and history
briefly with Mr.. Blaine's later service
In the State department. IL was service
from the mistakes of which his III health
and his morbid nervousness about illness
should excuse him. The President per-
sonally intervened in the Italian and
Behring straits matters for the good OF
the country, yet so skillfully that his in
reference was not disclosed until MT.
Rlaine's passionate resignation made the
disclosure OF that interference an un-
ayodable incident to the necessary con-
tinuance and completion of the negotia"
tions The President was himself at rault
in the precipitate quality and truculeht
tone of this Government toward Cnill;
but his friends maintain that his fault
was due to the very wrongful withholding
from him of the fact Of the arriving
overtures from Chill, at the very moment
of the executives outburst. Between the
partisans OF Harrison and those Of Blaine
dispute prevails as to which OF them Is
due the initiative Of reciprocity. The
idea was Mr.. Blaine's. The application
Of It I'm the form that prevailed was the
act OF the President. The refusal OF the
country to let it serve as a mitigating
circumstance in sentencing the Mckinley
tariff law was unmistakable.
In respect of principle the President
was the superior of the Secretary. In re-
spect of pfescence the Secretry was the
superior of the President. The Secretary
saw that the Force bill was no political
remedy for the sociological conditions TO
which 1t was directed. He saw that the
tariff should have been revised toward
revenue instead of toward more protec-
tion. Yet Mr.. Blaine was consistent with
his prior attitudes In neither proposition.
He had advocated protection for the sake
OF protection in 1850. On his defeat I'm 1884
he angrily demanded the most ferocious
recourse TO Force bill methods, which he
had opposed in 1874 and afterward in
1892. He was a politician Of the oppor-
tune. not one of permanent convictions.
he disparity between the achievements
and the aspirations of Mr.. Blaine Is ex-
planable by the fact that he relied on
success as an object i'm itself to be con-
stantly considered. Supreme honors have
never waited on that path in America.
They have either crowned availability
or grand consistency and courage. Mr..
Blaine's availability was impaired by
factionalism in his party and by the
questionedness of his character In many
minds. The road to the Presidency Is
strewn with the wrecks of magnetism
and smartness. The men who do strong
things and not the men who say brilliant
ones reach that goal, or the men against
whom nobody can urge or for whom any
body can predict almost anything reach
It, The Presidency is the award TO medio-
Gritty or the coronation OF moral strength
The proposition Is unaffected by the
fact that with those among whom Mr..
Blaine was popular he was more popular
than any other American ever was with
a following. That fact was due 10 his
personal qualities. Naturally they were
charming. BY cultivation they had be-
come fascinating to all and irresistible to
many. They made him loved by tens Of
thousands. They did not save him from
being distrusted by enough TO see to IL
that the Presidency should never be his.
His literary abilities became very marked.
His view Of events was nearly always
topical or journalistic. He lifted a sub
ject high into view, but when he had Il
on that plane he was apt TO weaken II by
recurrence TO sophistry. Overstatement,
understatement and misstatement were
vices TO which he yielded almost for the
pleasure of the diversion. They will seri-
ously qualify his fame. Nor did his abili-
ty to acquire wealth. while in trust Of
public duties. forward his ambition. The
American people are sternly critical on
that point. Right or wrong. their prefer
ence is inveterate that fortune and fame
should not be simultaneously sought.
OF this uneven career the public dis
appointments divided space with the per-
sonal sorrows The latter made the
former as pathetic as themselves. They
also commanded a sympathy which was
never more acute, more sincere or more
profound than now. when the graying
head, on which disappointments and sor-
rows so concurrently and cumulauvely
fell. lies unconscious of the judgment OF
the time and confronting that of history.
Action Taken by the Senate.
AS soon as the reading OF yesterdays
Journal was ended the announcement OF
Mr.. Blaines death was made by Mr.. Hale,
who has been for many years one OF the
the dead statesman. and who said that
the event would carry sadness and
mourning throughout all the United
States. and would awaken great sorrow
wherever civilized men lived. His re-
marks were followed by a motion OF Mr..
Cockrell that the Senate adjourn out OF
respect to the memory Of the deceased,
and that motion was declared carried.
The adjournment lto-day makes the
sixth interruption OF business In the SEN
ate caused by death within the last few
weeks. On Wednesday. the 1ith OF this
month, there was an adjournment on the
announcement Of Senator Kennas death;
and the next day on account Of his fun
eral ceremonies. On Wednesday, the
18th. the death and on Friday, the 20th
the funeral of ex-President Hayes caused
adjournment. On Tuesday of the present
week the Senate adjourned out OF respect
to the memory of Justice Lamar, OF the
Supreme Court, and to-day the same
ceremony was observed In honor Of Mr..
Blaine.
House Of Representatives.
Mr. Gessenhainer submitted from the
special investigating committee a bill TO
repeal the laws relative to Federal super
visions at elections Calendar.
Mr.. Mutchler, from the Committee on
Arnronriafinps raporfa6 fha penson