The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-03

enlarge markets at home to build up our indus
tries, TO insure good wages TO our workmen.
The last letter he ever wrote on public ques-
tions, addressed TO Mr.. Manlcy, the chairman
OF the Republican committee Of Maine for use
In the political campaign then on. dated, "Bar
Harbor Sept. Q, 1892" Ia complete refutation
of such claims In that letter he declares:
'The issue Of the greatest consequence is the
tariff on imports, and 1t will continue to be
until a settlement Is effected by a majority SO
large that IL will be tantamount to general
acquiesence. The Republicans are aggressive
ON this subject Two years ago they passed
general enactment, known as the Mckinley
tariff. which for time failed to meet with
popular approval and was regarded with q
certain degree OF mistrust by those who had
always upheld the protective system. But
powerful reaction has come In consequence
of the vindication of the Mckinley tariff
by experience IL Is found 70 have worked
admirably, and within the last year has
produced greater volume Of business,
Internal and external, export and import
than the United States ever transacted before.
Notwithstanding the character and strength
of the opposition TO IL, agriculture Is remun-
erative, manufacturers are prosperous, and
commerce Is more fourishing than at any
previous time, thus vindicating the Mckinley
tariff by an impressive and undeniable series
Of facts.
In 1853 Mr.. Blaine was elected TO the legisla-
lure of Maine. He served in the capacity of
representative four years, during two Of which
he was speaker; then he was elected to con-
gress In 1862. In the Legislature and In con-
gress he was an earnest and determined
supporter of all measures for the vigorous
prosecution OF the war, denounced all COM
promise and all attempts at compromise.
The first speech ever heard him deliver
was In the Maine house, In March, 1862. Res
olutions had passed the senate and were under
consideration in the house, one of which read
as follows: Resolved, That II is the duty Of
congress, by such means as will not leopard
the rights and safety of the loyal people of the
south, to provide for the confscation of es-
tates, real and personal, OF rebels, and for the
forfeiture and liberation Of every slave,
claimed by any person who shall continue In
arms against the authority OF the United
States, or who shall in any manner aid or abet
the present wicked and unjustifable rebel
lion."
Hon. A. p. Gould, an eminent lawyer. acting
as n war Democrat, had attacked this resolu.
tion in a speech of great power. Mr.. Blaine
called me 10 the chair, and replied In a most
forceful, logical and overwhelming argument
in its favor II was an occasion OF intense ex-
element. Ihe Republicans Of the legislature.
many Of the war Democrats, and large ma
jority of the people of Maine accorded - Mr.
Blaine a mosl signal victory.
Mr.. Blaine from the very start was leader
in his party. never follower He was chair
man of the Republican committee OF Maine
Tor ~ years. anu ufaIteu the rcsoiutlOnn Ior
every convention. The elections in Maine
coming earlier than in other states, the plat
forms adopted there we're very generally fol-
lowed throughout the country. His hand was
visible In nearly all, II not In ALL Of the plat.
forms Of the Republican party assembled In
national convention.
While he started with freedom ana protec-
ton. the one the logical sequence of the other.
he gradually embraced within the principles
of the party, education, temperance, the pres
ervation of the common school system, the
Improvement of tivers and harbors, the resto-
ration of the merchant marine, liberal PEN
sions to those who suffered in the war, and q
sound currency, all OF which, from time to
time, have been advocated by him in public
speech on the platform, and In the halls OF
congress.
II was impossible that such man. with such
powers and advocating such principles, should
not have acquired an immense and a devoted
following in the country. They determined
10 secure his nomination for the presidency in
1879, and except for accident would have sue
ceeded. The attempts In congress TO destroy
Mr.. Blaine had the opposite effect. and only
intensified the devotion Of his friends. In that
convention the investigation, of which he was
then the subject, was not a factor: but
when we. were marshalling our forces,
the telegraph brought the fearful news that
he had been suddenly stricken down. The Re-
publican papers in Cincinnati were all against
him and their columns bristlcd with an-
nouncements of paralysis" "softening Of the
BRAIN" .incapacity to use his limbs" death
threatened to ensue shortly" utterly unsafe
to nominate man likely so soon to die" We
are compelled TO rely upon the Democratic
papers for the proclamation of any favorable
word from him. This alarmed few timid
men, prevented them from giving him their
support, while the unit rule forced scores of
Others TO vote against their inclinations, and
Mr.. Blaine, coming within y votes Of the
nomination, was defeated.
In 1880 he was again n candidate. Opposed
to him was General Grant, who had just re-
turned 20 this country from n tour of the world,
most remarkable, most fattering TO the Ameri-
can people In the attentions he had every
where received. A great ovation welcomed
his return home.
This encouraged his friends to present him
for the third time as a candidate for the presi-
dency. That convention, however, hardly
presented a contest between Grant and Blaine.
There had been established within our party
1.-THE unit rule" under which the voice of dis
trict representation was ignored, and the great
states of Pennsylvania and New York, each
with one majority for particular candidate,
could compel the entire delegation to cast its
vote as unit. The majority Of the MEM
bers of the national committee wero
friends If Mr.. Blaine. They knew the
only hope of nominating him and defeat
ing Grant was to break down this rule, and
contest was entered upon in the committee,
lastin g two days and nights, the most bitter
ever known in politics. Senator Cameron, tho
chairman, endowed with all the persistency Of
his Scotch ancestry, steadily refused to put
motions, or TO entertain any appeal from his
decisions. So bitter became the fight that IL
was finally deliberately determined to dis
place him by force from the chairmanship Of
the committee. Fortunately at this time bet
ter. counsel Prevailed, and IL was agreed that
the committees candidate for temporary
chairman, your own great senator, Mr.. Hoar.
should be voted for according to the prefer.
ences of the individual delegates.
The same issue was fought out in the COM
mittee on credentials, on whose report dele
gates appointed by the state conventions Of
Alabama and Illinois were excluded and dis
trict delegates recognized. The victory, how
ever. while Of infinite value in all future Re-
publican conventions, was fatal To both Of
these candidates. Such bitterness had been
inspired by the contests in committees that
the nomination of either became absolutely
impossible, and the convention turned to Gar
field.
These defeats only served to increase the de-
votion of Mr.. Blainos friends and their de-
termination To make him president. His con-