The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-03
BENJAMIN HARRISON.

1
Ii is too much 10 expect Of the Demo
Gratis that ex-President HARRISON could
be accorded the privileges enjoyed by
other gentlemen who take an interest in
politics.
His participation in this campaign has
been rather slight. He has made few
speeches in Indiana, and one in New
York-good speeches, temperate in state
ment, excellent in temper, restrained
and dignihed.
Yet he is attacked as conducting a
canvass for the Presidential nomination
eighteen months ahead Of time. The
esteemed Journal of this city expressed
the general Democratic plant, in its own
courteous and cultured fashion, this
way:
AS II is perfectly plain TO even the dullest
observer that Mr.. Harrison is pushing himself
forward on the stump In this campaign mainly
for the purpose of preventing himself from
falling into political obsurity, and so
being forgotten when Presidential can
didates are talked of, it is hardly necessary
to pay much attention TO what
he happens to say. He is not in this campaign
for the purpose of throwing light on the politi-
cal situation OF the moment. 10 enunciate new
OF clarity OH political principles; and he is too
experienced a campaigner TO commit himself
very definitely 20 anything two years in ad-
vance of the time when he hopes that the
favoring winds may fill his own sails.
Nothing could be more foreign to the
disposition of The News than to inti-
mate that this is not all right. 1t is. 1t
is the sort of frankness that enables us
to feel acquainted with the speaker. tits
naive, it is heartfelt, it is luminous-not
indeed of Mr.. HARRIsoN's intentions, but
of The journals point of observation. 1t
let's us clasp hands, as it were, with the
very spirit that animates our elderly
contemporary.
1t is an example, and as such THE
News quotes it, of the criticism the
Democratic press seems TO consider
itself under sacred obligation to make
whenever Mr.. HARRISON speaks, or
whenever he keeps silence. If he
speaks, he is making an open bid for
denomination, and if he is silent he is
concocting secret schemes.
As to the New York speech Of the ex-
President, the present writer must con-
less that the reading of it gave him more
sincere admiration of Mr.. HARRISON
than the reading of any other speech
that gentleman ever made. There
is not in it statement of fact
that the Democrats can possibly
claim to be untrue; there is not in it an
argument deduced from facts that can
be characterized rs other than fair aud
logical; there is not in it sentiment
that can be regarded as unkind, sarcas-
tic or meant to convey other than its
most obvious meaning.
The speech was very clear-cut, acute
dignifed, charitable one. 1t was easily
the best that has yet been delivered, so
far as tone and convicting qualities are
concerned, in this campaign. While
it had notn the condemnatory
flavor of McKINLEY's castigations, nor
the cutting humor OF REEDS, it yet very
completely covered the ground upon
which this campaign is being fought,
and upon which the Presidential cam
paign must be fought.
1t is not difficult to condemn a speech
when its critics insist upon supplying
the speaker with secret motive. But
why should not Mr.. HARRIsoN's speeches
be considered as what they are rather
than in the light of a supposed motive,
the existence of which is not proven, nor
shown 10 be probable, but simply
assumed? An ex-President has certainly
a right to expect that he retains the
ordinary privileges Of citizenship after
leaving office.