The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-26

Copyright. 1896. S. S. Mcclure, Limited.)
Maine is the youngest of the states
east of the Allegheny mountains. Al
though one of the New England group,
vet some of its sons who have been of
great and recent influence in public af
fairs. were young men when the Maine
province of Massachusetts became the
state of Maine. At one of the receptions
in the closing days of President Hayes's
administration, two men met with cor
dial greeting. One was tall, swarthy and
smooth shaver, whose large dark eyes
twinkled with humorous suggestions as
he chatted with the other, whose atten-
uated figure and white locks indicated
physical age that his bright eye seemed
10 belle. Years before, these two, as
young politicians and budding statesmen
Of the new state of Maine, had first met
each other upon the stump as opposing
candidates for congress from one of the
Maine districts. That was at the begin
ming OF PRESIDENT Tyler 5 admlnlStra ton
forty years before the meeting at the
White House reception in the winter of
1851.
Each of these SONS of Maine had made
an enviable record SINCE that early day.
One. the dark skinned, heavy framed
man. has served as member of the house
with Lincoln, had been thrice named
senator, one elected governor of Maine,
had become Vice-preSident of the United
States when Lincoln was first president
and was still to round out a political
career as minister TO Spain from the
United States. The other, after a brief
term in congress. had become a man of
great influence in the government of the
Hawaiian islands, was sent to represent
the Kingdom as minister 10 the United
States, serving in that post for so many
wears that he became at last the dean
of the diplomatic corps, and died in the
very moment of diplomatic service, for he
fell smitten in an instant, at the first re-
ception given by President Arthur That
was Elisha AlIen-rhe other Hannibal
Hamlin.
MAINE MEN MUST ALWAYS BE
RECKONED WITH.
Something in the atmosphere of Maine
develops not merely skillful politicians
but men with whom the greater politi-
clans of the country have always found
1t necessary to reckon while planning
the great game of politics. That influ-
cnce. whatever 1t is, stimulated the
YOUR Blaine to a wonderful development
of his povers within two years after he
went 10 Maine to live. What Blaines
career would have BEEN had he remained
in his native state, Pennsylvania or set
tied. as he ouce thought of doing, in the
Ohio valley, has always been a topic of
interesting Conjecture to his friends as
it sometimes was to himself. That his
ability sooner or later would have bios
somed so as greatly to distinguish him
none of those who knew him well ever
doubted. They did sometimes suspect that
his growth would have been slower. AS
It was, at twenty-four he was a teacher
of the blind in Philadelphia, whereas at
twenty-six he was a delegate from Maine
TO the first national convention of the
Republican party, at tWenty-seven mem
her of ne state legislature, and before he
was thirty the directing manager of the
Republican organization Of Maine.
Something in the history, the social
condition, the intellectual activity of
Maine, stirred him mentally, even before
q to the state live In his
early manhood. when he went with his
~-ife to her Augusta home for the vaca-
ton season. he found keen pleasure in
reading the story of the state, ana learn
ing of the achievements Of the people,
When he took charge of the weekly
newspaper in Augusta, he knew Maine
better than he did Pennsylvania
Then too. he first came in personal
touch with politics of the higher sort
that which is of moral influence, and he
then knew that the politicians of Maine
were able successfully to match them
selves with those of older or richer states. !
1t happened that just as Blaine became
a citizen Of Maine, the convulsion which
shattered the Wing party, and brought |
the Republican out of the chaos that fol-
lowed Wing disruption, was at its height !
The crisis was at hand. Webster had /
said in Boston three years before, eff !
you break up the Wing party where am !
] to go2" and many persons thought that |
plaintiVe plea an argument for the pres
ervation of the Wing party. The Maine |
SO44ttN1eAAS - = III " OkAAlOlA I1dil-
nibal Hamlin was a United States sena-
cor elected as Democrat The earlier |
Democracy hourished in the state of !
Maine and Hamlin was a leader in that |
faith On the slavery issue he parted |
with it. That the state might be swung !
into line for the new party, Senator |
Hamlin accepted the nomination for |
governor, and as was expected, brought |
TO his support many of his party. When |
by this choice Maine, in a September !
election, had pointed the way that the |
new party was to take, then the eyes |
of the country we're fixed upon that far /
away state. and from it they have never |
yet been wholly averted. Governor Nor
rill, also. by the bridge Of temperance. |
as Gail Hamilton says, passed over from
the Democratic to the Republican party. /
All this was able politics and its inf1u-