Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1888 — OUR CANDIDATES. [ARTICLE]

OUR CANDIDATES.

BOTH STAND FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS AMERICAN. * What tcadln; Papers in Their Own State* Hare to Say of Them—Gen. Harrison as Good a Man as Either of His Grand* fathers— Mm ton a Self Made Man. , 1 - . ■ T Gen. Harrison lias been a Republican all liia adult life, haviaig cast his first vote for John C. Fremont in 1850. In a speech delivered at Chicago last spring, he said: “My first presidential voto was given for the first presidential candidate of the Republican party, and 1 have supported with enthusiasm every successor to Fremont,, including that matchless statesman who claimod our suffrage in 1884." Gen. Harrison began his political life by being a Republican from convic-' tion, and he has been that kind of a Republican ever since. The earnostfiess aiid sincerity of his nature would prevent liim from espousiug or advocating a political cause which his conscience did not fully; approve. In ft speech delivered last year, during a time or political excitement,, he said:

“lam one of those who believe that to fight without a cause is not a noblo thing; that fighting and conquest become noblo as they are done in behalf of a causo that kindles the high impulses of the human heart and demands the allegianep of the enlightened conscience. I beliovo the Republican party in Indiana and in the nation stand today for. such issues. No man was the architect' of the Republican party. Yon may call tho roll of those who sat in the# first convention and defined its principles, but I beg yon to romember that every one of them was a delegate, and I beg you further to remember that those principles of liberty winch were announced in our first platform were written in tho hearts of too people before they were written in the platfom." Those expressions aro characteristic of tho man. lie is as conscientious in liis political convictions as lro is in lii3 religious convictions. Being that kind of a man he has never faltered in his devotion to the manciples of the party, nor failed his best efforts for its success. Being a Republican from principle he ■ could not do otherwise without doing violence to Ins nature. Ho has never tried to push himself to tho front, but has often been brought there by the calf of the party or the necessities of the situation. He has never been an office seeker. Offices and honors havo sought Mm rather. Ilis present position is not of his seeking. Although frequently mentioned during the last few years as a presidential possibility he has never had tho boo in hi 3 bonnet enough to disturb in tho slightest degree the even tenor of hi 3 way. His present candidacy is the result of the efforts of his friends and the spontaneous movement of flio Republican party.. Having always been a Republican and always in close accord with the principles of the party, there is nothing in Gen. Harrison’s record that requires explaining, defending or patching up. On all the issues which havo formed the dividing lines between political parties for the last thirty years lie has been an outspofieu advocate of advanced Republicanism. He represents tho military as well as tho civil side of tho Republican record. His military record is of the best, as those who served with or under him can testity. "Fighting Jcorifooker, ~in~ recommending him for promotion to the rank of brigadier general for gallantry on tho field and for distinguished services in the campaign before Atlanta, said: “Col. Harrison is an officer or abilities and of great professional and personal worth.” His v.hoio military . record sustains this estimate. In all the great issues of tho reconstruction period Gen. Harrison occupied bold and advanced ground in favor of the supremacy of the Constitution and in advocacy of tho policy" of securing the results of the war by appropriate legislation. Although mot ip public lifo at thib time, his eloquent voice was frequently heard on the stump in sup-, port of Republican measures and policy, and he contributed his full share toward creating and melding the cctivo Republican sentiment of that period. Gen. Harrison is unequivocally in favor of protection to American industry. The Hon. James G. Blaine, in. his dispatch to Gen. Harrison congratulating him on his nomination, stvld; '*‘Ycrtr.-eleetieß wiU seal our industrial independence, as the declaration of 78, which bears tho honored name of your grandfather, sealed our political •Independence.” Mr. Blaine is not mistaken iu regarding Gen. Harrison as preeminently sound ou -the tariff question. On this paramount issue of the hour ho is in full accord with the overwhelming sentiment of the Republican party, and with tho ringing declaration of tho Chicago platform. He is on record as saying that “the Republican party is pledged, and ought to bo pledged, to the doctrine of the protection of American industries and American labor.” Again; lie.has declared that “in so far as our nativo inventive genius and onr productive forces can supply tho ? American market wo. ought to keep it for ourselves.” Again, he says, “I beliovo the principle of tho protection of American industry is well established and well defended by the principles of political economy | and by tho duties of "patriotism.” And again: “Our workingmen will wake up to .tho fact that reduction in llioir wages, which every candid advocate of free-trade admits must come, with the adoption of iris theories—a reduction variously estimated at from 10 to 25 per cent, —is poorly compensated by tho cheaper coat ho is promised.” These expressions are taken at random from speeches by Gen. Harrison, and might bo indefinitely multiplied. They chow thkt Lia position on the vital question of tliS day, hud ’- Which will exercise a great and perhaps controlling iniiucncsj.ia tho coming campaign and dc-.i km, is pre-eminently sound, j The declaration, of the Chicago platform | that "Wo aro uacontjnrcmisffigly in favor j of the American system of protection, ’* is i a complete epitome of Gen. Harrison's j record on the tariff question*