The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-05-27
THE PERPLE1ITIES OF THE DENOC.
RACY.
When to hold it?
Where to hold it?


all the principles of Democracy, in regard
to holdings convention in this State to
nominate State officers.
Then there is another question very
exigent and distressing. 1t is this: What
principles shall it profess? Tojustify its
continued existence, it must seem to have
some other purpose than mere hunger
and hunt after Office. Than comes the
important question: What will take best
and be most likely to win upon the favor
OF voters? What the members Of the Or
ganization really belive what they would
do if they had power, is not to be consid-
cred in making - their platform. The
point is to make the people dissatisfied
with the Republican party and to per-
suade them that the beginning of the
millennium will exactly coincide with the
restoration of the Democratic party to
power.
The party press in this State are dis
cusslng these weighty matter The Osh-
kosh Times led off, LET us have an
early convention, says the Times, land
a platform unequivocally pledging the
ticket and the party to the protection of
labor against monopolies. This sounds
well. but what does it mean? Horace
Greeley and the Democrats Of Pennsyl
vania hold that a high protective tariff is
the best measure for protecting labor and
breaking down monopolies. Wendell Phil
lips, William Llyod Garrison, and others,
on the other hand, allege that free trade
is the only protection for labor. Ccnse-
quently the Wisconsin Democracy, if
they mako unequlvocal pledges, must tell
exactly how they propose to protect Ia
Dor. Other wise the people will hold
their glittering generalities to be empty
and hollow as were their ancient high
sounding professions Of loyalty to the
Union. the base quality of which was so
thoroughly exposed by the ordeal of actu-
al trial when a rebellionsoughtto destroy
the Republic.
The Appleton Crescent seconds the
Times, and declares that the convention
should rot meet day later than the It'll
of July. 1t is in favor Of protecting
labor against capital and monopolies' -
The only measure it suggests to accom-
pitch this result is legislation to regulate
railroad freights. 1t would have pro-
rata freight tariff Also, it would pro-
hibit the sale of lands except to actual
settlers. This would commit the party
against free trade in lands, and in favor
of Government interference with the
management of railroads, which. as Dem
ocrats have heretofore informed US,
would establish a precedent, perhaps,
for similar interference with other bran
ches Of business. Heretofore, in the
several legislatures, where pro-rata freight
bills have been introduced and other
measures restricting the power of cor
porations, the Democratic members have
voted almost in solid phalanx, as the
railroad managers desired Both the
Times and the Crescent have admitted
that the leaders of the Democratic party
IN this State are corrupt and unprincipl-
ed men and the servile tools OF monopol-
lists. Their followers are pretty well
trained, and cannot be easily persuaded
TO abandon the land to which they have
grown so accustomed 1t will perhaps
be easy enough to manufacture a plat
form Astounding in fine and virtuous pro-
fessions, no class would show more alacri-
ty in accepting such a platform than
these corrupt leaders themselves, if bvso
doing they could hope to carry an cleo
ton; but when the practical part comes,
when acts take the place Of declarations,
the old leaders would be found to be lead
ers still, unchanged in character or pur-
poses Some more powerful tonic than
plausible and fair-sounding resolutions
brought forward just before the election,
must be found or the Democratic party
can never hope to recover from the mala-
dies of corruption. disloyalty and in
Justice which have brought it to the verge
of utter dissolution. 1t must show works
meet for repentance. Nowhere has 1t
done this. In cities and States where it
possesses power, it riots in insolent dlsre-
gard Of the public veal and the plainest
principles of Republican government
New York City furnishee an example.
The Democratic Legislature of Ohio,
which has just adjourned, has been the
most profigatc that ever met in that
State. In Congress and in the State
Legislature. where the Democracy are in
the minority. that minority is VIGOROUSLY
corrupt and is counted on by the the
"rings' with absolute confidence to vote
nearly solid for every steal or swindle by
which unprincipled men put money in
their purses at the expense Of the peo-
pie.
''Brick" Pomeroy, who is now at La
Crosse, also seconds the Times and the
Crescent, in an article in the La Crosse
Democrat, and says the convention can
not be called too early. July is the very
latest time in his opinion. Brick is
very decidedly in favor of frugal honest,
capable, thorough and reliably Demo
cratic" men as the nominees. As to the
platform, he is not less heightened than
the Times ard Crescent Equal taxa
ton, less legislation, less corruption in