Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-12-07
From Harper's Weekly.
The Duty Of The Hour.

| ~''S'S''H' W 'hS ny
the Republican journals is naturally mis-
Interpreted by tie Democratic press. The
Repulican party contains the largest por-
tion of people who do not blindly follow
leaders, and whose party allegiance
founded upon principle, is observant and
discriminating. Those, therefore, wao
believe with us that, under the circum-
stances Of the country, continued Repub-
lcan ascendancy is essential to the nation
al welfare, will not hesitate to censure
what seems to be unwisc in the national
Administration, knowing that the condition
of continued Republican power is the ap-
proval of the intelligence of the people.
The present difficulty is the apathy of
the Republican party. Its organization,
as The late elections show, is virtually un-
broken, and the just national suspicion of
the Democratic party founded upon its
present attitude and spirit, is plainly un-
disturbed. .-
But the Republican position is one of
passive resis ance merely, and its immense
power in that attitude shows how great its
real force would be if fully developed.
That development is the immediate prob
lem, and if Congress and the Adminstra-
ton are sagacious it is not even difficult
problem. The first step, of course, is to
ascertain the reason of the apathy. And
is it not evident? a.? ... ..
There are great many Republicans
who ask " What is the difference between
the two parties? What principle divides
them?" And there are others who de-
clare that both are equally corrupt, and
that the methods of the Republicans are
little better than those of their adverse
ries. There are still others who, with the
Chicago Tribune, insist that all the old
questions are settled, and that there is
really no present issue but what is called
revenue reform.
Those who ask the first question do not
care to vote, or they vote indifFerently as
personal feeling dictates. Yet, if they
would reason, they might be asked why,
if the parties are divided by no principle,
then might not be wisely divided by their
general character and the doctrine Of
chances? But, practically, the man who
feels that both parties are alike is utterly
apathetic, and votes either way.
The second class ia of the same kind,
and they both swell "the stay-at-home
vote" .... '."
The third are merely allies of the De-
mocracy, and they have yet to show their
reasons for believing that sincere reform
would be carried by that party. The
Chicago Tribune, indeed, proposes to form
new party. But that is, possibly. only
uprn the theory that both of the present
parties dissolve. And even surposing
that many Republicans would follow that
journal out of their party, does it suppose
that in presence of Republican disintegra-
top the Democratic party would disband ?
1t certainly would not and the World,
therefore, says, not that there must be a
new party, but that the Chicago Tribune
and its friends must join the Democracy.
If, then, the cause of Republican apa-
thy is the feeling that there is no serious
difference between the parties, it is be.
cause that difference is obscured by Re-
publican management, and the remedy
lies in making the difference plain. The
great peril of our political situation at
this moment is corruption. Why spend
efforts to elect free-trade or protective
Congress when money will decide the con-
tcst =? Wy talk about the fruit upon the
, tree in the autumn when the roots are
rotten in the spring? The first and most
imperative duty of every American cili.
zen, before any specific financial reform,
is to stay the corruption, which will battle
any Administration, and which produces
the apathy of which we speak. And
what is the position of parties upon this
point2 tn p ..l@m.a
The national law to protect the purity
of Congressional elections, against which
the Democratic party threw its whelt
force, is step in the true directiou-t
step taken by the Republican party. L
that were followed by radical, searching
reform of the whole system of civil scr
vice, abolishing the deplorable habit o
selling the public Offices at auction, auC
making the sytem mere party machine
and il all chief appointments were con
spicuously such as ought to be made
there would be profound and astoundiD,
, response from the better sentiment, whicl
is the controlling sentiment of the country
f, IF the character of all the known and in
Auantial counselore of the President wu