Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-09-15
THE APPROACHING ELECTION.

eiAeAN ps'A y piOPoSN w AiiasAA~ :" : =
orous effort to secure a majority of
that body, and they profess to be
confident of success.
The effect of this would be to
change, as far as a popular election
this year could do it, the Govern
ment-to transfer the lower House
of Congress from Republican to
Democratic hands. To assist in this
undertaking the opposition rely
partly upon extensive promises OF
reform. What are the Democratic
promises worth: This is question
for its people to consider. We shall
glance at the subject in this article.
The party in power at this time are
charged with grave responsibilities.
A debt of $2,300,000,000 requires
heavy taxes, and taxes are always
unpopular. The debt, however, eX-
lists, and if there is any way of car
rying this debt, or of reducing the
principal, except through taxation,
it has not been discovered. Our
taxes are heavier, therefore, than
they were prior to the Democratic
rebellion, and they will continue
higher until the debt is paid. In
collecting such 4 revenue as the
Government is compelled to collect,
the doors are opened to frauds of
various kinds, and it becomes de-
sirable that diligence shall be used
in collecting the taxes in order that
the money paid by the people may
reach the Treasury. There is also,
where so much money is being
handled, temptation to extravaganza.
Extra efforts are therefore necessary
to insure economy in expenditures.
In these respects, how has the Re
publican party acted:
In the first place, it has largely
economical in expenditures, and, at
the same time, greatly reduced the
taxes. Last year the internal taxes
were reduced, in the aggregate, sixty
million dollars; and, this year there
has been further reduction of
eighty millions in internal taxes and
the duties on imports. Thus, in
two years, the annual burden has
been decreased one hundred and
forty millions, and yet the amount
Of money that has reached the
Treasury has been greater than un-
der Johnson's administration, be-
fore any reduction had been made in
the taxes. This money has been
legitimately and carefully applied,
and, while taxes have been reduced,
a large amount of the public debt
has been paid OFF. 1t is also to be
remarked, in this connection, that
the civil expenses of the Govern
ment now, under Republican con-
troll, is eighteen per cent. less, per
capita, than during the Democratic
ADMINISTRATION of James Buchanan.
The Republican party has been
charged with voting away the public
lands. The Senate tried to vote
away great deal of land, but the
House, with the exception of an
additional grant to the North Pa
cific Railroad, which should not
have been made, did not vote away
an acre; and now that the Republi-
can party has SO emphatically con-
demned the practice, no further
grants are to be feared unless the
Democratic party should get into
power.
Just here let us say that the policy
of building railroads by land grants
was inaugurated by Douglas, and
was favored in the platforms Of both
parties in 1860, and all the grants
thus far made were voted for by Re
publicans and Democrats. The
policy in itself was good, but it was
carried too far, and likely to be
abused if not stopped. The Re
publican partyhas decided to stop it.
The party has also reconstructed
the late rebel States; it has clinched
and given effect to the 10Th Amend
ment, and in ten years put down a
gigantic rebellion; restored the
States to their places in the Union;
abolished slavery; established equal
rights; brought in a new era of pros
perity; has already made considera-
BILE progress in reducing the princi-
pal of the national debt, and has adj
vanced the credit of the United
States almost to par in gold.
Now party that did all this work
in ten years would naturally make
some mistakes; but with all the er-
rors that have been committed, it
has made noble record.
And now we turn to the Demo-
cratic party, which asks to be re-
stored to power. and inquire what it
has done. What is its record? 1t
handed over the Government, bank
rupt, in 1861; organized rebellion,
which it required four years to sup
press; because responsible for the
existing debt, and the necessary
taxes; has steadily opposed every
measure proposed for the recon
strution of the States, the payment
of the debt, and the restoration of
the national credit, and it is now
declared, by this party, that the
measures adopted by which peace
has been brought about, equal rights
established and credit restored, shall
be reconsidered and revoked. This
is, in brief, the record and the
promise of the Democratic party.
Is it wise to restore this party to
power? This is the question for
voters to consider.-Ciacinnati Ga
zette.
l pEpIIRJ IcAN MEETINGc