The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-13
a TURNING POINT IN NA ATION4L
POLITTOS


a TURNING POINT IN NATIONAL
POLITICS.
In the whirligigs of American politics epocbs
occasionally occur when the fate of parties
depends upon comparatively trihing events,
and the tide of battle is turned in one direc-
ton or another by the incidents and accidents
of the hour. There are many indications that
one of these epochs has now arrived, and that
the continued ascendsncy of Republicanism
is seriously threatened. General Grants ad-
ministration, from which so much was hoped,
is rapidly declining in popularity; and while
it is manifest that there will be powerful
opposition to his denomination,
serious fears have been awakened that
as matters are now progressing, a Democrat
will succeed him in the Presidential chair.
We refer to these conjectures not for the
purpose of making captious complaints, but
to indicate to all whom it may concern the
plain drift of public sentiment, so that timely
precautions may, if possible, be yet taken to
maintain the rule of the party which has rem
dered such mighty service to the country.
The old feeling of antagonism to the Rebel
lion no longer furnishes an irresistible source
of partisan strength, and the course of the
administration in appointing some of the
most notorious Rebels to important
offices indicates that it does not even
wish its adherents TO religbt the camp-fires of
the war; OF the Republican politicians, a
very considerable number have been alien
ated, not merely by the disappointment of
their aspirations for Office (for this was inevi-
table), but by what they deem contemptuous
treatment, undue preference to relatives and
personal friends, and disregard of the usages
of official circles. All these feelings have
been intensified by the recent demonstration
against Senator Sumner. However unim-
portant his displacement from Sena-
torial committee may be in itself, it
will consolidate and quicken the opposition
within the Republican ranks to the admins
tration, and intensity the perils arising from
the division of party against itself.
But no matter what the politicians may
think or do, the administration might still be
a tower of strength if it was entrenched in the
hearts of the American people. Its chief at
tempts to secure their regard, however, so
far as they have been developed, are
based on two measures-the rapid ex-
tinction of the public debt and the
acquisition of San Domingo. We fear,
however, that more votes will be lost than
won by this programme. However anxious
the American people are to maintain the
national credit, they are inexorably opposed to
the infiiction of unnecessary burdens upon a
generation which has already undergone SO
much privation and suffered so many extor-
tions. Tbe rich men resent keenly the con-
tinuation of the odious, unequal, unjust, and
oppressive income tax, and the poor men of
the present day ask why they should be
loaded down with taxes which pro-
duce revenues far in excess
of the essential requirements of the National
Treasury. 1t is grand thing to enforce the
laws and to collect the taxes faithfully, but
from time immemorial, and in all nations, no
matter what might be their form of govern
ment, the imposition of useless taxes has
ever been sure road to unpopularity. AT
this moment the contraction of the currency
also greatly increases the inconvenience and
sufferiDgs arising from onerous taxation; and
while the people see hundreds of millions
boarded up in the National Treasury or stored
away in the vaults of the dealers in gold and
silver coinage, the scarcity of circulating
medium for their personal use increases and
adds to their troubles in meeting business
engagements and in satisfying the incessant
demands of national and local tax -gatherers.
Persistence in this policy can have bat one
end-the ruin of any party that uphOlds it.
1t is reported that one reason why the
scheme for annexing San Domingo is so
earnestly pressed is belief that this acquisi-
ton will add strength to the Republican
party, and become to it what the annexation
of Texas was to the Democracy in 1914. If
we do not mistake the signs of the times,
however, the thirst for territorial acquisitions
is rapidly becoming an abandoned folly; and
San Domingo, regarding it in its best aspect,
is too unimportant to awaken national en-
thusiasm. Franklin Pierce did not win a
vote by his purchase of barren strip of terri
tory on the northern frontier of Mexico;
Andrew johnson did not gain a partisan by
purchasing Alaska; and while Grant has
already lost some useful friends by his
anxiety to acquire San Domingo, it remains
to be seen how new Republican recruits are
to be gained by the Presidential prediction
for that acquisition.
If the Republican party is to retain power,
its leaders must cease to waste their energies
In family quarrels; due regard must be paid
to the interests of the loyal and long suffering
tax payers of the North; industry must be en-
couraged and business stimulated, instead of
being depressed; and faneiful theories or