Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-10-09
The Political Situation.


fore him to remind him of his mortality
The Republican party, now absolutely
supreme, may wisely consider Its sltua-
lion It's career is the noblest chapter IN
our history 1t has maintained the Union,
it has abolished slavery, and by the re-
election of General Grant it has virtually
DESTROYED the Democratic party, whose
PRINCIPLES in the resolutions Of '9S cOvertly
justified secession, and whose policy was
the extension and perpetuation OF slavery
The Republican dominance is to-day IN
no danger from any Other existing and
efficient party organization. No reversal
of its great measures is proposed. No
antagonistic national policy is suggested.
. Fifty-three years ago President Monroe,
under other circumstances, stood like
President Grant without serious organized
opposition The old issues were closed.
But the Missouri struggle Immediately
showed what the next real division would
be- To-day, however, such provision is
impossible. No new question has yet
presented itself Of such national scope and
importance that great national parties are
likely to be formed upon it. Free trade
is at present speculation, not practical
issue. Railway transportation, the power
of great corporations, the hours of labor,
temperance, woman suffrage, however i'm
portant the principles involved are not in
any of their present aspects likely to be
the centers of national political organiza-
tons. The attempt of Democratic mana
gers to hitch their old party machinery to
some of these interests is the comedy of
the time. These managers apparently
suppose that political party is kind of
business firm which to-day deals in dry
goods and tomorrow in groceries. Last
year they presented the -protectiOnist
as their representative, and refused to
have any opinion OF tariff. This year
they announce that last years perform
ance was mistake, and that farmers have
never had their rights. Meanwhile q liv-
ing party continues to be an association
of those who have distinct opinions and
definite policy.
Indeed, the only external opposition to
the Republican party is a denunciatiOn
of the honesty of its Administration. The
Credit -M0btLier, "the back-salary grab"
taunts at "Christian" craftsmanship and
at 'moral ideas,n are the staple Of hostile
criticism. Now, as proceeding from the
Democratic party, nothing can be more
futile than this because the assumption
is that the superior morality Of that
party offers a remedy. But the voters
read the newspapers, and they know, for
instance, upon Democratic authority, that
if one hundred Republican Representa-
tives have drawn their back pay, so have
ninety-six Democrats and four Liberal"
Republicans, and that twenty-eight Re
publicans, but only eight Democrats and
no Liberal Republican Representatives,
have returned it. The voters further see
the sincerity of Democratic wrath over
the back pay / n the fact that the manage
ers OF the late Democratic Convention in
Pennsylvania came with a resolution in
their pockets breathing the loftiest moral
indignation at "the grab" and then NOM
mated for chairman Democratic Repre-
sentative who had "the swag" in his
pocket! The ugly fact being confessed
the Convention could do nothing but re-
ject the candidate On the other hand
while the "back grab" was undoubtedly,
and to our shame, a Republican measure,
every Republican State Convention, with
one or two exceptions, has denounced it
and demanded its repeal; and in Wiscon-
sin, where Senator Carpenter defended it
with reckless sophistry, the Republicans
further demanded Constitutional amend
ment prohibiting any Congress from rails
ing its own salary. All this does not
show the superiority Of Democratic mo-
rallty. The honest voter reads the woful
record OF the grabbers with shame sd
Indignation. But he certainly does not
look for relief to the Democratic party.
Mr. Dick Turpin will hardly carry the
day by loudly accusing Mr.. Jonathan
Wild of highway robbery.
The danger of the Republican party is
not from without, but from within. 1t is
not wise to forget that a considerable
vote was cast last year for General Grant
under protest, and that the object of that
vote has been achieved The intelligent
and conscientious opinion, which has al
ways been and is now the Republican
strength, is very independent and wears
lightly the party cockade. 1t does not
value the party, but the purpose for which
1t has been sustained. The best men in
the country have supported the Republi-
can party, because they felt that by so
doing they served in the most practicable
way liberty and public morality And so
long as they feel this they will continue to
support it, But when they cease to feel it
the party can count upon them no longer
Vain viii be the thunder of the party tom
tom. 1t has no terror for those who do
not seek place or plumber. The Union is
not now imperiled. Emancipation is Sc
cure. liquidation is a dream The re-
election of the President has dissipated
the hope of reaction The Republican
party IS not now bound together by the
overshadowing dangers of the recent
years, and it can therefore maintain its
present unquestioned ascendency only by
the character of its administration If it
should be seen that the national patronage
controls local politics more and more, de
spite the claim of reform of the civil
service; if recognized representatives of
the national administration in the various
States and in Congress should not com
mand, because they would not deserve,
general respect and confidence; if contin-
uous Republican victories at the polls
should not stay the torrent of corruption,
and bring the best character ability, train
ing, and experience into the management
OF public atfairs-then the earnest patri-
otism that made the Republican party
would make another, which would clori
ously continue the work that the Republi
can party gloriously began.-Harper's
Weekly.
Clearing System.