Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-10-16
Tire Political Situation.
[Rrom Harper,s weekIY.l

1 uio pOWcT ndu Tue OShtu o-uChu iaiu
daily before him to remind him of
his mortality. The Republican par
ty, now absolutely supreme, may
wisely consider It's situation. It's
areer is the noblest chapter in our
history. 1t has maintained th,
Union, 1t has abolisht d slavery. ano
y the re. election of General Gram
II has virtually destroyed the Dsmo-
cratic party, whose principals in the
resolutions of '98 covertly justified
secession, and whose policy was the
extension and perpetuation Of slave
~. The Republican dominance II
day in no danger from any Other
'xistiDg and efficient party organi
cation. No reversal of its grea
measures is proposed. No antago
aistic national policy is suggested,
Fltty-three years years ago Presi-
lent Monroe, under other circum
stances, stood like President Grant
without serious organized opposition.
The old issues were closed. But the
Missouri struggle Immediately show.
ed what the next real DIVISION would
DO, To-day, however, such provis>
ION is impossible. No new question
has yet presented itself of such ma.
Lional scope and Importance that
great national parties are likely to
be formed upon 1t. Free trade is at
present a speculation, not practi-
cal issue. Railway transportation,
the power OF great corporations, the
hours OF labor, temperance, woman
suffrage, however important the
principals involved, are not in any OF
their present aspects likely TO be the
centres Of national political orgaDi>
cations. The attempt of Democratic |
managers to hitch their old party !
machine TO some of these interests |
Is the comedy of the time. These |
II anagers apparently suppose that a
political party is kind of business |
firm which to-day deals in dry-goods
and TO morrow in groceries. Last
year they presented the arch-protec
zionist as their representative, and
refused 10 have any opinion of a
tariff This year they announce
that last years performance was a
mistake, and that farmers have never
had their rights. Meanwhi liv.
ing party continues TO be an associa.
ton OF those who have distinct opin-
ious and definite policy.
Indeed, the only external opposi.
ton to the Republican party is a
denunciation OF the honesty of its
administration. The Credit 4n0bdier,
the back salary grab" taunts at
"Christian" craftsmanship, and at
moral ideas" are the staple of criti-
cism. Now, az proceeding from the
Democratic party, nothing can be
more futile than this, because the as.
sumption is that the superior NOR.
tally of that party offers remedy.
But the voters read the newspapers,
and they know, for instance, upon
Democratic authority, that if one
hundred Republican Representatives
have drawn their back pay, so have
ninety-six Democrats and four Lib.
eral" Republicans, and that twenty.
eight Republicans, but only eight
Democratic and no Liberal" Repub-
lican Representatives, have returned
1t. The voters further see the sin.
certify of Democratic wrath over the
back pay in the fact that the mana
gers of the la Democratic Conven-
ton in Pennsylvania come with
reso ution in their pockets breathing
the Hottest moral indignation at
"the grab" and then nominated for
chairman Democratic Representa-,
tive who had 1.-THE swag" in his pock-
ct The ugly fact being confessed,
the Convention could do nothing but
reject the candidate. On the other
band, while the back grab" was un-
doubtedly, and to our shame, Re-
publican measure, every Republican
State Convention, with one or two
exceptions, has denounced it and de-
manded its repeal and in Wiscon-
sin. where Senator Carpenter de-
Tended it with reckless sopbistry.
the L publicans further demanded a
constitutional amendment prohibit
ing any Congress from raising it's
own salary. All this does not snow
the superiority OF Democratic NOR
tally. Tue honest voter reads the
woful record Of grsbbers with shame
and indignation. But he certainly
do not look for reli, f to the d. mo. |
cratic party. Mr. Dick Turpin will!
carry the day by ID udly accusing MIR.
Jonathan Wild of highway robbery.
The danger Of the Republican
party is not from without, but from
within 1t is not wise 10 forget
that a considerable vote was cast
last year for General Grant under
protest, and that the Object of the |
vote has been achieved. The intelli- |
gent and scientious opinion, which
nas always been and is now the r,
publican strength, is very independ.
ent, ana wears lightly the party
cockade. 1t does not value the par
", but The purpose for which it has
been sustained. The best men in
the country have supported the Re-
publican party, because they felt
that by so dong they served in the
most practicable way liberty end
public mortality. 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 will be the
thunder OF the party tom-;ym. 1t
has no terror tor these who do not
seek place or plumber. The Union
is not now imperiied. Emancipa-
ton is secure. Reputation is
dream. The recollection of the Pres
ident has dissipated the hope of re-
creation. The Republican party is
not now bound together By the
overshadowing dangers of the re-
cent years, and it can therefore
maintain its present unqueslionable
asceudency only by the character