Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-10-02
WHOLE NO. 1872

hibitory liquor law, or license law:
1t does not matter. All men, how
ever contrary or contradictory their
views, can stand upon that platform.
State your opinions, and something
can be found there to match it.
say again, that platform is cheat.
Do you ask me what it was shaped
in that way for? 1 answer, for
votes!
But l do not believe any such
transparent, self-evident cheat as
that can succeed with the people Of
Iowa. In political platforms, as in
other matters, honesty is generally
the best policy. The Republican
party owes its success and ita power
largely to the fact that it has never
been afraid to grapple boldly with
new issues as they arose, and take an
advanced position in regard to them.
The Democratic party had been
compromising and quibbling over
the salary question for half a centu.
ry, when the Republican party utter
ed its first firm, unmistakable dccla-
ration of principles, "No more slave
territory!!' The slaveholdiug States
rebelled, and the Republican party
with prompt determination declared
that secession was crime, and the
rebellion must be suppressed. At
every step the Democracy, to whom
such bold utterances were an untried
experiment, predicted disaster; but
their sinister forcbod;ngs failed of
fulfllment. So with emancipation;
SO with the amendments; so with
the ku Klux act; SO with every
measure proposed. Here in Iowa,
when We proposed to make universal
suffrage part of our platform, tho
opposition said, dare to do that, and
notwithstanding yonr heavy majori-
ties heretofore, the majority will be
equally heavy on the other side.
Well, we boldly made universal suff.
rage an issue-and we carried the
State by larger majority than any
party ever had before in Iowa. A
party whose platform is bottomed up
on principles, based upon ideas of
truth and right, that are coeval with
the very nature Of man, appeals to
the sympat'iics Of good men every
where,and wins the day over timid
expcdiency and paltcring compro-
misses.
But the speaker repeated that he
did not clam that the Republican
party was perfect, or that it had nev-
er done wrong. Parties must be i'm
perfect SO long as the men compos-
ing them are imperfect. The r.
publican party had done wrong in
having part or lot in the salary grab.
The incrcase-ot-salary bill ought new
er to have been passed. But its pas-
sage constitutes no reason why any
honest, consistent man should join
in and aid the Democratic party.
The Democrats in Congress voted
for that act in much larger numbers
portionally than the Republicans.
and wi hout their votes it could MT
have passed at all. In tho Senate,
out of 10 Democrats, l3 voted for
the salary grab; and in the House,
out OF SO Democrats, so voted in its
favcr. Taking the Senate aud tho
House together, IS Republicans vot-
ed for it and SO against it, while 63
Democrats voted for it and only 81
against it, And when the next Con-
gress assembled, the Republicans
took and kept the lead inss,.repealing
the odious bill, their Votes being
given for that purpose in much lar
ger proportion than those of the De
mocratic members.
| Another matter concerning which
much fault has been found is thai Of
moietics. But let me .:,tcIl you that
moiety laws are not al invention Of
the Republican party. We have had
moiety laws upon our statute books
since 1899. 1t was found, or at least
believed, from almost the beginning
of our government until now, that
the giving Of moietics was necessary
in order to secure a complete collec-
ton Of the revenue and detect and
put an end to smuggling. But when
it was found that the moicty law was
being used in an oppressive way, it
was repealed by a Republican Con-
gress, and another law passed which,
it is believed, will be equally etfcc-
tive, without being liable to tho
same objections. And SO with refer
ence to every evil to which the attcn-
ton of the party has been directed.
No party that ever before existed,
exhibited such disposition to criti-
else its own actions, to punish cor
ruption in its own ranks, such pow.
er of selt-purification, as has the Re-
publican party.
In conclusion, remembering the
good words that have been spoken
here tonight by your candidate for
Congress Judge Granger) his excel
lent record in the District above you,
and his high character and personal
worth; and in view of the character
and abilities of the candidates for
State officers upon the Republican
ticket-therc is no reason why YOU
should not vote the Republican ticket;
you know Just where to find us. We
do not take any "new departures"
nor crowd our platforms with contra
dictions in order to win votes. We
stand by the old ways, and fight un-
the old flag. We stand by our record;
we ask no NAN to forget our past; we
ask all men not to distrust or lose
faith in the grand old Republican
party. 1t has proved itself the party
of peace, of progress, of justice, Of
retorm-ever in sympathy with tho
dearest interests of the people. And
standing here to-day as its humblcst
representative, and looking back st
its past, where see nothing of which
| am ashamed, at it's pres, n, with its
infinite possibilities, at its future,
where | see no toreshadow that.
awakes alarm, l call upon all mon to-
stand by this Republican party. And
while expressin. for myself especial
devotion and gratitude to the people
of my own State, call upon all men,
every where to unite with me in de-
claring opposition to all subsidies, to-
all unwarranted Infringement upon.
the rights Of the States, 10 all unfaiN'
construction of the Federal Consti-
tuition to impair the powers Of the