New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-11
.Ixp1.A1xING low HAPPENED.

CuS NOIt66I0 IscpuOAASo->
come 70 us full Of explanations OF the
causes which led to the disastrous results
o! tie late elections. Hardly any Two OF
them agree, and not one that We have
seen attributes the .aul: 70 itself, CT takes
the slightest blame for any &c. OF omission
o. commission. The New York Times,
formerly an irritable Republican paper,
throws all the blame upon Two news
papers, which seem to stand IN Its ien1
in some unacceptable manner. 2he
chief offender in this ar,aignnent is the
Washington N1.iona! Republican, one
Of the abless papers published IL
the country. Bu: according to Its
New York censor and rival. it has
not abused the President enough. and
the Tines thinks the country has shared
in its feelings Of envy and vented its spite
On the President fox permitting such
journal to be published under the shadow
Of the national Capitol. And then, to
make the matter still worse, certain men,
bers OF the party have had the bad taste
TO star. q new journal in New York city,
which they have called the Republic. The
Geld of journalism was already full, and
there was no occasion for new aspirant
for the Lonor and profits. The American
people would not stand such an encroach-
men. upon mcropoistic rights. and ac-
cordirgly Delaware and New jersey
jumped squarely back into the arms Of
the Democracy.
In Massachusetts Butlerisn and inAa-
ton cooked the Republican goose, while
in Ohio the Democracy trirmphed upon
the Pendletonian theory Of issuing an I'M
limited supply Of greenbacks and paying
the interes: on the gold bonds in that kind
Of currency. One Journal thinks it was
the Presi dents policy toward the South
which brought the disaster, while another
is equally positive it was not the President
at all, but Congress which The country
intended to 1ebuke.
There is one encouraging feature in al
this incongruous reascning-one point
in which nearly all are agreed-and that
is tina. whatever the result may have
been. OF whatever the intent, it was
brough. sbou: by Republican voters.
They Ell ther voted for the Democratic can
dida.es OF stayed away from tie polls alto
gether. In Ohio alone, it is said, more
than $1,000 Republican voters did not 60
to the polls. Without insisting upon the
Of these figures. we desire to re-
mark that the quality Of Republicanism
exhibited by men who refuse to vote in
such IN election Is the one just pas: is Of
TOO do ubtful character to depend upon
in crisis. Perhaps these voters may yet
come to be good Republicans. but they
are rather weak at this time. Perhaps
when the campaign Of 1875 comes they
may renew their allegiance, and realize the
fond hopes Of their confdirg apologists,
and assist in the great victory which is sure
10 occur in the centenary O: American in |
Let Us indulge in this pleas.
ing expectation.
In the meantime we might look :or the |
real cause Of the Republican defeat in
New York. Ohio. Massachusetts,, Pennsyl- |
'ania and elsewhere IN combination Of !
rather than any specia!
grievance. Foremost among these is the
immense drain upon the resources Of the
,ation to pay the interest on the public
lebt with the current expenses added.
The United States, including the national
the several States and mum.
ipal COZ porations. the railroad companies
nd the uerca ntile and financial comnu-
titles. owe and pay the interest upon an
normous debt in the aggregate due to
he Old World. Our surplus is quite ex-
aus:ed in sustaining this burden, and
be country is annually drained to keep
ur credit good. Nearly all prospective
esenues for years 70 come are mortgaged
} this huge monster debt. which does
OF diminish sensibly in volume, with the
hip loads Of values sent after it. BE.
des. until this year, our imports have
enerally been fully equal to or exceeded
he exports. Now. there is nothing to
lame the Republican party tor in all this.
hat part in reality did not make the war
aat piled up this debt. But j: has fallen
, our lot to administer the government
hose duty it has been to raise tie money.
very Republican tax gatherer is regarded
; messenger Of u tidings. and we all I
now the bad tavof which the average
ind regards the Tearer Of unpleasant
sws. Inscriptions partisan presses and
.ato-s have dinned all the disagreeable
atures into. the public ear until they
I'VE actually created the impression that
it'll the access Of the Democracy to
,wer the taxes would be RENTED. and
e burdens really lifted from weary
ou!ders. That such considerations may
we had some weight we can not doubt. !,
ID that many Of OUT leading statesmen
re committed fatal errors is equally
tent.
While, however. these elements Of dan
T have been gathering force. many of t
e imperishable principles Of Repub. c
anism have become indelibly stamped t
'oa the American character. The lessons a
right by the war have not been forgot c
q. ros are they likely to be, and least a
all in the South. The Democratic rule t
the future. if such a calamity were in y
ire for US, and We hope it is rot. would !