The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1875-09-04

The Great Issues
[From tho n. Y. weekly Witness.l


Governor Tilden says the great is.
sue Of the Presidential election will
be administrative reform: and if i,
swallow up all other other issues the
party out of power is sure to win, fo,
the obvious reason that there is moth
ing recent against it, whilst there il
abundance Of charges against the par
ty in power. What with the doings
Of the Jaynes, Sanborns, Buffers,
Richardson's, Carpenters, Banfelds,
Harringtons, Shepherds, and many
other prominent men in the Republi-
can ranks this would be the strongest
ground on which to oppose the Re-
publican party.
Ex-senator Carpenter says the cur
rency will be the controlling question,
aud that imitation will win-a proph-
ecy which will turn out true if integ-
rity and intelligence have forsaken
the majority of the voters.
Senator Morton says the Southern
question will still be paramount, see
ing that the snake Of slavery is only
scotchcd and not at all killed. The
Southern whites and the Democratic
party are bound by all their past ca
reer and by their mutual. interests to
undo, in one way or another, all that
has been done for the elevation of the
freedmen to citizenship, and thus re-
verse the decision of the war,
Free trade and protection have both
Jealous advocates, who look on the
tariff question as paramount.
A very large body of the people
think that the attempt of the Church
OF Rome to destroy the common schools
will be the paramount question at
approaching elections; and still others
regard the prohibition of the traffic in
Intoxicating drinks as above all other
questions.
With such diversity of opinion it
is clear that there can he no general
division Of the people on Il single
question, and that politics are likely
to be great deal mixed. If. indeed,
one party would take the right side
OIL all these questions, and the other
take the wrong side on them, there
would be u clear issue; but this is not
likely. Both will doubtless be alike
Jealous in profession, at all events,
for administrative reform, and both
parties are very much divided on the
currency question aud the tariff ques-
ton. .'i.-n...'.-
On the rights of the colored people
and reconstruction of the South on
the basis decided by the war, the Re-
publican party is evidently the only
one, and so is it for the de-
fence Of the common schools, if we
may judge by the close alliance of the
Demoenstics party with the priests Of
Rome in Ohio and other States. Gu
the temperance question, also, the
party is much more likely
70 go forward in the right direction
tllan the Democratic party, although
neither is to be relied 1upen.
Tho best course that could be pur-
sued would be for the good men to
come out Of both parties aud form a
new party on such a basis as the fol-
lowing platform l. Equal rights to
all, aud all protected in them; 2.
efficient and honest ad-
Federal, State and mu-
nicipal; 3. honest currency, payable
in gold on demand 4. greatly SIM
plifiel and purely revenue tariff 5.
prohibition Of the liquor traffic by ma
tiona and State laws, except for me-
;hannal and medicinal purposes; 6. |
entire separation of Church and State,
including abolition of all exemptions
md prohibition of all grants or gifts
If public money Or property to de-
or denominational insti- |
;utons Of any kind. To this we should |
ike to sec added, as a matter not
merely of choice but of national ne
,essity, postal telegraphy.