Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-07-01
More Reform Democracy.

From Harper's Weekly.
The politics of Missouri are inter
esting and most instructive as indl-
cative of tendencies and probabili-
ties. 1t is State in which ''recon-
ciliation and forgiveness" have tri-
umphed, and which is sufficiently
:'Southern" in sentiment and Demo
cratic in party sympathy to show the
real Democratic spirit and purpose.
1t was saved to the Union at the
opening of the war by the heroism
and energy of Gen. Blair and the
German population. Five years ago
Mr.. Schurz and his friends were
very urgent for 'letting bygOnes he
bv-gones." and for removing all dis
abilities from the late Confederates.
They succeeded in 1870 in enfran
chising the eX-rebels and restoring
the Democratic asccndcncy; and it is
one of the most ardent of Mr..
Schnrz's friends, and one of the most
active of the Cincinnati ''Liberals
of 1872, for some years editor of the
st. Louis Democrat. and q promi
nent actor in Missouri politics, who
now writes to the New York Trib-
unc. Gone can not find an independ-
ent voter nor German of either par
ty. unless he is IN extreme Catholic,
who has not set purpose to over
throw the Democratic party" The
friends of conciliation and forgive
ness and enthusiastic hand-shaking
over the bloody chasm "quickly
found" he says, shat the old fires of
hatred, though long buried, were yet
alive. Union men, and especially
Germans, were quietly crowed out of
influence or place. The Democratic
party became more and more dis
tinctlv controlled by the Confeder-
ates and by the Catholics. Repeated
ly, in order to save the school sys-
TEN, Independents who still acted
with the Democrats were forced to
oppose the party's candidates. 3.
= Meanwhile, having rcgained power
in the State, the Democrats elected
to the Senate Mr.. Bogy, noted only
as an inaationist, and a man whose
views were more acceptable to the
secession Democracy than General
Blair. soldier of the Union. The
Democrats also carried the city OF
St. Louis, and their government
both of the State and the city was,
according to Mr.. Grosvenor Ia wit
ness upon the spot, familiar with par
ties and politics), shamefully cor
rupt The attempted "People's" re-
form of 1874 failed because, rs he
says, of IN alliance between the of
flee holding wing of the Republi-
cans and the corrupt Democrats.
The reform failed and the Demo
Gratis triumphed, defeating Schurz,
through whose influence they had
acquired power, and eleeting Cock
rell, known only as Confederate
officer and an inflationist. At the
city election in April of this year
the same alliance took the field.
"The result" says Mr.. Grosyenor,
"was a Democratic convention OF
which two-thirds of the members
were Irish Catholics, which put up
one Catholic Irishman for Mayor,
and Republican convention OF
which the majority of the members
were government employees, which
put up another Catholic Irishman for
Mayor-the Collector of Internal
Revenue who. since the exposure OF
the whisky frauds, has been permit
ted to resign" An independent can
didate was nominated, and ran well,
but was defeated by majority OF
700 for the Democratic candidate, for
whom the whisky ring openly work
ed when it was plain their man could
not be elected, The Democratic
Mayor died within a week after his
inauguration. The Independent can
didate was again nominated. The
whisky ring and Democratic ring
combined again, and elected their
man by little more than 500 majori-
ty only, and that by. the most fla
grant frauds. 1t was so palpable
that this would appear npon the re-
counting of the ballots that the al
lance did not dare to have the re-
eount, and "a Democratic Judge
sustained by "a Democratic court,
prohibited it, "holding that the boxes
could not be opened until November
next" Schurz's paper denounced
the decision as more infamous than
Dur lrs, in Louisiana.
What has city election to do with
national politics2 asks Mr. Grosve
nor; and he answers, Very much, il
the situation in St. Louis and Mis-
souri, is an illustration of the desper
ate and ravenous partisanship Of the
| Democratic party. What if intelli
gent voters who have dkubted thu
duty of sustaining the Republican al
against the Democratic party con
clude that Democratic frauds and de
cisiOns in Missouri are no bette
than Republican frauds in Louisiana
"What if they ask whether Cathoio
cism threatens free schools elsewher
by ruling the same party2 What i
they conclude that a party whicl
| links itself IN frand with the wors
whisky thieves OF this administra
ton is not preferable to the part.
; which exposes and discards sucl
men?" Mr.. Grosvenor, however
: maintains his position as an "Inde
pendent" He insists that the econ
duct of both parties has exposes