The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-25
The Issue in 1876.

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lose their distinctive features for the
want Of opposing measures upon which
to divide. What would be the issue Of
1876 was becoming q perple1ing question.
Reconstruction had been completed; the
color-line had been practically Obliter-
ated; the President had silenced the third
term cry; and there was even peace in
Louisiana. Congress had been for years
graphing with the currency question
and the general financial policy OF the
country, But on these subjects there
were no clearly defined party diyisionsi
the opposing factions were composed OF
men OF both parties, The fercest Demo.
crats and ex.COnfedGrates stood side by
side with Butler and Logan in favor Of
imitation, while other Southern Democrats
voted reSolutely with New England and
Ohio Republicans in favor Of the oppOs-
ing policy. II was impossible to get
up n vote on that question on
which Democrats and Republicans
would divide Us parties, and yet
that was the subject, Of all others, in
which the whole American people were
most interested. ltprOmised q geOgraphl-
cal division. In the Eastern States, the
Republicans, as body, and q majority Of
the Democrats, favored a re-
turn to honest money and honest
payments; these were backed up by
portions Of the South and West The
people Of the Western and Southern
States, however, were understOod-and
were so represented fayOring initiation
and expansion. Parties were drifting
along in this undecided and distracted way
demagogues seeking to make themselves
conspicuous by Oommunistic appeals TO
the thOughtless. Al last the attention Of
the country was arrested and brought TO
calm and deliberate consideration Of
the subject by the President in his mess
age yetoing the bill initiating the currency,
The good sense Gi the people was at once
directed In clear and intelligent way to
the danger which threatened the country.
The President called 4 halt in his veto
message. Politicians stopped in their
drifting. Men looked aL the great queS-
ton aud weighed the consequences to re-
suit, not only from proposed action, bnt
from inaction
At this juncture the Democratic State
Convention In Ohio, on the 18th Of juno
last, startled the country by bold and
unmistakRble declaration in favor Of
greenback script, n permanent stoppage
Of specie payments, the abolition Of
National Banks, and the subjectiOn Of the
trade and commerce Of the country TO the
curse OF dishonest, huCtuating and IRE.
deemable paper currency. II was bold,
| II not u new, departure. 1t was tho re-
enactment Of the old Democratic platform
Of 1868, which had been rejected by the
people. But II was nevertheless a start
liug definition Of distinct policy by the
Democratic party. II left no room for
doubt or quibbling. twas a declaration
In the name uf the Democratic purity Of a
great State in favor OF dishonest money
interminably.
The contest in Ohio ceased, therefore,
10 be q mere contest between Allen, and
HAYES. They we're tho selected Cham-
pions, II Is true, but the whole country be.
came anxious spectators; and, not content
with the strife within the ropes, the bat
Tie has been going on among the SpeCta-
tors In every State, The Ohio Demo-
cruts have furnished the issue for
1870. II the Democrats carry Ohio,
or are beaten by only u small
majority, the issue in 1875 will be
up1n the currency questiOn-a return to
honest money or the increase and perprt.
uation Of the dishonest scrip.
In Ohio the Democratic party has
suffered considerably by the new depart.
ure, and the Republican party has not
escaped the decentralization. Those Re.
pubIicans who during the last ten years
Of loose morals and incOnsiderate action
OF Congress upon the currency question
have driitel off to initiation and wildcat
and reckless speculation find themselves
compelled To vote against the Republican
party In order to vote for irredeemable
and unlimited greenbacks, while the
Democrats whohave been educated in the
Jackson and Benton doctrine Of hard and
honest money are brought face to face
with the new Democratic policy Of rags.
There Ia, however, no escape from the
issue; and the men Of both parties thus
compelled 10 take sides on the currency
question against their own party must
either vote against their convictions or
abstain from voting at all.
So throughout the country. Democrats
and Republicans In all the other States
recognize the Importance Of the election
In Ohio. Ohio Ia one Of the few debatuble
yet tlecisivestates. Should the rag.mOney
policy prevail In Ohio, or be defeated by
scant majority, then, backed by The
Southern and Western States, and dc.
spite the objections Of the Eastern States,
the Democratic party will not only enter
the campaign OF 1875 with rag.moucy
platform and rag.mOney candidate for
President, but rag.money candidates for
Congress and State Legislatures.
The isslie thus joined by the Democrats
and by them forced upon the corutry,
must be met by an equally decisive plat
form and candidates by the Republican
party in favor Of releenlable and par
money, and n speedy return to IL. This
cannot I've avoided. The Democrats will
leave no room ior equiyocNtion or double
meaning. The issIe between the two
great parties will be sharply defined, and
The candidates mist be men 80 closely
connected with The policy as to leave no
room for any uncertainty.
Thus the Ohio election will probably
furnish the country in 1870 with The issue
upon which the Presidential election will
be fought. The Democrats aud Repub.
licans Of the whole country will be brought
to choose, as they are now in Ohio be-
tween honest money and dishonest money
between honest dollars and delusiye
paper purpofting to be dollars-betweCn
money that has permanent value The
world over and promises that have no re.
demption. Republicans and Democrats
have no escape from this isstie; they will
be compelled to take one side or the other.
They must vote for the one thing or the
other or not vote at all.
There Ia, however, one alternative In
which this issue between rag money, and
honest money may bc avoided, and that
IA the decision Of that question by The
people Of Ohio. Should The Republicans
carry the State, not BY a mere majority,
not merely electing their candidates, bdt
should they carry the State by such a ma.
iority as will necessarily imply popular
rejection and condemnation Of the shin
plaster platform Of the Ohio Democrats,
then the decision will be final not only
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