The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-11-30
MERCHANTS AND BANKERS.
THEIR DUTY IN THE-P0LIT-
,A'0'N" EAE CRISIS. gi'N
How Their Interests are mper-
lUed--A Call on the Solid Men
of the Nation.
Prom the New York Herald of sunday,l
A Few Words to Merchants & Bankers

Prom the New York Herald of Sunday1
A Few Words to Merchants & Bankers
Whether Mr.. Hayes or Mr. Tilden il
elected is a question as yet undecided
For Its determination the country is anx
iousIy waiting. Whichever way it shall
be decided the country will accept thu
result with general satisfaction and go OF
about its business, which, for the time
has come to a stand still.
1t will go on about its business, glaC
that this wrttched excitement is over
bN only on condition that either Mr., Hdye
or Mr. 1iidea is fairly and honestly eiec ca
IN mann'r 10 satisfy all reasonable men thai
there has been an honest count Unforu.
nately, as the days pass by, we have
less and less reason to hope for such alb.
solute and conspicuous fair play as the
public sense of justice demands, while
the instances of sharp practice, Of petty
trickery, of a disposition to take i'm.
proper and suspicious advantage of the
powers in the Republican hands do un>
doubtedly increase. 1t is a lamentable
fact that thoughtful people are less conf
dent of satisfactory and Creditabe set
tlement to-day than they were week
ago. Is it not time for the Republican
bankers, merchants and manufacturers
of New York, Boston, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Cincinnati and other Northern
cities to take some notice of these facts ?
Would they not do well to consider if
their own interests would not be so
greatly imperiled by an uncertain and
unsatisfactory result as to make their
protest in favor of the most open and
honorable course by the Republican
managers in the South and against
everything which bears the appearance
of conCealment or wrong important and
necessary ? What the people want is not
opinions; what they want, what we must
have if we wish to escape great and in
terminable Calamities, is count of the
vOtes so fair. so public, so honest Tint every Re
publican in the land may righgMy ask his
Democratic nnghbOr ia accept The result as
above Just suspicion, But tho proceedings
of the South Carolina and Louisiana Re-
turning Boards are already of nature
as even Republican journals recognize
open to just suspicion.
What our bankers, capitalists, mer.
chants and manufacturers want is peace,
general contentment-and these will re-
suit Immediately from an honorable set.
tlement of the present difficulty, no
matter which of the two candidates may
become President. What they most
need to dread is chronic discOntent-
such a deep.seated dissatisfaction as
mould .o,,,1t cron, n boliaf in tha nj >, lc
of reasonable men that unworthy means
had been used to count in a President.
Such a state of doubt woHld lead to an
intolerable and ruinous condition of bus
iness. 1t would operate as fatal i'm
pediment to a return of prosperity. 1t
would disturb and gradually sap private
as well as public credit. 1t would force
prudent men to reject new enterprises, to
keep their capital locked up and their
means in hand it would make uncertain
the value of all public securities, and this
would slowly, but surely, appreciate the
value of gold 1t would largely increase
the number of the unemployed, add to
the prevailing distress, and embarass
every operation of legitimate industry
and commerce.
That there are risks is, we think, no
longer doubtful. Mr.. Hayes must get
the votes of all three of the disputed |
States to be elected. Now. if Florida
and Louisiana should be declared to the |
of every voter in the land to
have gone for Hayes there would yet re- !
main the just suspicion of wrong about
the declaration of South Cardinals vote.
But the action of the Louisiana Returning
Board, when we consider the bad char
acter of the men who compose it, is al.
ready so justly suspicious that, unless
public opinion forces them to change
their conduct, it is hardly possible for
them to satisfy the coul try of the hon
esty of their work. Even in Florida the
interminable delays of the Returning
Board and the squabbles of the Govern.
or are not reassuring. These are mat
.ers which our business men must look
IN the face If they wish to they can
compel the observance of good faith.
When they raise their voices in protest
hey have great influence The question
hey should ask themselves now is
whether it is not time for them to inter-
ere; whether it is not better, by timely
md united public protests, to avert from
themselves and the country, in whose
they are vitally interested, a
'uinous calamity. n ..
We are not playing the part of alarm
SITS. The Herald has been incessant in
is efforts to allay public excitement,
md instant in reproving all who sug-
,ested violent or illegal measures of re-
istance at the result of the count. We
lave been aided in this by the judicious
words of such Democratic journals as
he Journal of Commerce. the Sun, and
low the World, which said yesterday
norning:-"Neither in the South nor in
he North is there danger of armed re.
olt, commotion or revolution on account
f what is going on in the South, or of .
THAT may go on in Washington. None
1hatever." But the business calamities
rom suspected, and justly suspected,
cunt are inevitable. The fatal and
astiug prostration Of industry and bus
ness. which just now began to revive,
annot be cured. 1t can be prevented if
he merchants, bankers, manufacturers
nd capitalists of the Northtwill speak
ut in time. Hg.. d u..