The Portland daily press., 1878-08-14
What Does Offer2

In view of the record of the last four years
there is an intense impudence in the Demo-
cratic claim that the good Of the country re.
quires the full restoration of the Democratic
party to power. Even were our memories so
brief we had forgotten the circumstances un-
der which the Democratic leaders were driv-
en- into retirement eighteen years ago, our ex-
perience since the Democracy held the House
forbids us to entertain hope of good from that
organization.
The Democrats admit and even emphasize
our present bad estate, the stagnation of COM
merce and the paralysis of industry, and offer
as remedy, not a return to sound systems of
political economy, not wise frugality in public
and private expenditure, not the adoption of
a stable standard OF value and good medium
of exchange; but the election of Democratic
House.
What will this Democratic House do to re-
lieve the country? What have Democratic
Houses done for the last four years? What
specific measures of relief does the Democrat
ic party propose? These questions are worth
considering. The Republican party chaI-
lenges the Democracy to show single party
measure carried out or even proposed by the
Democracy which can bring relief for the peo-
pie. Four years ago the Democrats carried
the country on the promise of s'better times"
They secured great majority in the House,
and got possession of a majority of the State
governments. For the last three sessions of
Congress they. have shaped legislation, have
controlled the public purse, have originated
all measures relating to tho expenditure Of
public funds and the raising of taxes. What
have they done? Have they passed any
measures that have relieved the country?
Have they reduced taxation? Have they
promoted economy in expenditures? To all
these questions a negative answer must be
returned. The Democratic party has been
on trial and has been found wanting. The
four years it has held power have been years
of distress almost unexampled in the history
of the country. Not tax has been reduced.
At the first session pretense was made of
reducing appropriations, and at the last ses-
sion the pretended reduction made its appear
ance in deficiency bills. During these hard
times Of economy and reduced prices Dem
ocratic House has saved less than Republican
Houses did during flush times of general ex-
travagance and high prices.
While the Republicans held the House the
public debt was reduced over four hundred
millions and the burden of taxation lessened
by two hundred and fifty millions. The ex-
penditures lessened every year. How has it
been since the Democrats held the House?
Taxation has not been lessened cent and
appropriations have been increased over
twenty-eight millions in single year. That
is the record of the two parties? What is the
promise of the future? What specific meas
ures do the Democrats propose? They have
none to suggest. They content themselves
with repetition of the promises made in
1874, promises that we're broken when they
got into power. Which party affords the
better prospect, the party that reduced
taxes by hundreds of millions, and the bur-
den of public debt by hundreds of millions
more, or the party that pledged itself to do
these things and failed? What possible
prospect of relief does the Democratic par
ty offer? In the hands of which party is
the country safest? Which party has re-
duced taxation? Which party has kept its
promises? Which party proposes a return
to sound economical practices and con-
servative system of finance? These are the
questions voters are asking themselves.
There can be but one reply and it will be
given at the polls this fall.