The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-10

tives in the hands of the democratic party.
More: In the election of 1876 the people, by
a majority of more than quarter of a mill
lion, declared for the democratic party, for
honest government, and elected Samuel ].
Tilden and Thomas A. Hendricks president
aud vice president. This fact standing alone
in its quiet grandeur, triumphantly vindi-
Gates the wisdom of universal suf-
frage and completely upsets all the
fine spun theories of Mr.. Parkman.
1t is truth that can not be overthrown that
the people are virtuous and honest, and their
abandonment of the radical party, when its
dishonesty and treachery became known,
demonstrates that universal suffrage is not
only not q failure and not dangerous, but q
tower of strength and the strongest safeguard
of republican institutions that can be de-
vised. The antagonism to universal suffrage
is the first outcropping of a purpose enter
tanned by few aristocratic galoots to change
our form OF government and, If possible,
hand it over to an arIstocracy of money.
There are those in every community who
have no regard whatever for brain
pOMCl3 AOl llbClACObuuA Cutbu1Of AOA lhtCSlltsY
or any other qualities of head or heart that
go to make up qualified voter. They SIM
ply regard the dollar and cent qualification
and none other. The men of toll, with
broDzed brow and arm, are to be ostraclsed
under the new dispensation, and only the
rich, no matter whether they be knaves or
idiots. are to enjoy the privilege of suffrage
But men of the Parkman style have COM
menced their work at too late a day The
ballot is In the hands of the people, and
manhood suffrage will endure while the re-
public has a pillar or the rights of man a
champion. The New York Evening Express
in commenting upon Mr.. Parkman's super
fetal consideration of the subject of uni
versal suffrage, says:
The war had vast deal to do in demoraliz-
ing the public sentiment and private con-
science OF the American people. 1t led to an
enormous imitation of the currency. IL opened
the door to unlimited speculation and jobbery
1t enabled small number of people TO get
enormously rich by contracts for worthless ar
ticles 1t prepared the way for vast subsidies
to corporations, to Credit Mobilier and other
rings. The carpet-bag rule in the south was
also disintegrating and demoralizing force in
our national and political life. The enormous
use of federal patronage for political ends, and
of the military force in elections, has also
tended to degrade our politics and lower the
type of our political character. When mere
scallawags ike Nipple Mitchell, and adven
turers like Spencer, and thieves like Patter-
son, and acrobats like Kellogg find their way
into the national senate in defiance of public
sentiment, il is proof enough that the diff.
Guilty is not in the ballOt-box, but behind il,
in causes 1T is powerless at once to remove.
Mr.. Parkman and other crOakers of his school
forget that the old town system which was so
beautiful i'm idea and so admirable in its work
1ngs has been broken up, not by universal suf-
frage, but by the railroad, the steamboat, the
electrictelegraph, the daily newspaper and the
other mechanical inventions and scientific dis
coveries which have revolutionized age
and land. We are paying the price ofthe cOnfu-
sion wrought by changes introduced by the
most wonderful and characteristic achieve
cIOakerS must rail at something, let them at
tack the steam engine, which has done more
to destroy the old New England of their
idyllIc Dire ans than Dything else. Let them
aSSail the cOttOu-gin and face the lightning.
The truth is the country is too big for some
people TO comprehend IN tho Ight, much less
10 embrace in their active sympathy. There
are too many people to care for, too many in
tereSts TO be protected, too many rights TO be
upheld. They would like a little seventy
nine world all to themselves which they could
manage in their own way and put safely un-
der paddock every night. This is not the
American way. The true hope OF the future
is in the people and all the people. The read
justment Will come through the cooperative
efforts of all American citizens. The remedy
for our political evils lies not in restrictions
which are impossible, but In an increase of
popular power, and popular education, and
popular self-respect. 1t is not in the political
emancipation ana elevf.t on, that the path of
safety and prosperity lies.