The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-04-11
Mr.. Bloom said f:

NIX. pfhAh nv " INANA bHASA N'AN
stances, it might be deemed waste OF
valuable time, better devoted to the
transaction of important matters pressing
themselves upon the attention of this
House, to reply to the remarks made by
the gentlemen who have spoken upon
the other side; but being Saturday after
noon, and near the close of the session
for the day, it may be serving a good pur-
pose to make few remarks in reply. 1t
may be particularly fitting at this time to
do 30, lest the Republican newspapers OF
the State may Construe our silence on the
majority side of the House, into want
of courage or ability to defend the posi-
ton which they have assumed in enter
ing upon the policy of reorganizing the
various institutions of the State; in other
words, to use slang phrase, our silence
might be construed into want Of sand"
in contending with gentlemen upon the
other side Of the House. 1t was not be-
cause of fear that the Democratic Repre-
Bentatives upon this floor, under the op-
erations of the previous question, hitherto
been pressing this class of bills to have
their final passage without debate. If
that be the opinion of gentlemen it may
as we'll be known right now and here,
that there are numerous gentlemen to my
right who have the ability and courage
to measure lanCes with any member on
the other side, who may force contest
upon them. Neither is it because they
have no reasons for the course they have
entered upon in regard to legislation of
this kind. Their silence hitherto has
been rather because they have regarded
it as useless waste of valuable time to
discuss questions which all understand
30 we'll The Democracy may well justi-
fy their actions in this matterupon sever.
al grounds. First, because their constitu-
ents demand it at their hands, We rep.
resent the majority of the people of the
State, and they demand it, We dare not
refuse to disobey their wishes. When we
took our seats upon this floor there were
those doubling the propriety at that time
of making these changes; but in Conver-
sation upon this question with many of
their constituents they find they were far
in advance of their own views on that
subject. The positively demand that the
institutions of the State be placed under
the control Of the Democratic party, and
it is our duty to obey that demand. Not
only do Democrats demand this, but Re-
publicans themselves even the very men
who are to be retired from the public SER
vice by these laws say they believe that
this should be done. They do not whine
over the inevitable, as do the gentlemen
who have Just taken their seats; but hav-
ing trained in party like the gentlemen
themselves who for years has pursued
precisely the policy which these gentle
men condemn, are honest enough to ex-
press themselves in favor of these meas
ures. So that when the demand of the
Democracy is considered in connection
with that of leaders in the Republican
party, the large majority of the people OF
the State favor these measures. | will
not now say that it is always the better
course to pursue, but be that as it may, it
is the will of the people that it should be
so; and therefore we obey that will.
Again it can be justified upon the princi-
pie of condemnation of the Republican
party itself, for that party has pursued
this very policy upon every occasion pos
sible ever since it has been in power; and
it is because the people demand that par.
ty shall now take the very medicine they
have held to the lips of others-that they
shall drink of the bitter cup which they
have administered to others, with the
hope that, in the future they may act
more wisely themselves. The very
speeches which the gentlemen have just
now INDUCED in, were the most complete
condemnation of their own former course
since they have had the power in this
State, and in the national government |
Ifit be wrong, they belong to the very |
party which is responsible for that wrong |
in Ohio. When the Democrats few |
years ago came into power, and gave
them minority representation upon the |
several Boards governing public institu-
tions, when they again succeeded to pow
er, they pursued this very course and
which they have now been forced to con-
denim. All this in the end may tend to
remedy the evil-if evil il be, but it is
none the less the inevitable result now,
of the former actions of the Republican
party.
The Republicans are responsible for
the condition of the public mind to-day
on this question. Even the gentleman
from Geauga himself Confesses the fact of
the existence of this demand by the peo-
pie, when he has introduced bill, now
upon our tables and pending in this
House, by the operations of which at ev-
cry succeeding election of Governor of
the State, these institutions will reorgan-
ize themselves and bring about change
Of managers. / do not say that this is
absolutely the best thing to be done, bub
it may be the best way to teach the Re-
publiCans themselves, and through them
the people of the State, of the feeling
which exists in regard to the great
wrongs which that party has been guilty
Of while they have been in power.
There is another reason which the peo-
pie have for demanding that this change
be made. They have vivid recollection
Of the wrongs of which that party has
been guilty in the past fifteen or twenty
years, since they have been in power.
The people remember the appliances
through which they have maintained
themselves in power. How by a series
Of party measures in Congress, through
means OF Carpet.bag governments in the
Southern States, backed up by the Feder-
al army-yea, how at the very point of
Federal bayonets they have forced their
partisan rule in other States upon the
people, whether they approved of it or
not, and the Democracy now demand
that in some measure the bitter chslice
Of defeat be held to their own lips, that
they learn more excellent way in the
future, should they ever again be restored
to power. Nor is that all. The people
yet remember that one great crowning
act OF intamy, which has 80 deeply taken
root in the public heart, the forcing upon
this country of chief Magistrate, who,
in spite of these Federal bayonets, and in
the face of ell the tyrannical party ma