The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-02-21
THE MISSION OF A THIRD
PARTY.

I
profess to represent.
If existing parties have not failed,
if they have not outliyed the issues that
gave them birth, and ii they are infal-
liable and can do no wrong, then there
is no mission for third party.
What are the facts? The Republi-
can party, having long had control of
both branches of Congress and of the
Executive Department, is directly re-
sponsible for the salary grab, for squan-
dering the public lands, for release of
rail roads from just obligations, for
the Credit Mobiler swindle, for refu-
sing to take greenbacks for custom
dues, for making the soldier take them
at par while it refused to equalize
bounties, for excusing the bondholder
from taken them at all, for making the
bonds payable in greenbacks, except |
the interests payable in coin, for again
changing this contract and making the
bond payable in gold alone, for con-
tracting the currency Of the debtor
and expanding the demands of the
creditor, for driving to foreign lands
the public bonds and for forcing the
export of 100000 of gold to pay
interest on those bonds annually, for
for pampering bank monopoly with
rewards from the pockets of the peo-
pie when contributions from the banks,
is the theory Of France, and much
more of honest government in this
country, for refusing to cut down the
expenses of government in proportion
to the contraction of currency for per-
sisting in general policy that tends to
make the rich richer and the poor
poorer, for robbing labor not only of
its earnings but also of its employ
ment, for robbing capital employed in
manufacturing Of its just rewards so
as to shut off its steam and discharge
its laborers, for robbing the debtor of
his means to pay by robbing his prop
erty and his products of their just and
adequate value, while the demand
against him, relatively, increased its
ability to purchase in the ratio of the
robbery, for calling on the debtor who
had pledged his property at 100 cents
on the dollars valuation, to pay the
same debt with the same property at
As cents on the dollar valuation, and
for doing other acts and crimes de-
structive of peace, dangerous to liber-
ty, oppressive to the many, and bene-
fetal only to the few.
While the Republican party is thus
guilty and responsible, those mem
bers of the Democratic party who
have aided and acquiesced in such
legislation and the reform contributed
toits results deserve, and should receive
the equal condemnation of the whole
people whose rightsare sold out and
whose prosperity is converted to bank
ruptcy, or loss.
The Democratic party in 1876 a
st. Louis, in national convention
assembled, refused to take issu
with the Republicans on the currency
question, but fatty demanded a reserv
to be accumulated in the treasury 70,
the redemption of the greenback, il
place of making them receivable 70
all dues and leaving them in circulation
as currency. The repeal of the re
sumption act was demanded becaus
''it is hinderance to resumption" NO
because forced resumption is injuriou
to the debtor class, not because it is
trick Of Shylock to get his pound G
flesh, but because it is hindrance to
Shylock.
The chairman of the committee O
resolution, Gov. Dorsheimer of Ne,
York declared that this gree
back heresy must be stamped out, an,
his declaration was cheered in the cor
vention, and his candidate for pres
dent nominated on the first ballot.
What matters it if Ewing and til
Allen forcein the convention proteste
vigorously andstrongly? They were ne
heard They were voted down.
More recently, even in Ohio, when M
Ewing sought recognition of his do
trine, man was elected over his hea
who says, greenbacks are unconstitr
tional.
Nationally both parties have forgo
ten public confidence on the currenc
issue. Locally both have given proof
the country, but local proofs are n,
satisfactory, and judged by the recor,
both parties are unfit custodians of IL
public sentiment on the currency issu
both are fallible, and both have ou
lived the issue cheating them.
Hence, the greenback party is
the field. 1t is young, but alreac
holds the balance of power in Obi
Penn, Ind, Wis, III. and Kansa
Firmly grasped and wisely used tn
balance is equal to control of the
states in the presidential contest
1880.
Third parties do not last long if t
past history Of such parties are to
regarded. Andrew Jackson started
ne,v ,,ortv hut II was only n few yes