Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-30
The Issues before the People.

Time betwixt now and election is
short. Is your mind settled, political
"? IF net, it's tune you began think
inc thinking earnestly, seriously and
rapidly With all the facts Of current
and past history before you there is
little need of error in Judgment.
Are you lukewarm ?
Then wake up
You have duty to perform.
The ballot is in your hand, and you
are responsible for its proper use.
While it is the privilege and duty
of every qualified elector to vote it is
no less his duty to know what he is
voting for, and why he thus votes.
The ballot is the freeman's battle-ax
and as he YIELDS it he should fully
understand the effect to be produced
In this land of free schools and
general intelligence it would seem al
most like bigotry for US to presume to
instruct people in the performance Of
their political duties, heuce we desist,
trusting to the patriotism, honesty and
not neglect our duty Of placing before
our readers the issues presented by
the two great political parties.
The Democratic party stands be
fore the country to-day on its old plat
form Of states rights This doctrine
was the prime cause Of our late war,
and it was settled in favor of gov
ernment OF the people. for the people
and by the people; a government un-
der which all the states should com
ply with the laws OF the nation and be
equal factors in the grand structure,
each having full right to local self
government The Democratic party
has never accepted this settlement as
final, but cling to their old doctrine
that the states are only bound together
as a confederation Of independent
governments, each having full power
to withdraw from the union at pleas
ure, the general government having
full power to withdraw from the union
at pleasure, the general government
having no power to compel them to
obey its laws. The declaration of a
Democratic president that he had ''no
power to cocrce' the states about to
secede in 1860 is sufficient proof that
the party held that opinion then. and
their acts in the last congress show
that they hold the same now.
This Democratic party is now under
the absolute control of men who
fought to destroy the government !;
persons who boldly proclaim their ad-
hesion to state sovereignty, openly de-
fy the amendments to the constitution
and defantly trample on the laws of
the land Is the country in any
danger if this Democratic party. under
such leaders, gets full control of the
government? This class of men we're
It's leaders before the war, and where
they led thea they are mofe than like
" to lead again Let us see; In con-
gress there are 1913 Democrats I55
in the house and 10 in the senate Of
this number lbs are from states lately
In rebellion This would be all right
if those men accepted the results of
the war ami came forward mapfullv TO
the work Of rebuilding the shattered
nation; but they do not-they are
dangerous, plotting, scheming men,
who have never lost any of their hat
rcd for northern people or any of their
disloyalty. Being in the majority in
the lower house, they control every
important committee, and the entire
legislative machinery Of the country is
in their hands Do you see any
danger in this? These men do not
hesitate to say that all legislation
growing out Of the war. including the
constitutional amendments, must be
repealed or annuled, thus placing them
where they stood prior to 1860. They
propose to regain by legislation what
they lost through rebellion. Many Of
these perjured Williams left the halls Of
congress for the field Of battle on the
rebel side when Lincoln was made
president They represent the senti-
ments of theirs people, which are pre-
cisely similar to those entertained by
them prior to their rebellion. These
redhanded traitors have full power
over the northern wing OF the Demo
cratic party and dictate every policy
of the party1 and hence every policy
OF the party IS subservient to the will
of the dominant faction, who are seek
ing to destroy or neutraliZe the laws
resultantof the victory Of loyal arms,
thus denying the privileges of citizen
ship to those upon whom the const:-
tuition now confers such privileges, re-
handing them to their former condi-
.ion of human chattels.
The Democratic party has proven