The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-06-05

power.
Here is something to boom on sure
ly:
"Who SO vile as to support party
that depends upon bullets to secure its
ballots?"
"Who so base as to desire to live
under bayonet rule, and to eonsign
popular liberty to the keeping of a
military despotism?"
fthis issue don't make the hairs of
Democracy stand on tip-toe, and cause
men to forsake home, wife and chill
dren and cleave to the goddess, until
after the election at least, it is hard to
tell what would.
But there must be more than one
issue. No party can stand on one leg,
if that leg be ever so strong. Anoth-
err veto must be had and it was obtain
ed, and thus a second time the presi-
dent refused supplies to the army un-
less he could use it at the polls as a Re-
publican body guard.
The Democracy is doing finely. If
it keeps on it will have an ample sup
ply of issues to 90 before the people
as distinctive party with at least
hope of success.
But it wants another veto. 1t will
get it too. 1t has passed the legisla-
tive, judicial and executive appropri-
alton bill, with a chip on its shoulder
repeating laws authorizing the ap-
pointment of federal marshals to take
charge of elections. The former bill
forbade the use of federal bayonets at
the polls, and the latter use of the fed
eral purse. This will be vetoed, and
constitutes issue No. 8.
This is all buncombe besh. There
is not a Democrat in the nation who
fears that the least right in the elec-
tive franchise will be interfered with
by federal bayonets; but they must
have some bone to throw into the are
ma for the people to fight over, and
this is selected in the absence of any
thing better.
The Republicans are equally elated
with the bone. They contend that the
persistency manifested by the Democ-
racy for the repeal of these laws is
evidence that the polls are to be car
ried by Democratic storm if not pre-
vented by military interference.
The presence of SO many Confeder'
ate Brigadiers in congress clamoring
against the presence of federal troops
at southern polls is certain Republi.
can indication that the cause which
was lost by the bullet of trea-
son is to be won by the ballot of fraud.
So the president vetoss, and each We
to is. wrought into flag staff from
which futters again the red banner
of sectional hate. These are the
schemes resorted to by professional
politicians, and venal demagogues tc
excite sectional and partisan animosi-
ties, and to get the people by the earl
over sham, unreal issues, that the i'm
portant and real questions OF the hour
may be overlooked.
1t may not be inappropriate right
here to inform these congressional is
sue makers that the people are begin
ming to tire of sham fights and dummy
dangers, for there are real ones enough
to engross their attention.
And another thing, they begin tt
appreciate their right to make theil
own issues. At the election last fal
over a million of them declared very
emphatically that they know wha
they wanted as well as congress does
! and when they had determined wha
legislation they needed, congress
Z would fulfill its whole mission by exc
/, cutting their will, without botherinl
, its head with new suggestions, or enac
ting uncalled for statutes. The peo
= pie rule here. The congress of tn
= republic is mot the place to make is
! sues-the people alone are the rightfu
e custodians of that high prerogative.-
. Issues arise from the workshop, tn
}. farm, tho factories, and the trade
marts; from the fields Of industry an
the channels of trade and commerce
and they have no business in congrei
except they are carried there b
the peoples representatives to be tol
n mulatsd into statu .es for the publ
q good and general welfare. For col
n gress to devote its time in concoctin
}. issues for the people, in order to g
n them by the ears that they may |
marshaled under political leaders fl
d personal and partisan success, maxi
n a farce of the elective franchis
and a mockery of government of IL
Is people.
:. HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP: