The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-02-25
southern.Claim

dIia Seminary and that for the relief Of
William and Mary Colleee-merely sought.
permission for the present trustees af
those institutions OF learning TO present
their cases before the Court Of Claims
Both billie were defeated solely on the
ground that the Institutions we're nnfor
tunately located on certain side OF
certain line which politicians, Tor purpo
ses OF their own, have drawn across the
country. One Of them was about
stone's throw on the wrong side Of this
line II it had been a mile further north
its fate would have been altogether dif
ferent.
1t is not easy to conceive that brick
wslls Of bnildirg :, were in sympathy with
the rebellion, or that the soil on which
they stood voluntarily took up arms
agsinst the Union; yet 1t wos'i be dim
cult to establish any other charge OF dis
loyalty in these cases
The men who voted against and de
feated these measures can be classified
with reasonable accuracy, and as the mo
|tivss which Influenced them on these oc-
cssions enter into mnch Of the legisla-
ZION at Washington II may be worth
while to aualyEe them. I, should be
borne In mind that few Democfats are
included In tie lot, while very few Re.
publicans, amid the scowls Of their fel
lows, vote according 10 their ccnsciences
and not according to partisan gsogra
ply.
The irst class of these national law
makers with sectional ideas is composed
OF the party leaders. These shresd gen
tlemen understand that Southern claims
is the black beast of our politics, and 1t
is their highest duty to see to 1t that no
opportunity Is lost for turning It to the
account OF their party. They assume
that the masses OF the people know moth
ing OF the merits or dement's Of any OF
these claims, and that on the subject OF
Southern claims" the popular idea is as
vague and as fearful as that OF a child
when threatened by its nnrse with 'boog.
gers" They oppose every claim coming
from the wrong side OF the line drawn
by them on principle-the principle that
their party must be retained at the pub
lie crib, honestly II they can, dishonesty
il they must.
Then comes q class who are looking
to their own selfish schemes. They com,
mend themselves to what they conceive
10 be the inveterate sectional prtjudices
Of their constituents. Happy. is ii for
one OF these when an opportunity offers
FOR him to set up a loud and fierce bark
ing at one OF these measures; whether
just or unjust makes no difference. as he
aatters himself that he shall be looked
up to wisb admirstion as watch dog Of
the treasury.
In near proximity to this class, but
step lower. is little knot OF tinid DIM
ocrats. They generally represent close
districts, and fear to be jlst in such cases
lest q gang OF political hacts should
howl "Southern claim" at them. They
cover before supposed feeling of hos
tility In the North against everybody
and everything 10 the South.
The three classes mentioned never
rise high enough to see that this is .
nation OF one people. Their loftiess
idea, and the one which controls their
conduct, is. that the North and the South
are as two cats, with taIls,tied, swung
across pole.
Another class sre possessed OF a mo,
tive which is cross between honesty
and stupidity. They have learned that
the larger share OF the claimspresented
to Congress are unjust, and feeling their
lrcompetency TO discriminate between
the good and the evil, they voie against
oil Unfortunately. Not knowing the
genuine coin from the counterfeit, they
adopt she safer method OF having moth
| ing TO do With any OF it. The worst that
can be said Of these, is, that they have
missed their calling. They should bs
carrying hois or showing bucksaws in
stead OF legislstine for forty millions o
people.
Something could be said in mitigation
OF this hostility to claims, IL 1t ,wer'
understood that the government coult
take . mans property without compen
sating him--that IL could exercise III
own sweet will about paying its dehss-
and should uniformly repudiate allclaim
Of every kind The people might bacom
Injured to It, and 6nd some comfort il
the reduction OF taxes But unhappil.
whiie the hand that should pay in on
section is gripped like wise, the ham
that pays 10 the other scatters with reck
less profusion. Therefore these gentle
men who are so sure that no good thin
lean come outof Nazareth are not emit
tiled to the credit of practiciBg economy
1 Furthermore the politician Who mo-
makes such merit of opposing .
claims, good. bad and indifferent oWhic
travel across their dad line-who TAX
J fssyenge on southern school houses 4
thwarted efforts to get Southefnsyotes-
! themselves gave away scores OF millioI
on good, bad aid indifferent "Souther
. claims" when the "Solid South" vi
solid for their party.
We trust 1t is hardly necessary to sta
2 that these remarks do not spply to ar
u claim which is barred by the claiman,
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