The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-31
REPUBLICAN INCONSISTENCY

REPUBLICAN INCONSISTENCY.
One Of the most unsatisfactory things
In American politics is the readiness with
which the members of party adopt doc.
trines which are promulgated by leaders.
1t is well known that the leaders fre.
ouently find it difficult to decide which
side of question to egpouse. But when
8 preponderance Of counsel or expedien-
cy settles the question, there is never
any difficulty in making the members OF
that party believe that disaster is invited
through pursuance of the opposite policy,
though the question as to which side the
party should commit itself was carefully
considered, and the result often depend
I'D on. some little circumstance which
might add TO or detract from chances Of
success at the polls. When the bill fol
prohibiting the use Of troops at the polls
was first under consideration, it was diff
ticult to find republican who would not
1lnhesitatingly express the opinion that
1t was laudable act to have the ballot
box under the guardianship of bayonets.
1t occurred to the leaders who were
shaping the policy Of the republican par
ay, that placing the military over the
civil authority was not move which il
would be easy to justify. There was {
revulsion of sentiment among the men il
1he ranks, and they earnestly protested
that the republican party was always OPP
posed to the use of troops at the polls as
j police force.
1t was so with greenbacks. The re-
publican party adopted the policy o.
contracting the circulation OF legal tender
notes, and in pursuance of this, destroy
ed large number. The men who think
the republican party s'can do no wrong
sustained this action and insisted tina
this course was necessary for the finan
cial welfare Of the country. Greenback
ism, with an ounce of sense lost in {
mountain Of absurditY, caused some
alarm, and tho typical republican was
never tired of expressing his love for the
greenback, ''the best money we evel
had, )" tie same thing that it was q nation
al duty to cremate so short n while be
fore.
1t is so with state rights. The average
republican knows nothing more abou
state righs, then that it is the shibboletl
of his party to be anti-state rights, ant
he is so to the bitter end. In two in
stances the republican party was til,
tirmest champion of states rights. The
papers are now commenting upon de
cision rendered in this state which per
haps has startled every student of lay
who understands the present position o
the parties on the question of state rights
This is the opinion of Judge Smith or
the famous Glover Booth case, III whicl
notification of United States laws wa
boldly proclaimed, and the right of statl
courts to pass upon the oonstitutionality
of United States laws maintained. Judg
Smith was cheered for the principle
enunciated in the very able opinion
when he appeared in the republican con
yention. With this record how can re
publcans talk about the danger of stat
rights ''They have changed their opin
ions says the ablest and most candid 0
the republican papers of the state, 'or
account of the extremes to which stat
rights have brought the country" Blu
South Carolina was the champion o
notification long before the republican
party of this state became so. Did null
ification in South Carolina foreshadov
danger? Near the close of the war o
1912, the Hartford Convention wa
charged with a design to conclude peac,
with Great Britain independent OF til,
United States government. Was no
this a warning that extreme state rights
was dangerous doctrine? During Ham
ilton's time New England and New
York frequently threatened to secede
Did it not seem to Gov. Smith and th
other republican states rights people
that that was dangerous spirit to Ell
courage? Thomas Jefferson did not re
prove the people OF Virginia when il
his time they discussed secession. Wa
not THIS warning to the republicans o
this state that it was not wise to ''nullify'
I. 5. laws? The republican party ar,
for states rights when it pays. for central
ization when It does.
But the evils of the war brought then
TO realization of the dangers of stat,
rights, perhaps. But still during til,
presidential count the states seemed t.
have complete control Of the national
election, and the republican party claim
ed that power for the individual state:
even though they were acting in defiance
of justice and of law. Did the war con
vince the republicans of the danger O
state rights! Seemingly not What
then? The necessity. of carrying clost
states ana congressional districts. Here
only is state rights dangerous.
RUSSIA had 1901 fires during June
destroying property to the amount Of
$4,000, coo roubles. Five hundred and
eight OF the fires were incendiary.
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LUDINGToN and his most earnest sup.
,porters declare fhat 4bay- viii NJ s,,,,,,,,,,