Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-07-09
TIE ISSUE JOINED.

TIE ISSUE JOINED.
! Tho adjournment OF Congress in ,
deadlock with tho Executive and th,
hcpubllcan minority on the question
OF Federal interference with elections
properly regarded as an appeal dirccl
TO the people upon the Issues made up
The State elections to be held 10 The
coming autumn will give the people
an opportunity TO express their views
upon this all absorbing question, for il
the Democrats are right il Is one which
involves the stability of the form OF
Government under which wo are liv.
ing II the Federal Government is To
retain the right to supervise" the reg
istrations and elections, to "protect''
tho voters from "fraud, intimidation
aud Violence" by stationing troops at
the polls and to police the polls by
swearing in at close contested points
Deputy Special United States Marsh
ais, unlimited in number, paid by the
United States Treasury to vote the
Republican ticket, it needs no prophet
to foresee that the minority party,
now in rower will be able TO perpetn.
ate its power, however great may be
the majorities against it. A recent
writer in the International Repieic, in
an article entitled "Thc Man on Horse
back in the United States" takes the
ground that our immediate danger is
not the usurpation of military die
tator who, to maintain his hold, would
be compelled to change all the political
institutions, ideas and traditions OF the
American people. What we have to
lear is the corruption and perversion
OF the ideas and institutions that we
already have. The Caesar, the Napo.
leon, the Cromwell, overthrow Repub.
lies accustomed TO almost the regal
power Of Consuls and tho almost i'm.
perial power Of Kings. The people
changed one master for another when
the usurper came. We have had no
King in America and our fierce Democ-
racy revolts at the idea of one. What
is it that we have which we revere as
a sort of Kingi One thing only,
Party. To the dictates of party many
men yield an unquestioning obedience.
10 i they bear an allegiance second
hardly TO their allegiance to the State
or nation. To some men Party, like
the King, Scan do no wrong" and
and they cling TO it through disgrace
and shame, through wrong. doing,
through brazen and audacious crime.
This is as true of one party as of an
other, and men, otherwise honorable,
will condone the crimes of the party
and even hold as personal enemies
those who proclaim abuses within
party and seek for reform. Here
then, is King who can at will usnrp
the Federal Government. The name
of this king is Senatorial Minority. II
is not question whether or not it can
usnrp, whether ii has the power 10 do
so. That has been demonstrated. It.
did usurp in 1876 and counted in the
man to the Presidency who was not
elected by the people and what shows
its ability and its will to do so again
is that the Republican party accepted
the usurpation and justified il. Men
loho before had been regarded as honora.
BE men took office under the fraudulent
President This makes the crime easier
lf repetition. Nocriminal trials followed
ne crime, no political or social disgrace.
The men ,cho did the dirty ,oork ,cere re.
icdrded pith Cabinet Offices and judqs.
'hips and foreign missions, and vet ern
NE Democrats treat them 1ih respect.
And now that the struggle of the
whole extra session Is over, with all
is heats and prejudices, it is plain TO
see, looking coolly back, that ii has all
,eeH the effort of the minority to hold
IN to the machinery of usurpation IN
'rdcr to hold over against the will OF
he people. 1t Is plain that the Re.
publican leaders do this consciously
md with audacious purpose, which
hey hardly care to veil. It is plain
hat their press supports them and
'pplauds the most violent and reckless
II them. 1t is plain that large part
VI the voters Of their party will sup.
'ort them and that the Federal office.
lolders will support them. Fortunate.
y, however, there is large party of
pathy in this country. A large num-
'er OF men, some of whom are indie
,cndent eOma nautral eny,a ,yho ~,