Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-10-14
AT THE 'FRONT.'

classes are prosperous. There is plenty
of work for everybody disposed to work,
with remunerative wages. Money,
which is used in exchange for commOdi-
ties and for labor, is good. 1t is equiva-
lent to coin. Virtually it is coin. No
bank failure can detract the smallest
fraction of cent from the value of the
paper dollar. Credit, too, is on solid
foundation. The credit of the nation is
two-thirds better than it was twenty
years ago, ami capital for business ne
terprises is almost cerrespondingly
cheaper. This is owing in part to good
crops, but good crops alone could not
have accomplished the results that have
been reached. 1t is due mainly to sound
principles upon which legislation has
been based. For this the party that
has been in power is to be credited.
For this the party that has
been out of power is certainly not to be
credited. This is especially true when
the history of legislation shows that
every step in the direction of the solid
foundations that have been reached was
Systematically and persistently opposed
by the Democratic party. And now the
country knows what the policy of the
Republican party is. 1t knows, further
more, what may be expected if that party
is continued i'll power. But, in the event
of change, it does not know what may
be expected. Judging by the record of
the Democratic party, it may, in the
event of the success of that party, expect
radical changes. That party opposed the
raf finn IF hn oh t.
posed the resumption of specie pay
ments. 1t is opposed to our unsurpass-
ed banking system, which secures to the
people the best paper currency that has
had an existence in any country. Furth-
ermore, that party would, if successful,
be controlled by the representatives of
people who, in their States and in their
municipalities, have largely repudiated
their debts. The element too which
would control the Democratic party, are
interested in the payment of certain
claims that, if allowed, would send the
national credit down like the stick of an
exploded rocked. And that would affect
credit of all kinds. 1t is true Gen. Han
cock has made some pledges in this di-
rection but then business men do not
take to him or to party from whom it
is deemed necessary to extract pledges
to do right. They do not sell goods or
loan money on that kind of basis, and
business men are apt to apply business
principles when they come to weigh and
measure public affairs. This is sure to
be done when estimating the value of
credit.
Now the great business interests of
the country know what may be lost by
a political change at this time, and they
can not see what is to be gained. A
change would involve great risk, with
out the certainty .of any compensating
advantage, and it is this risk that the
country is now discounting; and hence
the nervous feeling that pervades all
classes engaged in the industries Of the
country. These are the facts. We have
endeavOred to present them without par
tisan bias. And it remains for business
men, to consider whether, under all the
it is not the part of wis
dom to let well enough alone.
There is a large class that look at these
matters from an entirely different |
This is class that have one |
eye upon public patronage. But what |
difference does it make to the business
men of the country whether the offices
are filled by Republicans or Democrats, |
provided they are well filled? Nor does
it make near so much difference to the |
outs as they suppose. They are altogeth-
er $4,000 offices that pay on an average a
fair compensation. The Democratic
party has between 100000 and 5000, 900
voters. Now undertake to distribute
those offices among so many, and it
would require miracle greater than
that of the loaves and fishes to give even
a reasonable degree of satisfaction.
But certainly this is no consideration
with those who are carrying forward the
great business interests of the country.
We have an administration, too, that
is clean. We hear even in partisan de-
bate little about extravaganza or corrur-
ton. In point of fact there never was
a more economical and pure admins
tration than the present, and the people
are so well aware of this fact charges
to the contrary are shed by the people as
water is shed by ducks back.