The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-09-16
IN. Y. independently
Elements of the Democratic Party.
BY AUSTIN BIERBOWER.

BY AUSTIN BIERBOWER.
Another element Of the Democratic
party is the ignorant element-thos,
who are without education or are op
posed to education; for the great mas
of the illiterate are Democrats, wheth.
er it be that Democracy makes mer
ignorant or that ignorant people are
more apt to be Democrats. The com
mon school fourishes only in tie Re.
publican States In the strongly
Democratic States of the South it is
almost abandoned. The princi shl I'M
pulse given to education in the South
is from the missionary efforts of the
North-the Freedmen's educational
system, the Peabody Educational
Fund, and like enterprises, conducted
by Northern churches and Northern
benevolence. It is in Republican
New England and the West that the
schools flourish best; and the stronger
the Republican majority the better.
usually, are the schools-as in Michi-
gan, Iowa, and Kansas. Nearly all
the great colleges are in Republican
States, there being scarcely any in the
South or other chronic Democratic
sections. They are mainly in New
England and the West. The intel
lectual centers are likewise in the Re-
publican stropgholds-in Boston,
Concord, Chicago, Denver, and the
Northern and Western cities general
ly. Who looks for any intellectual
leadership in the South2 What au-
thors are there? What books or mag
azines are published there? What
great, national newspapers? Who
reads Southern literature or cares for
Southern scientific Investigations? !?
The university towns are notoriously
Republican. Poll the students of the
colleges, and you will find the great
majority Republicans; while, if you
will poll the cock-pits, you will find
them Democratic When it was pro-
posed, some twelve years ago, in Ohio,
to allow the students to vote in the
college towns, it was opposed by the
Democrats. as a measure in the inter
est Of the Republican party. The in
telligent and well-to-do are confessed
ly Republican, while the slums Of ig-
norance are as confessedly Democratic
Literature is made chiefly for Repub-
licans, as well as by them. All the
great magazines and reviews, as far as
they have any politics at all, incline
to Republicanism-as the Atlantic,
Harpers', Scrihner, Penn Monthly
and the quarterlies They can express
their Republican sentiments without
seriously interfering with their circu-
lation, because they have few readers
among Democrats. The leading news
papers Of the country are nearly all
Republican. Even in Democratic
New York, which has five frst-class
dailies, three of them are Republican
the Times, Tribune, and Evening
Post; while only one of them, The
World, is Democratic, and one, the
Herald, Independent. In Chicago,
where there are four frst-class dailies.
three of them are Republican-the
Tribune, Inter-Ocean, and Journal:
and one independent-the Times.
There are not enough Democrats who
read to support a Democratic daily.
Philadelphia, with four frst-class dai-
lies, has three of them Republican and
only one Democratic. There is a like
showing in the other cities. The
great newspapers are almost entirely
confined to the Repub lem States and
localities, there being scarcely any III
! the South. Whenever it has been
proposed to make an educational quail
ifcation for suffrage, the Democrats
have opposed it, as design against
their party. All the attacks against
the common school have come through
the Democratic party 1t is hoped
by the enemies Of that system, to eff
feet, through Democracy, division of
the school fund, and ultimately the
abolition of the schools entirely. The
Democrats have been opposed to school
for Negroes or to admitting them into
the white schools. For long time
they prohibited them from learning tc
read. State colleges and agricultural
colleges have been usually opposed by
the Democratic party. In fact, the
whole impulse given to education has
come from the Republican party, ant
against the opposition Of the Demo
cratic party.
Another element of the Democratic
party is the whisky element-thos,
who favor free license and are opposed
to the stringent liquor laws. When
ever there is movement for prohibi
ton or local option, it comes from tn
Republican party or is supported al
most exclusively by Republicans
The Democrats are almost unanimous
ly against it. Such movements eal
take place with effect only in Republi
can States. Nobody would think O
organizing them in the South or othe
e strongly Democratic centers. It
Z only in Maine, Iowa, and other RI
publican strongholds where stringer