American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-10-02
NUMBER 40.
A Sound Principle Of Political Econo-
nv.

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1t is sound principle of politca
economy that occasional changes in tn,
controlling power of a Government ar,
essential to sound and healthy admin
istration of the Government and to the
prosperity of the people. Especially
in a Government like ours, where party
rule obtains to the extent it does, is ar
alienation of public control between
the two parties, at intervals more oil
less remote, essential to the public wei.
fare. Long and uninterrupted continu.
ance OF the same party in power per
petuates the authority of the same sci
of men, and leads naturally to the
formation of rings and all sorts of cor
rupt combinations and abuses grow
up in the public service under such
conditions, as naturally and abundantly
as the scum and fungoid growths gath
er upon the surface of the stagnant
pond. 1t has always been a question
upon which men have differed, wheth-
er or not the existence of political par
ties is not productive of more hurtful
than beneficent results to a country
but it is the general judgment that as a
means of securing rotation in office and
a careful scrutiny of the actions of those
having authority, whatever there may
be of evil in them is more than bal
anced. Certainly, the very end and
aim of political parties, the only thing
which makes them tolerable, is
that they may act as check
one upon the other. and preserve
the purity of government. by standing
in judgment upon each others official
acts; and in order that they may so act
it is necessary that the administration
of the Government pass from one to the
other at intervals. Human nature is
much the same in all parties, as it has
been in all ages of the world, and the
longer the same party or faction retains
the governing power, the more does it
attract to itself the vicious, the dishon-
est and the disreputable elements of
the country, and the more does the
government and the administration of
public affairs fall into the hands of those
incompetent and unworthy to exercise
it; and it becomes necessity. in order
to purify what has become corrupt, to
correct what has gone wrong and to
make healthy what has become I'M
sound, to change the control of public
affairs from the party which has con-
troll to the one that has. not. We be-
lieve that with the Republican party
this time has come, and that the public
interests demand and need a change.
The Republican party has been in pow
er for twenty years. which is about as
long lease of power as one party
ought to have. 1t succeeded the Dem
ocratic party in control of the Govern
ment in 1860. and we do not undertake
to say but that a change was needed
then just as it is needed now. The
Democratic party had been in power
for long. time, and abuses had
arisen within it, as they will al
ways arise when the lease of pow
er exceeds its proper limit. The
time will always come in the history of
any party when it's retirement from
power for a season is best for the coun--
try and best for itself. In its latter days
the Republican party has grown cor
rupt. 1t has fostered rings and encour-
aged abuses. 1t has attracted to itself
unprincipled adventures, and made
itself the refuge of demagOgues. 1t has
engendered public scandals that have
brought shame upon us as a Nation, and
instead of Furnishing its criminals it has
defended them. or sought to conceal
their crime. The men who are promi-
nent in its councils, and whom it seeks
to elevate to places of trust and honor,
are not men in whom the people have
confidence, but are unworthy tricksterS,
politicians, and men whose
integrity is, to say the least, doubtful,
and whose names are far from stainless.
There is grave Suspicion that there are
many things connected with the adj
ministration of public affairs kept con-
cealed from the people that they ought
to know. The collection and expendi- |
ture of the public money amounting to
IS,lt 60
which deeply concerns the
people, and upon which there rests much
obscurity. 1t has been asserted and
upon very high authority, that
millions of the peoples money have |
and left no trace, that |
the Treasury books and records have |
so long in the hands of the |
same men that the truth cannot be |
reached while these men retain control. |
1t lis said the books are full of erasures,
torn pages and similar indications of |
All these things call for
change. The publication of the public
service and the interest of the country
alike demand it. Finally, the Republi-
can party through its long lease of |,
power has developed dangerous ten
denotes. 1t is always dangerous to envy,
trust the same men or set of men witt al
power for too long a time. Parties ar b,
but aggregatiOns of men and men, M
not as rule surrender power until " til
have to. The tendency is alwaSD
the perpetuation of authority. hga""t III
full means at first, by unlawful M H.
last. AS misgovernment becos t hn
more pronounced, as CORFU ~
comes more wide spread, AZ aouie1 ha
more rank, so does the vey at
for covering up all these tbgs ptr ,Ut Hi
The party to greater eaoF 10 pro ,S;nn
its adversary from obtaias Poss posi- now 90
Of authority. The meDsho nave s mo" ffrr,
through the Republic party po hsen CD
sion of the Goveznent nav .nt the Re Re
guilty of what thefdo noI w tnnr, the 2dl
people to know. hey shrink rom VIZ sp
thy they know WI" to IN
come if the Deyocratlc parry parry IL VII" The re-, wi
succeed them 5power. w haI - .no vii 8 2s
suit? They We shown themSe, W. wful cI.
ing to use ID most violent ana mum unI h.ye ed ed
means to Etain power. Iney nar IN IN
struck DON the ballot, quarterea . IL tbe ra
,mono e people, and by frauds VI t the r. r.
most sHmeless description pun was vas not is
oresiant's chair man wno " wa" carry Nc
.lectd. They have sougnI ou No and az az
IONS by means OF bayoiieLs "uo re
n,.,;sops clothed with ofhciai au- sh
49, and in various ways nave man OF
,,nJ a willingness to oVerride an tn
cs'eu cd ;,stice in order to perpetuate q
wv Wives "n in power. The party h2Sw
n1nme not only corrupt but dSSn5Iic d
rs and threatens not op},tSr PROSPERITY. lie
,orals and the Ns4hace to popular vi
ut has bee2A Tree government. 1t g,
lstltYf1 not only evil. but has be, GU GU