Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-17
THE WHAT rs IT.

The remnant of what was once the Re-
publican party is now the What Is 1t of
American politics. It's famous authors and
leaders are dead. The exalted ideas of
human liberty that once made political and
religious bigotry and the hypocritical cant
of social ascetism almost respectable no
longer animate the hloodless spectre arisen
in its place. The monster is neither man
nor beast, neither flesh, nor fish nor fowl,
but political putrifaction, moral stiff, a
saline pillar of death.
The once proud Republican party has dis
appeared. The empty shadow of name
alone remains. What else? Naught, save
a desperate and united band of one hundred
thousand Office holders, without principle,
without conscience, without an idea, with
only one resolve, to sacrifice party,
to sacrifice country, to die in the last ditch
rather than surrender Office. This is the
political What Is 1t of the United States.
Twenty years ago, the opposition
to the Democratic party was
made up of the ten thousand
agrarian, communist, free-love and infdel
isms springing up, like mushrooms in the
night, everywhere. Into this mass of dead
matter certain master minds of that day
propelled the auti-sIavery doctrine, and
quickened the whole into organized political
life, and moulded that life into party bear
ing the respondent flag of human equality
and universal freedom. The war
came, a war inevitable from the
clashing conflict of constitution
al construction from the foundation
of the government. 1t was not q war of par
ties, but of geographical sections. The Re-
publican party, accidentally in power, claim
ed credit for all of its results, credit for the
resources Of the country, for the heroism
and patriotic sacrifices of Democratic officers
and soldiers, for earth's bounties and Gods
mercies, and ii lived on this claim and on
the memory until it died.
Where now is the cultured Sumner, the
honest, intrepid Henry Wilson, the jealous
and charitable Smith, the phil
anthropic and whole-souled Gree
ley? Gould they return from the
grave, it would not be possible for them to
recognize the ban ditti who are the pretend
ed sentinels Of Republican fame and honor.
Hide your faces, 70 founders of a cause, and
ye martyrs to principle. The old Roman
reyisiting, in the sge of Gregory, the scene
of past glory might have exclaimed of Rome,
that even in its ashes lived its wonted fires,
but the old Republican coming back to life
would behold naught OF bis perty's fame,
save avarlos, fraud, eternal shame.
What political party among free people
could survive the terrible obloquy of nercan-
tile espioa ne, oarpet-has plumber and tramp
lawlessne IS, millions of debt loaded down on
PROSTATE people by alien adventures and
scoundrels, military usurpations, internal
revenue frauds without number, Washing
ton ring contracts, DeGolyer pavement
briberies, whisky ring conspiracies and en-
bezzlements, Credit Mobilier corruptions-
why continue the endless catalogue of ras-
cality? 1T is no wonder that all the best
elements of the party, all the men of virtue,
of intellect, of honesty, of DISTINGUISHED pa
triotism, have forsaken, or are ready to for
sake the sinking hull of corruption.
There is nothing left of the Republican
party but these one hundred thousand Office
holders. This Is the ruling oligsrchy of
the United States. Under the guise of civil
service reform, they have had rule adopted
against rotation in Office, keeping themselves
in forever, excluding not only Democrats
but all Republicans but themselves. Gar
fields election meaus the triumph of these
government paupers. The masses of Re-
publicans are their obedient slaves and
tools.
The impending Presidential contest, there
holders and the American people. 1t ia a
life and death struggle. No means. however
corrupt, however illegal and devilish, will
they hesitate to use to defeat the popular
will. No British ministry could have lived
one single hour in the face of the popular
opinion as expressed by the election of Til
den four years ago by a majority of more
than 100000 of the popular vots-copceded
by all to have been 10000. Less serious
causes led to the beheading OF Charles the
First and to the long night Of Cromwell's
anarchy. In no other country, possibly,
could there be change of government with
cut revolution. The change must be made
now or these worse than thugs of India, hay
ing murdered their own party, and attempt
will succeed in destroying the last remnant
of constitutional government and leave worse
than revolution as the expiring hope of a
free people.