The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-11-12
The Why and Wherefore.

DuTby lullCu W SuCCttu at tlt nut CltttiOn lOl
want of votes, it is well to consider the causes
that led to this want of votes, and to the de-
feat of the pure, high-mindedand honorable
statesman, General Hancock, and the election
ofGeneral Garfield, man proven, upon the
testimony of his own party friends and asso-
ciates, to have been guilty of dishonorable
actions.
In the first place the Democrats made n seri-
Gus mistake when they threw aside Samuel
j. Tilden. OF all the leaders they have had
since the war, Mr.. Tildcn alone showed that
he had the ability to consolidate the party
and guide it through stormy political cam
paign to victory. He possessed, more than
any other Democrat, the confidence of the
business community. They felt that their
interests would be safe in his hands that no
legislation calculated to disturb the genera
prosperity would meet with his approval
and that the abuses of power which have
grown and strengthened under Republican
management would be reformed. He was
recognized as n keen, far-sighted and safe
man, and moreover, lie had the prestige of
success once achieved, and represented, to
the American people, the incarr..ion of the
opposition to the great fraud practiced upon
the nation in 1876 When he was turned
down, the wrong done then was in n measure
condoned and that issue was lost Instead
of nominating him, the Democratic party
yielded to the threats of John Kelly, the
Tammany chieftain in New Y ork; and from
appearances we are led to believe that Mr..
Kelly has acted traitors part and to per-
petuate his own power has sacrificed General
Hancock If he has not done this by an
agreement with the Republican party, lie has
accomplished the result by weighing Gen.
Hancock with unpopular candidates in New
York, and in losing that State the Democrats
have lost the Presidency.
The cutlery about the tariff may have con-
tributed, in some measure, to Democratic de-
feat. This issue, while it was false and unreal,
was calculated to alarm the vast body of
operatives in the manufactures of NORTH
They were told that if the Democrats were
successful, our ports would be thrown open
and when our markets became flooded with
goods manufactured by cheap labor, our own
factories would be closed, on account of ina
blity to compete with their European rivals
A moments thought, it would seem, should
have been sufficient to disabusc the minds Of
employers and laborers on this point. A vast
national debt exists, and the principal and
interest. must be paid.
The legitimate expenses of conducting the
government also require the annual eXpendi
ture of large amount of money.
To raise the money required for these pur
poses only three sources are open. One is
by direct taXation-a mode to which tho
American people would not submit Anoth
ermode is by an internal revenue tax upon
articles made and consumed in the country
This tax, which is already imposed to some
extent, is odious to the people, and an cXten,
sion of it would be disastrous to any party
attempting it. The third and last method is
bya tariff upon goods of foreign manufacture
A tax of this kind is less burdensome than
any other, and for that reason il is the best
method of raising revenue to pay the expcn.
SEES of government and provide for the gradu
al extinction of our national debt. There.
fore, absolute free trade is impracticablc, and
manufacturers need have felt no apprchen
sions on that score.
Another cause ascribed for Democratic de.
feat is the "solid South" 1t was known
throughout the North that the Southern
States would cast their votes for Hancock
and it was impressed upon Republicans north
of Mason and DiXon's line that solid South
must be met by solid North. Even Gen
Grant, after all his professions of sympathy
for and interest in the South gave public ut
terance to the unworthy sentiment that only
Northern men could safely be entrusted with
power in the government. The South natur-
ally looked to the Democratic party for leg
islation to protect her interests and hcl
rights in the Union as co-equal States with
their Northern sisters. The South had calmly
and patiently submitted to every requirement
imposed by the Republican party as theprice
of her full restoration to an equal share in the
government, and had been bitterly disap.
pointed. Is it strange, then, that she should
distrust those who had shown themselves to
be her enemies, and looked for justice and
protection to the opposite party? The Re-
publicans appealed TO the passion and preju.
dice of the North against the South, and the
appeal was not made in vain.
Then again the prosperity of the country
was falsely ascribed to the bencilccnt policy
of the Republican party, and it was urged
that change would be disastrous to our
manufacturing and commercial interests.
The fact was sedulousy put in the back.
ground by the Republicans that prosperity
only returned when the Democrats obtained
control of the legislation of the country and
Providence smiled upon the labors of our
farmers. 1t is extremely difficult to dislodge
any party from power in prosperous times.
A change is dreaded, and people will gencr.
ally endure the ills they have than fly to those
they know not of
Furthermore the Republicans had on their
side body of one hundred thousand office
holders, every one of whom was interested in
keeping his place, and these constituted a
veteran political army. Vast sums OF money
were extortcd from them for electionccring
purposes, and this money was used not only
for legitimate campaign expenses, but for
more questionable methods of carrying the
election. The whole power of the govern
Al.
the banks, and all their vast connections,
were consolidated along with the office hold
ers for the Republican cause
In view of this unequal fight it is matter
ca that tha nop,no.o IN