The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-03-03
From The Progressive (Me.) Age.
Under What Banner.

| UnGer Wnat banner.
We print in another column some
very significant figures showing the
vote cast by the Democratic, Repub-
lican and Greenback parties in the
twenty-five Northern and Pacific
States; most Of them last year, and
the others the year previous when
there was a full vote cast.
1t will be seen that the Republi.
can vote has fallen off during the
past few years to such an extent that
it now has majority in but four
teen of those States; many of them
the smallest, and in several but a
bare majority.
But owing TO the division of the
opposition il has a plurality in all
but three, Indiana, New Jersey and
Oregon. The Democratic party
stands next highest, having major
ity in the States named, and having
a majority in New York, over all
other parties, of 10,076, and major
ity over the Republican party, Of
34,7S7, when both factions are united.
Following next is the Greenback
party, the vote of which, in many of
the States, is very inconsiderable,
but which ifunited with the Demo,
cratic vote would make eight of the
States sure beyond preadventure
against the Republican party, The
electoral votes Of those States, Joined
to the votes of the Southern States,
would elect a Democratic president
by a large majority.
Lookingtoyer this table it is ap.
parent that the struggle in the com
ing presidential election must come
between the Republican and Demo
cratic parties. There is no basis
whatever for expecting that the
Democratic party will, at this juno
ture, disband its organization and
become a part Of the Greenback Or
ganization. Nor is there much rea.
son to expect that any practical al
lance can be had between the two
by which in some of-the States there
would be division between them of
the electors to be voted for; nor is it
probable that any candidate and
platform which may be adopted by
the national Greenback convention,
which has been decided upon at
Chicago, would be adopted BY the
national Democratic convention
Any such departure by the Demo
cratic party would be as fatal to sue
cess against the Republican party as
was the departure in 1872, the cam
paign for Greedy. The two parties
are going into the battle as they are,
whatever may be the result.
In this aspect what is the wisest
and most patriotic course for those
who have hitherto composed the
Greenback organization? They can
have no hope to secure a single cleo
toral vote. Nor is it certain that the
party could elect a single member of
Congress. The question, therefore,
for the serious consideration ofintel-
ligent Greenbackers is, whether it is
wiser TO keep up the Greenback Or
ganization holding it aloof from both
the other parties or to fuse with the
Democratic party. This must de-
pend upon the object sought to be
accomplished.
The great leading principle of the
Greenback party is the preservation
of our present national greenback
system. Against this the Republi.
can party. is arrayed. The issue is
urgent. Should the Republican par
ty carry the next presidential cleo
ton and elect q majority of Congress,
it will at once set to work, first, to
deprive greenbacks of their legal ten
der quality, and then to retire and
cancel them, thus withdrawing them
entirely from circulation, leavingour
money system entirely under the
control of the powerful banking in
terest which would thus substantial
ly control the nation. Once secur-
ing this control it would be difficult,
if not impossible, 10 wrench that
power from their hands. In opposi-
ton to this policy the Greenback
and Democratic parties occupy al.
most a common ground. 1t is true
there are some leading Democrats,
notably Senator Bayard, who stand
upon nearly the same ground of the
Republicans, But he is an aristo.
crat, both by birth and political
training, and thus naturally gravi.
tates toward the Republican party.
Such meG compose but a small sedge.
ment of the Democratic party, and
they are not the men who control or
are going to control the policy of that
party, The great mass of the Dem
ocratic party are in close sympathy
with the Greenback party. 1t has
mainly through the agency of the
Democratic party that the further
contraction Of the greenbacks has
been stopped, and the measure for
the recommendation nf silvnr hne hao,,