The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-10-14
The Importance Of the Ballot

know that reference to it will profit any,
thing. To our mind there is no more Sc
rious duty attaching to citizenship than the
elective franchise. 1t is the source OF all
power in our form of government and the
prescribed method through which the citi-
zen participates in creating the laws and
formulating the policies under which he
lives. In a national contest, it is especially
the duty for every citizen to see to it that his
ballot is cast, and so cast as to reflect his
sentiments and indicate the principles OF
government his judgment approves.
We are rapidly approaching the close OF a
great contest in which is involved the well
fare. to great degree, OF 5O,0O0.O00 OF
people. The two great parties contendlng
for supremacy represent conflicting views
of government and antagonizing policies,
and it is between these parties decision
has to be made. We have heretofore con-
trasted the results of Democratic and Re
publican administrations, and it is scarcely
necessary now to repeat what has before
been presented. The Democratic party,
believing in the theory of State sovereign
ty. so legislated upon the finances of the
country as to remit the banking privil-
eye to the States, which resulted in the es-
tablishment of State banks, with the fiuctu-
ations in values the inequalities of the
currency produced, the annoyances it Ell
tailed upon business pursuits, and the risks
itimposed upon the great mass of the peo-
pie whose daily labor was paid for in this
uncertain currency. With like short-sight-
edness, this same party favored the policy
of free trade, which inhibited any general
system of manufactures in this country
drained the labor of the United States of its
earnings to build up the industries OF Eu
rope and contribute to the wealth of the
people. This policy so paralyzed the ener-
gies of the nation, restricted the resources
of the government and impoverished the
national treasury. that at the close OF the
last Democratic administration, it left a
bankrupt treasury, destroyed credit,
and general stagnation brooding over all
American enterprise,
The theory of State soveignty, which was
cardinal tenet of Democratic faith, in adj
dition to the pernicious currency system
which emanated from it, entailed upon the
country a cruel internecine war,devastated
the South. consigned to the grave hundreds
of thousands of the flower of American
youth, and left as legacy. mountain OF
debt. gloom and sadness in almost every
household. and political and industrial
chaos in the Southern States.
These results were the legitimate fruits OF
the mistaken views of government and
governmental policy. into which the Dem
ocratic party had educated the people. Their
controlling principles OF administration and
ideas -four political system were put to the
test, and instead of working out good fol
the people, advancing the power and ele-
waiting our national character, came neal
destroying the Republic.
The Republican party presents its thee.
ries and appeals to the results thereof, as
illustrating the superior wisdom of its con-
ception Of the wants of the country and the
agencies to meet them.
1t believes in national supremacy as con
tradistinguished from State sovereignty. Il
recognizes in the government the right and
power to enact laws affecting the genera
welfare of the people, to assure State gov
ernments Republican in form, where the
immunities of each citizen shall be pro-
tected from invasion, and the rights the
Constitution guarantees free from abridg-
ment or restriction by State laws. 1t be
lieves it was designed that the Union should
be perpetual, and that national author
ity is paramount to the State authority.
1t has provided a banking system. thu
most perfect the world has ever known, by
which the people are secured from loss, the
entire commerce of the country accommo
dated without inconvenience, values regu-
lated by notwithstanding standard, and the
relations of the system to the government
so wisely adjusted that the issuing pc wer il
vested in the people, to be controlled in it,
volume by the wants of trade. yet so guarded
that the note-holder is always secure in hiI
possessions.
1t believes in the protection and building
up of American industries. through which
the material resources of the country are
developed and utilized, every avenue of en-
deavor encouraged, mind and muscle slim
ulated and enlarged, and the general wei.
fare subserved.
It believes in general system of educa.
ton for the States, and even for the nation
to the end that the constituent body. the
source of all power in our government. may
be enlightened. and qualified to understand
and appreciate the benefcent character Of
our institutions and guard them in the
choice of wise agents to enact laws for the
government of all, and equally. under the
Constitution.
These ideas are progressive and contem-
plate material and intellectual expansion
they look to American progress, and rely
upon the mental and moral forces of the
people to work out American destiny.
We know what the theories and princi-
Piles of the Democratic party have worked
out for the country. yet Notwithstanding
the tangible evidence of their failure, that
same party proposes to 60 back to them,
resurrect them and again rest the hopes of
the nation upon their operation. They still
adhere to the doctrine of State sovereignty
and the principles for which Lee and
Jackson fought - they still adhere to the
policy of State currency, instead of national
currency; they still demand tariff for
revenue only" which means substantially
free trade; they still oppose free system
OF education for the rich and poor alike ;
and in all these notions antagonize the poll
cies fostered by the Republicans which have
brought the country to its present unparal-
lelled prosperity, and placed our national
credit above that of every nation on the
globe
Every voter who will deposit his ballot
on the End of November, will pass judg-
ment upon the record of the two parties.