St. Landry democrat., 1880-10-09
The Two Parties in Contrast.
Shreveport Standard

During the whole of President Grants
administration, except the lastyear, Con-
gress was Republican in both branches,
and the government was therefore en-
tirely and exclusively Republican,, af-
fording as fair an example of the effect
of pure Republican policy as can be
imagined.
In the last year of President Grants
administration the House became Dem
ocratic, the Senate remaining Republi-
can and two years later the Senate
also became Democratic, making the
whole legislative department Democra
tic, and it is Democratic this day. For
the last five years, therefore, the Dem
ocrats have had some control over the
government of the country, and during
the last two years of this. period their
control has been SO effective as to ma
terially change the policy of the govern
ernment. The Hayes administration
has been dependent upon IL Democratic
Congress it has been compelled to ad
lust it's measures to the Democratic
policy; in fact, it has had to submit,
willingly or unwillingiy, to be to Il great
extent Democratic administration.
Now what is the practical difference
| between these two rc9imes-bctWecn The
pure Republican rule down to 1876 and
the largely Democratic regime of the
last two years ? Let official figures an
swer The amount OF taxes paid into
the public treasury during the four
wears ending June 80, 1875, was $780,
$50, 900; for the succeeding fcur years
| they were S1,10O, SAT ,000-a decrease OF
$1GO,GS7, 900. The net ordinary exprn-
diture for these two periods were: For
the four years of pure Republican rule,
5000, ,339, ,000 for the four years of largely
Democratic rule, SG05, ,151 ,0OO-a rcduc-
ton of S94,19S,0O0. Mr.. Sherman says
| we are nor paying the public debt at
the rates Of S10,000,000 a month ; SO that
| while the Democratic policy has lifted
| $169,G87,O00 taxes from the people. III
four years, it has at the same time
effected such savings in the cost of the
| public service as to have a surplus OF
| $40, 100000 month to pay on the public
debt.
| In 1876, under pure Republican,
| policy, our foreign commerce was valued
at 81 ,00l ,l25, 900; In 1880, under the policy
| of a Democratic Congress, it had in
| creased to 81 SOB, ,079,00O.
| In 1873, under Republican rule, our
| total exports of breadstutfs, provisions
| and animals were S17S.973,O00; in 1880,
under Democratic policy, they We're
$3.50, ,e62, 900.
From 1872 to 1915, under Republican
policy, the balance of trade was uni
formly against MS, and our imports
purchases exceeded our exports (sales)
| S3O3, 10000; from 1876 to 1873, under
Democratic policy, the balance OF trade
| was largely in our favor, aud our ex-
ports exceeded our imports by S753,
271 900.
From 1871 to 1S75-fve years-thc
reduction of the public debt was $780,
953 900 from 1876 to 1Sf9-four years
the reduction was s17O,715, ,0G0-a diff
ference in favor OF the Democratic
regime of $780, 900; and this greater
reduction of the debt was effected at a
time when the Democratic Congress
| had reduced the taxes s319,616,000.
Here are some Of the fruits of pure
Republican rule and the fruits of a
partial Democratic rule set in contrast
| On one side We have extravagance
waste, high taxes and large expendi-
lures; on the other, economy, retrench-
ment, reduced taxes, reduced expendl-
lures and large decrease in the public
debt-and the picture may be taken as
an illustration of the difference between
the administrative characteristic Of the
two parties.