The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-08-07
Is "A Change" Wanted2 ?

The majority OF the people are mel
ther weak nor silly, though they may
be mistaken in their anticipations.
If they desire change of parties IN
power we may be sure that they
have in mind definite benefits which
they think may thus be secured. Bup
what are those benefits? Are they
financial or industrial Or do they|
concern the purity of civil admins.
tration the treatment of the SouthH
ern States, the treatment of the COLI
ored race, the freedom of eleetionss
"the subordination of the military
to tie civil power" or the foreign
policy of the country ? 1t is welbat
the very threshold of a campaign, to
examine whaf auficipa tlnns'ef helle:s.
fit to result from change are ifi-
dulged, and whether they are reas-
enable.
Change Of parties certainly would
mean a change of financial policy,
There are some persons who want
changes as to money, some as to
modes of taxation, and some as to
the public debt. What benefits are
promised or anticipated? AS to
money, the platform of the Demo-
cratic party promises nc change
whatever, but the past acts of the
party promise fatal one! AS to
taxation. the platform of the party
promises a change which would be
most Injurious; but the past acts of
the party promise do.nothing pol
icy, with continued agitation and
threatening, but no change what
eyer.
If the country wants change of
policy as to money, none is publicly
promised by the Democratic party.
All that it dares to propose-"honest
money, consisting of gold and Silver
end paper convertible into coin on
demand''-the country now has, ,thro'
Republican measures and efforts
which Democrats have Stubbornly
resisted and loudly denounced. On
the face of things it is plain that the
Democratic party knows that the
country does not want any change IN
that respect, and therefore does not
dare to propose any, but processes to
abandon the hostility to Republican
measures and policies which has
marked its course hitherto. If there
is to be any change, it is. to be eh-
tanned by stealth, trfcSery and ffaud;| 1
by getting power through false pre-
lenses, and then using it contrary to
pledges, and contrary to the confess
ed desire of the country to maintain
the "honest money, convertible into
coin on demand," which the Repub-
lican party has secured for The public
good.
Yet it is certain that a large ma.
jority of active Democrats desire that
very change, and hope to bring it
about by the success of their party.
For proof we have the votes of nine.
tenths of the Democratic mem bers of
Congress, at each session for several
years; the open alliance of the party
with Greenback men who have the
manhood and hont sty to declare that
they mean to effect great changes
and are utterly hostile 10 the hard
money policy the nomination, for
most important offic, to be flied
next fall, of some cf the widest and
most extreme soft-money men in the
country, such as Landers, Demo.
cratic candidate for Governor Of In.
diana and the repeated declarations
of the Democratic party in large
majority of the States. IF a change
in this direction is not desired by the
Democratic party, then it is dishon-
est in its alliances and nominations
II 1T is desired, that party is trying to
effect it by dishonest means and false
pretences.
Those who want a reversal OF the
Republican policy, repeal of re.
sumption, an overthrow of the Ma
tional banks, and an unlimited or
greatly increased issue OF paper not
convertible into coin on demand"
or only into deprecated silver, are
nearly all in the Democratic party.
They cast three .fourths of its votes.
They are working for the success Of
the party, knowing that, when ithas
succeeded, they can control it as they
will, and can thus bring about the
radical soft-money changes desired.
The no-change or hard-money plat
form is a cheat. The party knew
that it could not get power by the
votes of New York, Connecticut or
New Jersey if its real purposes were
known, and hence tried to hide them.
The people are not in favor of this
change, as the Democrats know. For