Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-12-01
THE ,SITUATJON

THE SITUATION.
One of the most gratifying results of the
recent election, and the comments upon it
is the fact, and undeniable one, that instead
of arousing the North again with the pinch
back scare-crow OF "Solid South" it has
drawn the two sections closer together in
the bonds of mutual amity. Now that it is
clearly perceived that we are entering upon
new political era, leading men and lead
ing journals OF, both sections have given ex-
preston to their opinions as to what issues
are to come up and what objects should be
aimed at, and both sides are surprised to
find that their ideas, wishes and aims are
substantially the same, and that as soon as
they learnFhat each other is really think
ing they discover that they are in the same
channel of thought
"A notable indication of this is to be found
in what the leading journals throughout
the country are saying in relation to this
great change which has taken place in the
minds of the people. f!The Charleston Nesos,
aleading paper at the South, says that the
Democratic leaders 's'to profit by the present
revolution must place themselves in the
front Of that revolution, and give to those
who helped them TO achieve it the results
which that revolution was intended to &C.
senIpirsn:: IL further Says. '9fine Denruc'
racy must Danish from their councils any
politicians, who'would on any pretext tam.
per with the finances of the country, or who
directly or indirectly, would degrade the
currency. They must support to the utmost
such scheme Of civil service reform as that
which is proposed by Senator Pendleton
and which finds favor with so many Repub.
licans. They must insist on tariff reform in
the direction of tariff for revenue only
They mus1sh0w;themselves to be the stead.
fast opponents of commercial monopolies
as Well as Of political monoplies"
reproducing this, the New York Time
conimends 1t for its precision and candor,
and says it, sAowstthat "the South had no
interest in the result Of the elections differ
ent from thai of the rest Of the country
1t then adds these significant words: "If the
South responds, in any reasonable degree,
othe views expressed by this leading South
ern journahtAe day has gone by forever in
which "a solid South can have any terrors
for the bestpertion of the Republican party
of the North. The latter will be only too
glad to see the South, from the Potomac to
The Rio Grande, as solid as adamant for these
principles" 20
These are memorable words for they mark
the close Of political era the most momen-
tous in the history of the country. They
mean that the. long struggle over slavery
and the baleful brood of questions that grew
out of it is finally ended; that the passions
kindled during the process OF reconstruc-
ton have at last subsidized, and that the Sec
tional fanaticisms which have been carefully
cultivated by the politicians on both sides
have lost their efficiency as instruments of
psrty warfare. Sectionalism is dead and in
the new questions of practical politics that
are now comingto the front it will be impos-
sible to pretend that the division of opinion
and interest comedies with sectional boun-
diary line. The South is practically unani-
nous in fayor,of civil service reform, for no
portion of the country has suffered so much
from the spells system and the ''insolence OF
office
1t is equally Unanimous in favor of gov
'ernmental economy, for taxation here is, as
ageneral thing, paid out of current income
and not out of accumulated wealth. And
it will be overwhelmingly in favor of tariff
reform when II is made to perceive (as it
will be) that the chief thing that hinders the
multiplication of our factories is protection,
which doubles the cost Of "plant" and ma
chi merry and enhances the price of every
thing used in the processes of production
and distribution.
"The old order Of things passeth away,
giving place 10 the new" and in the new
order OF things which is swiftly coming
there will be no room for sectional animosi-
ties and distrust