The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-08-18
A Sufficient issue.

The Democratic party is sometimes !
described by its enemies Is a party in
search of an issue. If that description
was ever accurate, the enemies Of the
Democratic party have now rendered It
inappiicable- The issue of the next
campaign, and OF the next. and of the
next, has been supplied by the Repub-
lican leaders in Congress. Kelley and
kasson and Keifer and Robson and
Reed and Hiscock by mere folly and
mere jobbery have done more to show
the country that a change IN the political
control is absolutely necessary than
could have >been done by the wisdom
aad the integrity OF any equal numBer
of'Deraocfatie ieaders
Colonel Conkiing put The case in 4
nut-shg.f IN the interesting interview re-
ported m yesterday Eoria He said
that nothing VAS raeetNei is, secure the
success Of the heinoeratisss li:sls xcis2t
ciples and prlcI7ce as wen :is III f;i'
Colonel ConlIling. though Il Democrat
for ten years past, is represen;ativesof
large and increasing number OF mon
who would be very glad to abandon the
Republican party if the Democratic party
viii let them. To the Republicans, be-
ing the party In possession, no issue
Is necessary. 1t IS the party that seeks
TO turn them out which must Affirmative
~ show cause why they should be turned
out. The Republicans have the control
of the Federal Offices wh ch they are
using with an unserupul0usness beyond
all precedent to add 10 the corrupt ON
fund they are otherwise amassing, and
they have a complete and efficient organ
iZation, besides the "nine points OF the
law mherent.in possession. 1t IS true
they have nothing to say for themselves
Their Congress is openly managed with
the purpose of preyentinga reduction OF
taxation by making away with the sur
plus their monstrous taxes have pro-
duced. They are spending at the spigut
in order that they may not be- compelled
TO save at the bunr So long rs they
can empty the Treasury rs fast rs Ties
can fill it, they have no fear that they
will be compelled really TO abate tax
alton. And if the producers of the
! country can be bribed with "a small
share OF their own money, in the form
/ OF = liberal appropriations, not only
will Robe on be rich and Reel he rich
and kcifer be rich. but the Republican
/ party viii remain in power until people
/ have had a chance to forget how Reed
and keifer acquired the money they eN-
/ pect to derive from the transaction. As
1 for Robson, he is probably aware that
/ social respect in his case is past praying
/ for. The exposure has been too thor
ough. All that he can reasonably ex-
/ pcct IS TO get more money and keep out
of jail.
This seems 10 be the programme Of
/ the corruptiOnists in Congress 1t Is
/ founded. il viii be seen, upon what we
/ believe to be the erroneous idea that the
/ people of this country viii stand any
/ thing from the Repub lean party. They
/ have stood a great deal, and if the Re
| publican leaders woud d steal in moIera-
/ ton and with some pretense of de-
ference to public decency, the pro-
/ gramme might be carried through. But
when the country is confronted with q
| Pension bill of one hundred millions,
rushed through undera suspension of the
rules, twO-thirds of ii admittedly to be
bestowed upon impos,ors and claim
agents; with River and Har5or bill,
| a9propr.ating eighteen millions and a
half. two-thirds Tor Jobs; with appropria-
tions for public buildings, mostly need
less and all eXtravagant, footing up ten
or fifteen millions more; with Robson :
Naval bill, OF which Robeson' s advo ,acy
IS accepted everywhere as an unmis Ak
able badge of fraud, and with the North
ern Pacific Job, 4 clear plunder of the
Treasury at the lowest estimate of six
teen millions over and above the whole
cost of the road, protected even from
discussion BY the whitewash;ng report
of Reed and the outrageous ruling of
Robson, the country needs no further
| evidence that the recognized leaders of
the Republican party belong distinctly
to the criminal classes. The issue
| whethera gang ofpublic plunderers shall
he deprived Of an opportunity to steal
any more public money is one which
the public plunderers have themselves
presented to the country and to the
Democratic party. 1t is an issue upon
which it is an insult to the country to
suppose that its decision can be doubtful
The plunderers themselves think, rs we
have said that they can bribe the own
ers not to prosecute with part of the
swag distributed in liberal appropria-
tions. They certainly cannot do this if
the Democratic party simply accepts
the issue they have raised and puts it
properly before the country, 50 that
every voter in the land IS made aware
before the Congressional elections come
on what the Republican party has done
to entitle itself to the cohtrol of Con-
gresS for another term. Oppos ton 10
public plumber on a scale which makes
Tweed's thefts seem mere pilfering is
enough of a party platform for such Il
time as this. And happily the Demo-
cratic party need only point to the rec
ord of the last House OF Repres enta-
tives which it controlled TO show that
in driving out House of Representa-
tives which accepts the leadership of
audacious. notorious and all but avowed
public pluhderers the people viii be at
least sure of not putting band OF brig
ands in control of the Treasury. T.
IForld