Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-08
Yesterd VS. Elections.

the elections of yesterday have been
more than realized. AS far as heard
from, the National Democracy has en-
tirely swept the country, and New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Connecticut, New Hampshire, and even
Massachusetts,, shake hands with Georgia
over the glorious success of the party of
honest government of the people, by the
people, and for the people, over the
party of Capitalization, corruption, and
the favored few. The lower House Of
the next Congress is undoubtedly
secured, and, in fact, it seems now to be
no longer alone ''solid South" but as
if the North and South were bound
sOlidly together in the same political
bonds.
This overwhelming defeat of Radical
ism can be attributed to various causes.
First, to the centralizing tendencies Of
Arthur's administration. That gentle
man has seen fit to carry with him to the
White House the same habits which he
contracted as a local politician in New
York city, and has attempted to dictate
candidates and manipulate elections in
the various States, on the same principle
that he formerly acted when engaged in
wire pulling in the wards of Gotham.
1t was this spirit of Federal interference
in the affairs of the STATES which excited
and alarmed the people of the North. 1t
was their OK which was be ing gored this
time, and they determined that the mo-
ment had arrived for the spirit of cen
tralizstiOn to be crushed out, so they
crushed it.
Again, the people of the country be-
came aroused against the spirit of boss
ism which of late years has been so ar
rogantly displayed by the Republican
leaders. These political bosses had,
through the long continued purchase of
voters by means of immense corruption
funds-extracted under duress from the
army of one hundred thousand Federal
office holders and increased by
liberal voluntary contribution from
protected barOns for whose benefit
heavy tribute has been laid by Radical
ism upon the entire countIy-becOme
accustomed to direct and dictate to pc.
liticsl serfs who always showed ready
acquiescence in the wishes of their mas
tiers. In this way they at length began
to totally disregard the public will, and
to imagine that they possessed the
power to control elections to suit
themselves. The people have at last
grown FESTIVE under such assumacy
and arrogance, however, and the
bosses have been hurled from their
relationships. Truly, in their cases the
old proverb has been again fully verified:
"See'st thou q man wise in his own con-
ceitP There is more hope of tool than
of him."
A third factor in the Republican
Waterloo of yesterday was undoubtedly
disgust at the course pursued by the
present FOrty-seventh Congress at its re-
cent session. No sooner had the Radi-
Gals again been restored to power
il the Federal Legislature than
they showed disposition to wholly
ignore the peoples welfare, and
and addressed themselves solely to reck-
less extravaganza and to ''raking the
Treasury" Notwithstanding that the
revenues of the country last year
amounted to $3.50, 900, 900 more than was
required, and that this enormous surplus
was all raised through the oppressive
taxation of the people by Ubiquitous
tariff and internal revenue systems, no
attempt was made to tighten the bur
dens. A Tariff Commission, formed
SIMPLY as pretext to continue protec-
ton in the interests of political favorites,
/ and an abortive effort to remove the
| internal revenue duties from bank checks
and cosmetics, were the only
pretences even made of an incl.
nation toward tax reform. No won
der that the people, seeing that
Congress cared nothing for them,
but only sought to enrich
themselves and friends at the public
crib, repented that they had again en-
trusted Their, interests to Radical hands,
and determined to assert their might.
1t now remains for the triumphant
Democracy to make good use of their
victory. All they need to do in
order that they may win as decisively in
the elections two years hence, is to use
their power well, and by wise, prudent
and economical legislation show the
people that they are fully worthy of the
responsible trusts confided to them.
If they do this, in November,
1884, they will surely secure not only the
Federal Legislature, but the Federal Elk
ecutive as well, and the country, once
more restored to the guidance of the old
line Democracy-underw whose control OF
the helm of the ship of state it attained
in the past to such high eminence among
the nations of the world-will be indeed
/ redeemed repeuerated and disenthralled.