Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-06-29
Republicans VS.. Democrats.
rom the Wilkesbarre Union Leader.

From the Wilkesbarre Union Leader
"What, anyhow, is the difference be.
tween the Republican and Democratic
parties ?' asked young gentleman In
our city few days since. "The essen
tial difference" replied one of the ques.
toned, sis that the Republicans seek
concentration of power in the general
government, as taught by Alexander
Hamilton, on whose doctrines the par.
ty was founded. The Democrats, on
the other hand, aim at as wide a diffu-
sion of authority among the States and
municipalities as is consistent with the
perpetuation and safety of the Union of
the States. In other words, their.grand
object is local self government That
is the basis theory of the teachings OF
Jefferson, upon which not only our par
ty but the government itself is erected" D."
sin that event." the young man
promptly responded, 81 am Demo
crat."
1t would be astonishing that this sim
pie statement was revelation to the
young man to whom it was made, were
it not for the fact that it would be
equally revelation to four. ffths of the
young men. 1t is that fact that is as.
tonlshing but that it is fact, no citl.
zen who mixes much with them, and
hears the expression of their political
opinions will deny. 1t is only here and
there that you can find a man under
forty voting the Republican ticket for
any other reason than he has been told
the Democratic party was the Anti-War
Party and humiliating as the confes-
sion is, there are altogether too many
young Democrats who are content with
being Democrats because their faith rs
were and who never give themselves
the least trouble to seek better or
more manly reason for their faith.
Republicans insist upon "strong
government" "a strong government"
says Hon. jeremiah S. Black, one of the
staunchest of Democrats, "means des-
potic rule, weak laws and helpless peo-
ple." The tyranny to which the South
was subjected during reconstruction
years most emphatically signalized the
despotic rule of the "strong govern.
ment" with which we have been pro-
vided; the legion of treasury robbers and
pilferers under the Grant and Hayes adj
ministrations who went unwhipped Of
justice, and many of whom are being in.
vited to the front again by the discard.
ed Custom House official now occupy.
ing the White House, attest the "weak
laws" and for the "helpless people" we
point you to the Experimentation
merchants, manufacturer and farmer
everywhere, and to low wages and high
prices of necessaries which make the
life of the miner and mechanic scarcely
worth the living, And these are not
only the legitimate, but the necessary,
outgrowths of ''strong government"
There could have been no "Black
Friday" but for the "strong govern.
ment." Neither could there have been
any of ihe outrageous infringements of
popular rights which mark the legisla-
ton of the country during the last six
years, "or any Babcocks or Belknaps,
or Secor Robesons, or Credit Mobilier,
or any other of the equally damnable
villains or villanies which dot our last.
ing disgrace in the eyes of every nation
in the world"
Had we not now "strong govern
ment" there would be no surplus of
nearly two hundred million dollars in
the National Treasury and an army of
corrupt men besieging the lobbies of the
Capitol and negotiating with eqally cor.
rupt members of Congress for a share of
it. - -. -
Were it not for "strong government"
taxes would be lighter, laws would be
more nearly impartial and their admin.
istration purer, and the people would be
happier.
New York had a "strong government
when it gave us Tweed and Sweeny.
Pennsylvania had a "strong govern.
ment" when it gave US Cameron and a
Kemble and PetrofR. Delaware is
Democratic and Rhode Island Repub.
State. Therein the ruler are closer to
the ruled and therefore better known
and more strictly watched. Theirs are
not 'strong governments" in the sense
in which Republicans use the term.
On the contrary, they come nearer an
illustration of the Democratic ideal of
local self government.
And neither of them ever developed
@ Babcock, Tweed or Kemble.