National Republican., 1883-08-13
RnrYInp TheIr Recnrd.

Burying Their Record.
The two great parties have differed on
many questions for quarter of century,
but have come TO agreements by democratic
acknowledgment of error. Tho subjects of
human slavery, secession, rebellion, recon-
struction, resumption Of specie payments-on
all of these subjects the party of opposition
and retrogression agrees with the progressive
party, which accomplished wonderful re-
suits despite tho opposing bullets
and ballots of democracy. That party
now comes forward and says that
it indorses all those things which it for years
withstood. Again it Is getting on the fence
ready to come into our yard and pretend to
be part of the republican family. After
tariff for revenue only" campaigns, which
have resulted in crushing defeat, the revenue
reform" organs are now endeavoring to prove
that there are really no points of difference
between the two great parties. There is an
effort being made TO "hedge" or, as the boys
say, to "crawfsh" on this subject.
They expect to sail under one-half
of the republican banner by calling
themselves revenue reformers." II is their
expectation to succeed by playing hide and
seek around the tariff fence but it will not
do. What the democratic party wants is free
trade, pure and simple. They don't honestly
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want revenue reform. If they dared be hon
est enough to utter one sober, real sentiment,
they would insert in their national plat
form plank declaring Sin favor of alb
solute free trade with the nations of the
earth, and no protection to American labor
or laborers" That is the genuine senti-
they are swimming backward like a craw-
fish is, that they know they are wrong, and
they know that the people know that they are
wrong. African slavery being abolished in
spite Of their battles and bullets they arc
pig headed enough to try to inaugurate white
slavery by bringing our skilled laborers into
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serfs of Europe. Tho probabilities are that
they will be silent upon this subject in 1884.
1t will be the silence of cowardice. The
wrongdoer and oppressor is always a
coward. By absolute and abiect silence the
democratic party may hope to sneak into
power. Such hopes are founded upon mis-
calculations of American intelligence. There
is not a voter in the states where ballots are
counted as cast who does not know the record
and animus Of the democratio party upon this
subject. They all know that if democrat
were in the executive chair, with a demo-
cratic majority IN congress, that party would
legislate American laborers into abect pov-
erty and serfdom. They would repeat
the infamy which followed the campaign
of Polk, Dallas, aud the tariff of 49," Fur
naces mills, factories would close, as they did
at that time, and the almost naked working
men would again wander about the LAND
seeking food and raiment for starving fami
lies The world, this part of it at least, mus
have time to outgrow the memory of those
scenes before they can be repeated. Nc
amount of artful lodging can enable the
party which is the foe of American industries
to sneak into power. If there is any hope
for the democratic party it lies in an assumed
manliness. 1t lies in an open and honest con-
fession of its convictions.
On the other hand, the republican platform
has never given an uncertain sound. 1t al
ways has the genuine ring of protection to
and encouragement of, American industries
1t is equally we'll understood by all. The
workingmen and capitalists, the richest ant
the poorest, know that the republican party
proposes to raise revenues in such manner a.
to encourage our domestic labor of every
kind. That is honest, clear, and frank. Th,
republican party stands upon its record, and
wishes to meet every foe in the bright light
of truth rather than to contend with thos,
who deal in subterfuge and skulking.