The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-05
For the People to Consider.

rely hereafter solely on appeals to the pref
udlces of the people. 1t is evident already
that the next contest in this State will be
of this character. In national matters the
Republicans have so directed the affairs of
the country for the past twenty years. that
there is no room to edge in platform OF
reasonable opposition to what they have
done. They have brought order out of
the chaos OF war. They grappled with
the problem of reconstructing the Union af-
ter the most bloody internal conflict known
to civilized history, and solved it. They
bravely faced the huge national debt incl
dent to and the result Of that unhappy con-
troversy and by the most perfect and saga
cious financial system ever known, brought
it under the control Of our resources, with
out impairing an obligation OF furnishing
national credit. 1t so shaped the pol.
icy Of the government as to give en-
couragement to the industries of the coun.
try and create permanent prosperity un-
parallelled in the history of peoples. 1t
has spanned the continent with railroads,
reclaimed the desert, built up States and
cities on the plains, and extended the lines
of civilization to the farthest verge Of our
domain. Under the inspiration of its pol
icy, busy theatres of industry have been
established upon the hunting grounds Of
the Red Man and the range of the buffalo.
The mountains have yielded up their hid.
den wealth, the desert responded in golden
haryests to the touch of the husbandman,
and the vast sea of barren land between
the Missouri and the Pacific, converted
into smiling homes and wealth-creating
fsnserkrises.
Nota measure that looked to the con-
summations we have named. but was
of Republican origin and met With Demo-
cratic opposition.
The enforcement OF the laws that re-
cognized the equal rights Of the citizen.
The tariff laws. which protected Amer
lean labor and built up American indus
tries,
The National Banking system which
| gives uniform currency for the whole
country, and assures the note-holder against
| any possible loss.
The Resumption act, which made the
| paper dollar as good as gold dollar, re-
| stored the credit OF the nation, and ad-
vanced our securities in all the markets OF
the world, above those of any other govern
| ment.
! Subsidies of land to railroad corporations,
to justify them in opening the wilderness,
sea ling and penetrating mountains, and
linking the extremes of the nation together
thus giving value to the waste and $50.
lated territory of the country, inviting set
Element and creating States.
This whole::American policy which en-
braces every measure and every Legislative
enactment that has contributed to national
advancement and national wealth, is
supported by the Republican party. The
Democratic party had no part or lot in it,
except that of opposition.
1t fought reconstruction at every step,
until it was whipped into the recognition
of every right guaranteed by the Constitu-
| ton and laws.
1t has opposed the American policy OF
Protection and favored the British policy
of Free Trade in every contest and on
every forum On which the issue was pre-
sented.
1t has opposed the National Bank ing
System which has given the people the
best currency they have ever had and bust
ness the most convenient and reliable
agency of success ever experienced, and
favored the State banking system, with
| its inequalities, its discounts, and its dan.
gers.
1 1t opposed the Resumption Act. which
brought the paper dollar to an equality
with the gold dollar, and declared to the
world that every dollar issued, endorsed
by the government, must be equal to every
other dollar.
| 1t opposed the whole policy of encourag-
ing the construction OF national highways
to ramify the country, open our boundless
domain to settlement and create active
wealth out of waste and deserted territory.
| This is a brief rev lew Of the history
of the two great parties as to national at.
ia irs.
When we come to State legislation and
administration, we find similar contrast
in the results ofthe supremacy of the Bour-
bon faction and the Coalition party.
| Coming into the possession OF the State
government in 1870, with a surplus in the
treasury of nearly $1,000, 900. it was driven
out in 1879, with an augmented debt in de-
faulted interest of over $4,000, 900 the
public schools robbed OF $1,000, 600 the
credit of the State so low that the Auditor
could not, on the faith Of the government,
borrow few thousand dollars for payment
of current expenses; the public schools in
a moribund condition the State institu-
tions, both char liable and educational, in a
so complicated and multifarious IN its forms
as to defy ordinary comprehension the
interest defaulted nearly million dollars
annually; the people disheartened; enter
( PAloC pdidly ECU ouC CAOOtlou uiuOi y
corrupted and prostituted, and the citizen
robbed of the rights which the constitution
of the country guaranteed him.
These wrongs. Irregularities and political
crimes have all been corrected by the Re-
adiusters, aided by the Republicans. They
have made common cause against Bourbon
ism-Bourbon methods, Bourbon legisla.
ton; Bourbon prescription and intolerance,
and Bourbon mismanagementa and infdelity
| in State affairs.
The Coalition has formulated the debt on
an equitable basis and framed legislation
so as to reduce the taxes, and at the same
time meet all the obligations Of the State,
leaving surplus in the treasury.
1t has revived the public schools, Infused
vitality and activity into them, enlarged
their usefulness, increased their numbers,
and placed them on footing of permanent
and progressive prosperity.
1t has rescued the State educational and
charitable institutions from embarrass-
ment and decay, and furnished them eve
rything needful for their successful opera
ton and the contamination Of the beneficent
ends for which they were created.
1t has restored the credit of the State, in
spirited the people with hopeful future,
encouraged Immigration and capital. the