The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1883-08-31

enter another Presidential campaign.
Interviews are had here and there: opin-
ions are expressed upon this man and
that; lines Of policy foreshadowed. and
all the movements which Indicate great
political ccmmction nfc evident 10 the
most casual observer There II per-
ccptiblc seeking. and great demand
for the lcad;:.-. ;zs,,e. One j. certain II
must he this. and another II equally
positive that II must be something else;
one insists that M assures are demand
cd. and the other. that the need Of the
hour II men. born leaders. who can
sway and influence popular opinion.
The most numerous crowd are they
who insist upon The tariff as the gveaf
issue some wanting 10 leave IL as II il.
some wanting moderate protection and
some others IL much Of II a. the party
will stand. but all are firmly persuaded
that unless there Is m issue there i no
use making fight.
Has Il ever occurred 10 the Demo
cratic leaders that there Is nm issue now
before the country. and one that has
attracted public attention for some
time. an issue grander and broader
than mere questions Of tariff construc-
tons or the abstract considerations Of
purely economic measures; nm issue
that thc farmer in the West and the
mechanic in the East thoroughly I'M
derstand, although they may know little
Of the science of government? There II
such nm issue; II Is wider and deeper
than al others. and il may be ex-
pressed in few words: Democratic
control because Of Republican greed
and corruption. View Il as sou may.
and argue Il rs you please. that Il the
yym issue all others sink by compar-
ison. Il is the one issue which the
country can understand and upon which
the battle may be safely fought. Back
OF all the broken promises. the honcyed
words Of reform, and the moral
spasms II the party Of ideas
and progress. lies this one con
trolling. domn nting aim. and that i
party power. For this. any reform is
promised. any pledge made. or any po-
sition assumed. II vifalizes every is
sue. gaIvanizcs every promise, and in
fuses life and vigor into every cam
paign. The reality ofthe present lends
strength; the prospect Of the future in
spires hope. and together they open the
safe Of the capitalist and the heart Of
the ambitious. until the sinews Of war
how in streams. and the excitement Of
party conflict widcns into the ncclaims
Of victory. Over all the qualms of
conscience which honest men may feel;
over all the demands which rcformers
may make; and over All the breaks and
bolts which independence may organize.
Is heard the slogan Of party strife and
the waichword IF party conflict. II is
always and ever the same. s'public
plunder.r This Il inscribed upon is
banner. and BY this sign they conquer.
III this common desire all factions min
gle and all forms Of belief agree. The
Stalwart marches BY the side. Of the
Half Breed. and the Free Trader and
he Protectionist sink their differences
for the party good. Platforms are moth
ing: the past Is blank and the future
. question. but the duty Of the hour Il
success. II anything il popular Il Il
praised and accepted; II questioned, no
position Is taken. but the party Is al
wars AL things 10 all men for success.
The soldier Ii remembered BY patriotic
mention; the negro placated BY re-
newed assurances; the capitalist inter
estcd By secret pledges; the laborer
quieted by liberal promises and u every
method and BY every means known
20 political strategy points arc
made and positions won. I'M
Gil merged into one struggling
mass the party. intent upon = single
aim. and that success, moves forward 4
1.4... .....4 ...& ~ lee.
Against the victorious lcgionS q tht
Republican party, beautifully supplied
with arms and ammunition. and en-
trenched IN the power and plumber 81
long and corrupt reign Il i useless q
illuminate cdictS Or present issues. Wei
defined principles of policy may serve
- standards around which the thought.
ful may rally, but the moving, propell'
ing power must be the defeat and over.
throw Of the enemy. The true princi
pies Of Democracy rs distinguished from
ccntralism. viz. individual liberty
home rule md honest government, arr
enough for the common purpose. aDt
amply sufficient for party declaration
The common people, the working mass
e.. have neither timo nor patience 4
fathom the mysteries Of tariff and
finance. but they know what persona
liberty means and what honest govern.
mcnt indicates. Let Democratic res
t0ration be the aim. and consideration
Of public policy the object Let the
aim be first % overthrow, and the Oh
jet aftcrward 20 reform. This Is TIKI
platform the people want and 10
which the popular masses are willing x