The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-30
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

GIVING the ballot to the colored man was not
what the Republican party was organized for
exclusively, but having given him the ballot the
party should not consider its mission in that d.
rection fulfilled until his right TO use his ballot
the same as a white freeman is fully recognized
in every part of the country. Wabash Plan
Dealer.
THE question is whether federal aid for the re-
moval of illiteracy Is better than to allow the
ooIects Ior CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION, a@alc3s
which no objection ts heard, which present a
much weaker claim for Federal aid than does
the condition of educational affairs in the South.
louisville Commercial.
IF there is a demand for a further reduction of
the revenue, there is %norhinc proposed as equit-
able as the removal of the duty on sugars. This
is a great sugar consuming country, and the fact
that there are n few sugar plantations, while it
is to be regarded carefully, that nothing rash
and destructive shall be done, should not perma-
nently obstruct a policy affecting the whole peo-
ple.-Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
THE tendency of our people is manifestly to.
wards a stronger nationality, a greater degree
of Capitalization. The armies of the Union shot
States rights to death. The remnants of the
corpse have now and then been gathered up
and galvanized into the semblance of life, but 1t
is only a corpse-like semblance, with no show or
color of genuine vitality. Its sole abiding place
is in the Southern States and among Northern
doughfaces, where it dwells amid the debris and
fungi of the lost use.-Cleveland Leader.
1T looks a little as if some members of the
Supreme Court were making supreme asses of
themselves on the civil-rtghts question. 1t
seems a trile late in the nineteenth century to
fight that question over again and reassert the
leading proposition in the constitution that call
men were created free and equal, and endowed
with certain inalienable rights" etc. 1t is queer
how hard 1T is for some old mossbacks to accepa
the inevitable and yield gracefully when they
are once fairly Observation-Disclosures Enter
prise.
PRoHIBITIOS has been dcfeated on one side.
while dealers who push their business into
politics and desire free trade, have been soanGly
warned on the other. With these results, as
shown by the election figures, it will be interest
ing TO notice the movements of the Ohio Demo-
cratic Legislature. Victory carries with it re-
sponsibilitles, and the Democratic party is now
the responsible party, while Republicans having
for years wrestled with two-edged measures,
are permitted to take a rest.-CinciEnaIi Com.
mercial Gazette.
THE iIliteracy of the Southern negroes is a
grave danger in politics as well as an insur-
mountable obstacle to the spread of religion.
The churches have an opportunity, by supple
menting the means of public education, to do
an Important secular service. But 1t must be
Obvious that this cannon be done by such
agencies as the Episcopal Church., for example,
already employs In its missionary work, and
that the refusal to supply new agencies is equiv
undertaken.-New York Times.
GENERAL BUTLER is now fairly in the race for
the Democratic nomination. That is evident as
far away as London, and ought TO be apparent
even to the casual spectator on this side of the
Atlantic. 1t is idle, therefore, for supercilious
Democratic organs and leaders to deprecate and
deride him.. He will compel their respectful
recognition, ii he does not compel their enthu-
slastic support. before lie stops; and the sooner
Gney pegln To reconcile themselves to him the
less they will not Improbably have to regret and
explain during the course of next ummer's
campaign.--St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
THE taxes on spirits, beer ana tobacco should
never be abolished-at all events not while we
have a dollar of the national debt unpaid. These
taxes are unfelt, because they are imposed on
luxuries which the consumers expect to pay q
good price for. and TO abolish them would be vir.
tually surrendering S130, 600, 900 of revenuc
which the country pays without knowing IT,
The rates on splrite, beer and tobacco may 10
gradually reduced. but even this ought 10 bD
done, il done at all, reluctantly and cautiously,
for the articles are so cheap now that the con-
sumers of them do not ask for q reduction st.
Louis Republican.
1T is to the general decay of the apprentices
ship system that we have to attribute much
that is dangerous and extravaganJi in social tend
too seldom choose to take up IL respectable trade
in the thorough manner that makes both the oc-
cupation and themselves honorable. They pro-
pose without consideration of ability to enter
the professions or to become. Immediately rich
men--to be, i'll short, "as good rs anybody"
apt to emerge Allf-taught, shallow and inefis
cent, with no preparation for the practical wOrA
OF life.-New York Tribune.
SO long as Con gress shall be under Republi0s
an control AMI the Supreme Court shall be COM
posed of men who recognize and respect tho
ored citizens may confidently look to the en-
forcement of the constitutional prohibition of
discrimination against them by State laws and
local authorities. But il they should aid in
bringing the Democratic party into complete
possession of the government, which will in
clude n reconstruction Of the Supreme Court, il
is not impossible thar decisions will he forth.
coming which will fail to vIndicate the equal
rights of the negro under the law.--Chi:agu
Tribune.