The Republican journal., 1883-08-16
Distinctive Principles.

y Western correspondent wishes 10
know what are the distinctive principles
OF the republican party In one sense,
this is hard question to answer. 1t is
easy to say what the principles of the
republican party are. But it is not easy
to say what are its distinctive principles,
because It is not easy to say what the
principles OF the democratic party are,
if it has any. At times and in spots, it
! processes to be as ardently in favor of
everything good, and as sternly opposed
to everything bad, as any body Of men
can be- But its profession and perform
ance are not twin brothers, or relations,
| or even near neighbors.
The republican party upholds the
Union, and hOnOrs those who suppressed
rebellion. The democratic party at the
North generally elects men who were for
the Union, but at the South always elects
men who were rebels.
The republican party believes in equal
| rights for all citizens. The democratic
party puts equal rights in some Of it's
platforms, but has none left for practical
use at the South about election time.
The republican party restored the
public credit, brought the country back
| to specie payments; and has provided
! honest money for those who earn wages
! Having resisted each and every step OF
this progress, the democratic party now
| claims credit in some places for specie
resumption, and in others for having
| opposed 1t. In parts of the country it
| laVorS hard money in other parts it is
| 1Or every measure that threatens to i'm
| pair the public credit or degrade the
peoples currency.
The republican party has framed and
passed every act for reform of the civil
service that is upon the statute books, and
IS now enforcing, through faithful and
| Wellselected officials, the reform act
passed last winter. The democratic
party, from Jackson's time to this, has
never ceased to act upon the maxim, "To
the victors belong the spoils," but it has
been very much in favor, when out of
power, of any kind of reform that would
put democrats into office.
The republican party framed and en-
acted in spite of democratic opposition,
all the tariffs for the protection of home
industry that have been adopted since
1860. Under those tariffs, the industries
of the country have developed marvel
lousy, and it has attained power and
! prosperity which were scarcely dream
ed of thirty years ago. Having fought
desperately against every such tariff
up to this time, the democratic party
now wants TO have it believed, in some
places, that it is as hostile as ever to
the protective system, and means to
destroy it; in other places, that it is as
fond of protection as anybody, and would
not NEEDLE with the tariff for the world.
The republican party insists upon a
fair election and an honest count. The
democratic party puts up men of respect
ability to promise such elections, as MIR.
Hampton did, and then provides we'll
drilled and wellarmed rifle clubs to at
tend at the voting places, and make the
elections a farce.
"Dstinctive principles ;" what are
democratic principles? But whoever
will can see the difference between what
the republicans do and what the demo-
cratic party would do if it could. That
is on the whole, the practical question.
| n. y. Tribune.