The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-06
The Last Hope Of the Republican
Party.


The plan of battle upon which the
Republican party proposes to enter the
National struggle has suddenly changed.
1t is not now question of how many
Southern States can be cut loose from
Democratic control and swung over
into Republican fellowship. but deter
minatiOn TO fOrego them all and strike
for Northern support. One month ago,
Republican calculatOrs We're wont TO
sharpen their pencils and count up the
votes of Maryland, Virginia North Car
olina and Florida. and, assuming these
States as doubtful for Democratic hopes,
prepare to add them to the Republican
pyramid But now all this sort of
speculation is suddenly changed. These
four Southern States are no longer con-
sidered doubtful, but are with singular
unanimity accorded to the Democrats
The plan of liberalizing the South with
coalitions and independent movements,
is suddenly found imDracticable and
their attention Is turned to other fields.
1t is now discovered that the South
is. solid, and that the Northern heart
must be fired up to withstand the dread
full assault which this solidified section
is likely to make against the Electoral
votes necessary to elect. All at once
the old war-cry which we have heard
SO often. and which has done duty on
several memorable occasions, is heard
again. and the faithful are warned to
give heed. The new direction
of political efforts is not now
toward the sunny South. where
liberalism was thought to be rampant
and coalitions loudly clamored for, but
toward the North where now the only
hope lies. Suddenly the South is given
up as hopeless. and no Republican ed
from that section. The Democrats by
carrying Virginia and Maryland have,
it seems, rendered all future calcula-
tons unnecessary in that direction, and
with patriotic heart and courageous
purpose, the war is now to be carried
into the North, and as Il hint of what is
coming, the announcement is made that
the sections must now again antago-
nize each other, ''solid North" against
a '.solid South" OF course this means
the old campaign style, the method
once before advised by a celebrated Re-
publican orator, to-wit: "a bloody
shirt campaign with plenty of money"
The trouble is, neither of these pre-
requisites are available now. The coun-
try can not be convulsed again with Il
CORY cry, and the sinewS of war are a
doubtful quantity since campaign
assessments are forbidden. OF all cam
paign cries this is the weakest and most
worthless. The South is now .'solid'
because its interests demand a better
government than the Republican party
could give them. and because the peo-
pie there have no faith in coalitions.
The tendency is toward hOme-rule and
honest government, and as this is not
possible except where intelligence and
honest principles prevail, the people
have determined to try the merits of
change. The weak and silly attempt
to make an issue for the people of the
North by crying out that the lives of the
negroes in the South are in danger, and
infiaming the passions of the Northern
voter by sympathetic appeals for sup
port upon the ground of protection to
the negro, are but the inventions of
thoroughly demoralized and frightened
crew. The negro is in no danger and
thousands of them are no doubt in bliss
full ignorance that any danger is i'm
pending. The fact is the negro is nee
essary to the South, and all the white
people there know and recognize it.
The danger to the colored man exists
only in the excited and heated magma
tions of the average Republican editor,
and it only exists there now because it
is thought that this is the only card that
can be played with success. If this
piteOus appeal in behalf of the cOlored
man does not touch the hearts of North
ern voters then all is lost. Therefore it
is industriOusly demanded that the
North shall rise as one man and protect
the poor cOlOred man from wholesale
assassination. The fact that nobody is
hurt who behaves himself and keeps
out of election rows, and the further
fact that rs q whole the negroes at the
South are not troubling them
selves much about Republican APP
peals, but are industriously at work try
inc to make a living and lettering
their condition, doesn't count in the
eyes of Republican editors, because this
is not to the point. The point at which
they are aiming is Northern votes, and
they think if they can make it appear
that the negroes are all in danger of
being killed by Infatuated Democrats,
that the chances of success are then
measurably increased. The people of
the North will learn in good time the
whole history of that Danville affray.
They will be told the truth about it and
they will then be able to judge whether
it means an era of bloody slaughter, or
whether it is simply the effort of dis
heartened and discouraged Republican
editors, who hope to profit by deceiving
people. The North can not be won
over to the Republican party by piteOus
appeals to save people who are not in
danger. The day is past when bloody
crusades will alright sensible people.
Live issues which stand for good gov
eminent and appeal for honest and
faithful attention to public interests are
now the things which interest people,
and upon these the voters may divide,
but no such foolish clamOr as this which
proclaims the decaying hopes of party
will turn voters aside from the
patriotic duty of helping to defeat the
party which breaches sectional issues
for political ntage.-Americdn Reg |
lister.
The Next Electoral Vote.