Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-12-18
THE ISSUE

will be divided on the issue OF TARIFF
o In the contest old partisan
barriers and landmarks will be broken
down and swept away. Republicans
will become Democrats and Democrats
will become Republicans. The question
will be one Of pure business and its an
swer will be framed on the consideration
of dollars and cents. It will involve
directly and indirectly the material in
terest Of all. To comprehend it fully
may be beyond the opportunities or ca
pacity Of a great many, but it will APP
peal sharply enough to a vast number OF
those whose influence is the lever in
Presidential elections. The merits of
the question will henceforth be discussed
in the newspapers and from the stump
with ever growing earnestness and vigor
until all who car and will may be in
formed in the premises. The great met
ropolitan journals are taking vigorous
hold OF the controversy already. The
issue is one of facts and in hewing to
the line some of these journals will fall
on one or the other side without regard
to previous political prejudice OF judg-
ment. It is a cheering sign for the
Democracy that the New York Herald,
independent, but with strong Republican
leanings, comes out plainly in favor Of
the Democratic platform. 1t has taken
great pains to study the signs OF the
times and to digest the arguments pro
and con. When in doubt it is a timid
paper. 1t is boldly Democratic now,
hence we infer it has no doubt that its
attitude is correct and safe. 1t thus de-
fines its attitude ~uuequivocally:
The Republicans CARROT conceal their
u%neasiness at the unexpected action OF
their opponents III preferring Mr.. Carlisle
to Mr.. Randall for the Speakership.
They are raising alarm cries all over the
country. Mr.. Carlisle they say, is a free
trader, . Southerner, and heaven knows
what.
When q political party gets to the end
of the rope, so to speak-when it has
no longer the peoples interest at heart,
but aims only to retain power for the
selfish ends of its leaders-then it re-
sorts to such intimidating methods as the
Republicans are now using. 1t was so in
1859 and 1860, when the Democrats saw
that they were about to be deposed.
They had nothing to offer the people;
they no longer cared, nor were able to
serve tho country. Like the Republi-
cans now, they wished only to retain
power; and so they raised the cry Of dis
union; they called themselves "Union
savers" and denounced the Republicans
IS ''abolitionists," Union haters," and
the assailants of property. The Demo-
cratic ''abolitionist" cry of those days
was intended to serve the same ends as
the Republican free trade" cry now.
There is neither truth nor sense in this
cry, in one case or the other. and the
only intention was then and is now to
misrepresent, and by misrepresentation
to scare timid and stupid voters.
The Democrats ought to take courage
from the extremity to which the Re-
publicans are evidently reduced. They
need not ask for better evidence that in
the election Of Mr.. Carlisle they have
struck the right track than is furnished
them in the foolish outcries of the Re-
publicans.
The Republican party has lost the ini-
t~iative. 1t has beer too long in power,
and has ceased to serve the people. Its
alliance is with the capitalists and
mo~nopolists; its friends are no longer the
people, but q few rich men who lave fat
tened on the privileges it has granted
them and who hunger for more.
The Carlisle Democrats are no more
s'free traders" than the Lincoln Republic
cans were .sabolitionists." There aim is
to limit the area and moderate the op
p~ressiveness of that new system Of
slavery which has grown up under the
name Of protection, and which extorts
needless taxes from an impoverished
people to support q handful Of favored
and wealthy private interests. We ad
wise the Republicans to take q lessor
from the past, and be careful not to carry
their opposition to necessary reforms tot
far, lest the people, e~nraged, shall take
them at their word and strike down tina,
abuse which now the Democrats seek
only, and justly, to curb and moderate
Under the Republican rule the taxes
are needlessly high; they are levied in .
cumbrous and oppressive manner; they
are made year after year to produce ar
enormous surplus revenue over which
lobbyists and jobbers wrangle. Under
the specious plea Of protection to home