The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-09-28
WHAT IS THE FACTp

III issue. The Sun is plainly and
outspokingly Randall organ FOR
Speaker of the next House of Rep
resentatives. and Randall is well
known To be nothing il not IN enthu
siastic Piotectionist.
In 1850. says the sun the Nation.
III Democratic Convention declared
itself in favor of ~ tariff for revenue
only" This constituted the plat.
foim of the party, and until it WAS
contradcted, it WIS Ia he accepted
rs representing the opinion of the
majority. But just before the cicc-
tiun, Gen. Hancock. VINO was tn"
Democratic candidate for Presi.
ilent assumed an exactly opposite
position. Il am too sound IN Amer.
icau. he said In Il published letter,
TO advocate any departure from the
general features of the policy that
has been largely instrumental in
ing Americans from the competition
oi the under paid labor of Europe
talk about free trade is folly. 1t
will also lee remembered that Gen.
Hancock declared the question of
tariff Ia lie one purely local i'm its
nature. In fact, Hancock made so
many fatal hlunders i'm his campaign
that it is not just clear To ones
mind where he Stood.on the main is.
sue. or whether he represented to
any considerable degree the policy
of his party. But that he contra
dicted III plain terms the platform
his party affirmed III convention can
not Ice disputed.
Ii is safe To predict that time will
not teach the leaders of the Dcmoc-
racy wisdom, ana that experience
will count for naught. Indiana
Democrats are for protection, for
the very good reason that they
know what protection means i'll Sus-
tanning American industries. Ohio
ditto. ana New Jersey also. Ken.
lucky bourbons. on the other hand.
lie affirm their "unaitered confidence
in and affection for the principles
and rolic; embodied in the organic
law of the Democratic party adopted
ut the National Convention held Il,
st. Louis in 1876, and ratified III Gin.
cinnati in 1880 AS square!y COM
mittcd In free trade as the English
language will express. Iowa is
little less earnest in her position.
The SIN looks the field over and
concludes that 1.-The majority of the
party, whether theoretically free
traders or theoretically protection.
lists, really hold with Mr.. Randall
and his friends that the first mission
of the Democratic party is 10 turn
ont the Republicans and reform the
government. and that al other ques-
tons are tn he postponed until that
mission Is accomplished not daring
TO advance IN opinion rs to the real
position of the Democracy upon the
most vital issue that will come up
for discussion.
TO "turn out the Republicans is
the greatest question of expedieEcy
that ut present wresties within the
| breasts of the Democratic leaders,
| 1t is the war cry of the coming
! Presidential campaign. The ere
/ form of the government means sim
ply and absolutely To gain control oi
the spells, and To the average Demo
cratic politician there is no issue SO
vital AS this. There is no sincerity
| in their professions of retrenclIment
and reform. Their pretensionS are
merely gaiZe and their high sound
ing notes nothing less than mockery.
"All other questions are IL be post
ponrd until. the mission of ouSting
the Republican party is accomplish
ed!" Is not this most profound
Argument for Il great party 10 put
forth! Is 1t not worthy the thought
/ ful consideration of every enlighten
ed American citizen! Or in other
words, is not such proclamation
deserving of the stamp of indigna-
ton and scorn 10y every honest man!
The highest aim and ambition.
then, of the Democratic party is Ia
dethrone the Republicans. There
will be no surprise felt by the ma
jority of people who already know
the secret ambition of the Demo
cratic politician: but it is surprise
to read such declaration in Il paper
of the Suns standing.
1t will he cold day for this ia
ton when the first mission of the
Democratic party" is accomplished.
There is an underlying pIncipie in
the Republican party which has re:
warded it with successive victories.
With the Democratic party is the
greed for office and the longing for
spoils that has recorded a like num-
Der of inglorious defeats. The cam
paign of 1884 will be no exception to
those since 1860.