The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-07-24

Ihat ArrHlSmment.
The democratic platform "arraigns" the
republican party tor number OF things for
which the democratic party ia responsible.
The makers of the democratic platform seem
to have assumed that the people are ignor-
ant and forgetful, and do not remember what
has happened within the las; ten years.
When they "arraign" the republican party
Cor what has been done or lett undone by
congress within the ten years from March I,
1875, 30 March I, 1856, they assume that the
people are SO ignorant or SO forgetfnl a. not
to know that during s of these 10 years the
democratic party has controlled the house OF
representatives, and during two years con-
trolled both the house and senate.
Up 10 1873 the legislation of congress and
the attention of the country was necessarily
mainly confined 10 reconstruction and set
ding up the results and effects of the war.
The union had TO be firmly re-establshed,
our currency fixed upon sound basis,
specie payments resumed, our home interests
and business revived, and other similar af-
fairs OF the most pressing importance attend
ed TO. During the period before 1915,
neither party paid much attention to the re-
duetior of tariff taxes, TO the revival of
American shipping, to building up new
navy to seacost defenses, to our foreign
commercial and political interests; and the
surplus revenues, the Panama canal, and
other questions which are now of great i'm
portance, had not yet arisen. The time had
not then arrived when these issues could
take the lead. We had first TO set our house
in order within doors, before we could at
tend to matters outside.
Bat IN 1874, the democrats carried the
congressional elections, and obtained control
of the house. In the 18th congress, from
March 4. 1875 to March T. 1877, the demo
Gratis had large majority in the house They
elected Michael c. Kerr of Indiana, speaker,
and after him Samuel J. Randall, who con-
tinued speaker until March 4, 1881. From
March L. 1875, to March 4, 1881, the dem
ocratic party steadily continued its control
of the house; and from March 4, 1879, to
March 4, 1881, they also had control of the
senate. During four OF this period of six
years the republicans had only a very slen-
der majority in the senate. Over all the
questions concerning which the platform
'arraigns7 the republicans, the house has
command by the rules Of congress: because
the reduction OF the tariff, our national de-
lenses on sea and on land, the revival of our
shipping and foreign trade, etc, all require
appropriation bills, or else have direct eff
feet upon the revenues, and revenue and APP
During this period the democratic house and
party did no, revivs " attempt TO revive
American shipping, to promote our foreign
commerce, 20 create a navy, 10 provide sea-
coast defeuses. to revise the tariff and in
ternsi revenue systems, TO care for our for
elgn relations. Or TO DO any OF those things
which Their platform now impudently
"arraigus" the republicans for not doing.
In the elections of 1850 the republicans re-
gained control o. the house by small ma
jority, with the senate SO nearly tie that
an independent, David Davis Of Illinois. was
chosen to preside. Every republican at.
tempt to accomplish any of the objects for
the failure of which the platform 'arraigns'
The party was strenuously resisted by the
democrats. The republicans, however, did
revise and reduce the tariff and internal
revenue taxes. reducing the burdens of tax
alton over S5O,000,000 a year; whereas tho
democratic party has not reduced them one
cent.
la the elections of 1852 the democrats re
gained control OF the house, and made Car
Hale speaker OF the present congress, which
runs from March 4. 1889 to March (, 1885,.
During this congress the questions which
are now CppermOst have attained their high
est importance, having gradually grown more
and more pressing through democratic neg
lect and Incompetence ever since the demo-
cratic party obtained control OF the house,
nine years ago. And this democratic house
has utterly failed 10 settle or provide for
these issues. IS failure TO revise the tariff
and reduce taxation is the most conspicuous
monument o. Incompetence and demagog-
lam j. American history The only act
passed which touches any Of the issues of
the arraigrment was the Dingley bill to re-
vive American shipping-a purely republican
IneaSure-and this was crippled by demo-
cratic opposition. The republicans made at
tempts to provide for extending our COM
merce with Mexico, to provide for TIE na-
tlonal defense. To have the tariff carefully
revised, and to attend properly to every one
of the items of the arrangement: but they
were defeated by the democratic majority,
which obstinateiy refused to attend to these
great issues
The people know these facts, and will not
forget them. The people will reverse that
arraignicent, and apply it to the democratic
party, where = belongs and whom it fits.
They will apply it with all the more severity
because Of the brazen hypocrisy of the
democratic platform il trying to shove OF
the sins of the democratic party upon the
republicans The impudent etfrontery OF
such ar attempt to dispute the most con-
spicuous facts, and to assume that the people
of the United States are ignorant of the cur
rent affairs of the last nine years, is simply
astonishing. But the rebuke which the peo-
pie viii administer next November TO the
authors and supporters of this demagogic
platform will astonish the democratic party
Past and Tribune.
--azY o