Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-08-22
Reform.

Herald.
Reform.
The burden of the Democratic plat
form and of tho party's campaign
speeches and documents is reform.
ave want REFORM says the platform;
1--WE want reform" say the party's
orators, and 1--WE will have reform is
the slogan with which the party goes
into the fight No bill OF particulars is
presented, and no abuses are pointed
out Tho party has simply shut its
eyes aud joined in the refrain "relorm."
But because the Democratic party has
shut its eyes is no reason why all the
people should do the same. In fact the
eyes of the people are very wido open,
and there is n general desire to know
and to understand all the points in the
campaign.
The Democratic party demands re-
form, and the people naturally want to
know what that party proposes to re-
form. What has the Republican party
done that must be undone or rcformcdP
The first thing the Republican party
did was to wipe out n Democratic re-
bellion and restore the Union. Does
the Democratic party want to reform
that
The Republican party gave freedom
to all the slaves held in bondage by
Democrats. Does the Democratic party
want reform badly enough to put them
back into involuntary servitudep
Tho Republican party gave the right
of franchise to the ncwly-emancipated
slaves. Docs the party of reform want
to deprive the colorcd race of that
rightP
The Republican party took charge of
public affairs when under Democratic
management the Government was
obliged to pay twelve per cent interest,
while to-day it can borrow n thousand
mii at three per cent. Is there
anything here that requires reform"
ut the hands of the Democratic party?
The Republican party came into pow
er when the value of good old Demo-
cratic "money" was worth all the way
from par to zero, and was most valuable
in the hands OF those who did not know
how worthless it was. Does the Demo-
cratic party wish to reform" Repub-
lcan banking methods and go back to
the old wayP
The Republican party has made gold,
silver and paper of equal value from
one end of the country to the other.
Does the Democratic party call for ''re-
form' and desire to 90 back to the good
old Democratic wild cat system?
The Republican party, by a wise APP
plica,ion of the tariff, rendered it possi-
Bile to pay hundreds of millions in the
shape of pensions to the soldiers of the
Union and Their widows and orphans.
Would tho Democratic party reform
this?n
The Republican party has made it a
point to protect American laboring men
against all the outside world win the
Democras party reform this idea, if
it should get chancG'
The Republican pesrJ has fostered
and developed all the Industrial inter-
ests of the country, ana has the salts
faction of seeing nvery manufactured
article in the country sell cheaper than
ever before. Does the Democratic party
think 'reform" is needed hercp
The Republican party has paid a
thousand millions of Democratic debt,
and is still disposing of that legacy OF
Democratic treason and rebellion at the
rate of one hun ire6 millions year.
Does the party of reform desire a dis
continuance?
The Republican party has stcadfastly
refused to recognize the claims of any
but Union soldiers, and is pledged new
er to consent to the payment of one cent
tu any who fought to destroy the Union.
VIII the Democratic party hasten to .re-
form" this policy?
The Republican purity has ever taught
that treason is odious, and that love OF
country is the supreme virtue of Amer
lean citizenship. Win the Democratic
party reverse the order here, and intro
duce "reform?"
We have enumerated an even dozen
points in American political history, on
the establishment of which the Repub-
| lican party has insisted, and has sue
ceeded, despite the most desperate, un-
scrupulous and criminal opposition of
the Democratic party. And now the
Democratic party shuts its eyes and
bawls Justify for "reform." Will it
dare to confess a desire and intention to
reform" all or any of these distinct
lively Republican achievements They
cover the entire ground OF Republican
administration, and the party chat
lenges the criticism of the world on
them. Ii the Democratic party darcs
not lay hands on either of them. nor
explicitly condemn even one of them,
then is the Democratic campaign cry
the plea OF demagoge, the wall of de-
feated and chagrined hypocrisy. If
''reform" is so badly needed, let the
items be pointed out and the fight made
in open field. The Republican party in