The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-02-21
Dose the Country Distrust the
Democracy.

Harper's Weekly, discussing the
political outlook, declares in the
usual authoritative anne of that
paper that there is one vital consider
alton in the situation (which many
of the most vehemet and dogmaIic
spectators overlook" which, it pro-
ceeGs TO explain, is "the profound
distrust of the democratic party"
Other "vital considerations" are
mentioned, but they are of a nature
which the editor of Harper's thinks
necessary to explain a length, whilst
ssthe profound distrust of the demo-
cratic party" is apparently regarded
as a sort of automatic truth in poll
tics, requiring neither explanation
or proof. Now, says an exchange, if
this complacent editor will just
spread a political almanac before
him and give ten minutes careful
study to the recorded history of the
last twenty years, particularly the
last ten, we are confident he will find
little evidence CT the distrust of the
democracy which he has so ignorant
ly taken for granted.
We challenge him to find in all
this period a single case in which
the people have declared against the
democracy on a free vote and fair
count throughout the whole Union.
These conditions were impossible
during the war and continued i'm
possible for quite ten years after the
war. Indeed there has not been @
free, full vote and fair count in tho
whole country since 1860. We made
the nearest approach to it in 1880
but the golden stream which the stal
route ring poured into the campaign
prevented the full accomplishment
of a fair count or a free vote even, a.
is unanswerably evidenced by thu
fact that Indiana polled an aggregate
vote equal to 81 per cent. of it
whole male population owe twenty
one years of age. There could be Ut
evidence of profound disgust" il
the only defeat the democracy ha'
met in a full vote of the whole coun
try, purchased by such patent bri
berry.
Now let the republican party moral
ize upon its own record. Since 1877.
it has not been able to elect a major
ity in the lower and popular brancl
of congress, in despite of the com
bined power intimidation, briber,
and fraud. Since the 4th of March
1877, it has not had a majority of it
own party on the floor of the senate
Since 1872 it has been unable to pre-
vent the people seating a democrati
majority in congress but once, an
that time only by alliance with Fl
pudiation in Virginia. True enough
it has seated its nominee in the pres
dency twice within these ten years
but by fraud one time and briber
the next.
f These facts do not Indicate "prc
found d~istrust of the Democrat
party" There was no distrust i
!, 1874, when O democratic majorit
, was sent to the lower house of col
r gress; no distrust in 1876, when
t democratic congress and a dem
cratic president were elected; no di
trust in 1878, when the democrat
i, again carried the congressional ele
ton; no distrust in 1880, when tt
democracy lost congress only throue
the coalition of republicanism al
Reputation in Virginia; no distru
: in 1882, when outraged public SEM
ment again reinstated the dem
cratic majority in congress. Out
five congressional elections in T.
e years the democracy have four vi
n tories to show; the republican par
, party an unbroken series of defea
II Now let Harper's Weekly say viii
D party the country distrusts.
"