The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-30

with a spell of frankness the other day,
and the result was an admission on its
part that the Republican party has met
the great political issues of the last
twenty years "gloriously and success
fully. In the matter of the prosecu-
ton of the war, the overthrow OF slav--
cry, the reconstruction of the Union and
the protect on of the rights OF the freed
men, the Republican policy has been
thoroughly vindicatad, the Herald
grants, and the Republican party has
earned the thanks and gratitude OF the
country and of mankind. Such an adj
mission from paper that has resolute-
ly, not to say bitterly, antagonized Re-
publican principles and methods at ev-
cry step, is somewhat remarkable; and
the natural inference would be that the
Herald had concluded to turn over a
new leaf, and to do its best henceforth
to keep the Republican party in power
Sngularly, however, that is not the
HerdlGS intention, on the contrary, it
makes its praise of Republicanlsm the
basis of new argument in favor OF let
ting Republicanism slide.
In adjusting the great problems of
the last twenty years so ''gloriously
and successfully" the Republican par
ty has exhausted itself, the Herald con-
tinues; its work is done, its mission
ended. New questions are now coming
up, and, according to the Herdtds
philosophy, different party should be
chosen to deal with them. 1t will be
apt to strike the average reader as a
very curious system of reasoning which
maintains that party that has COM
mended itself to general approval and
gratitude by twenty years OF sagacious
and shining devotion to the best inter-
ests of the people should on that very
account be thrust aside when there are
new questions to be determined. And
when we add to this the fact that the
party which it is proposed to intrust
with the responsibility of caring for
these new interests is the party that
has been uniformly and aSsiduously
in the wrong during all the time that
the Republican party has been right
and faithful, the thing becomes self
refuting and fit oply for the uses of or
dinary ridicule.
If some strong, aggressive and we'll
equipped new party had made its APP
pearance, and voters were being asked
to join it because OF its peculiar sound
ness of faith and purpose--as was the
case when the Republican party first
came to the front-there might be some
: warrant for the Heraid $ style OF logic.
But there are only two parties worth
speaking OF in this country now, just as
there have been for twenty years past,
and choice has TO be made between
them. There is no third party, no
middle ground. The Republican party
is to be continued in control of the
! Government, or things are to be placed
! in the hands of the Democratic party.
In other words, the people must decide
y whether it is safest and best to commit
: the task of settling new questions To
: the party that has met all the questions
of the last twenty years ''gloriously
: and successfully" as the Herald de
0 clares, or whether they will conlidC
4 this undertaking to the party which
throughout these twenty years has new
o er once been found on the right side o.
n anything. That is the situation, plainly
i stated.
The Herald really gives one of thu
: best of reasons why all intelligent ant
y considerate citizens should vote the Re
q publican ticket. II the Republican
9 policy has been GLORIOUS and success
: full one through all the stormy and i'm
Q portant history of the last twenty years
h does not that alone justify the con
IT clusion that we can do no better thinl
IS than to 90 on trusting the Management
J of affairs TO party which has thu
9 demonstrated its capacity and ii
y fidelity? In the daily transactions 0
= life. faithfulness is the basis Of conf
e dence, and past good conduct is
, mans best recommendation to favo
u for the future. Why should not tn
n same rule apply in politics, and partie
81 be judged as we Judge individuals
IS That is, in fact, the correct and sur
N test. The Republican party has keI
itself in power by being able to stan
" such test whenever required-and th
4. Democratic party, on the other hanC
'r has just rs surely been kept out {
ID power by always failing 10 make sal
ir isfactory showing in that respect.
a The mission OF the Republican part
te will not be ended, it is safe TO say, O
Of long as the Democratic party is the onl
is organization that puts II upon trial b
Sc comparison. There are new question
IN TO be solved, II is true, and new int
TO ests to be guarded and promoted bI
Or what party is so well qualified to dei
o. with them as the one which has prove
es itself equal to every past emergency
ce Certainly it would not be the part I
rs wisdom or prudence toprefer over sue
party the one that has persistent
Of failed for twenty years TO do anythin
10 sensible or creditable. The issues thi
te the Republican party has successive
IN disposed Of since 1860 were all new one
~ in turn, as they came up, and most
VS. them were far more grave and intrica
III than any of those which are no
ic demanding attention. There is nothir
r. likely TO arise in the next four years,
TO ever again TO the end OF time, that ca
v. call for more of ability, courage and il
so tegrity than the Republican party hi
te displayed in adjusting the many per
C. GUS and difficult problems which l. hi
d, already been obliged to confront at d
TO ferent stages Of its busy and splend
IN career. The Herald admits as much
h. allowing that Republicanism has solv'
ce the great issues Of the past twenty yea
| II. I'M a. a