Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-04
What Is the Issue?
"Strapge all this difference should be
'Twixt tvcedledum aud twcedledae."


The Boston Herald independent Re-
publican), In an article on Blalneism the
Issue,' declares that since President ELIOT
"sbowed that the hypocrisy OF the civil
service resolution OF the Republican plat
form made 1t the most immoral plank In
the structure much less Is heard about
voting for the PLATFORM" and adds:
ain fact, the demagogism OF the resoiu-
tons would repel many honest voters. even
though the nominations had been less OBJ
jectioDable. The Juggling platform CON-
pletes the evidence afforded by the ticket Of
the generalization and decadance OF the
Republican party. Il denounces the Demo
cratic party for failing to relieve the peo-
pie OF the burden OF unnecessary TAXATION
which Republican Congress imposed and
continued, and blames Democratic House
for not securing 81 wise reduction OF the
surplus which Mr.. Blaine 10 IN favor OF
dividing amcng the States, and General
Logan believes in spending"
The Herald then proceeds to riddle fur
tber tAe platform, plank by plank, and in
concluding Its article says:
"Whh such a mess Ct 1apdoodle and
buncombe as this in the platform the issue
necessarily turns upon the candidates. The
country il asked 10 endorse Blainelsm, with
ali that this imples-and how much this Is
the voters fortunately know. The indlca-
lions are that the country won't do it,"
The Herald il right. Blaineism Is the
issue-i. o., the issue is summed up In
BLAINE. lie represents the platform; the
platform represents him; and taken to-
gether the two represent everything that
ia Objectionable In Republican methods.
They cannot be dissoeiated one from the
other. much less can they be dlssocisted
from the record OF the Republican party.
The platform is 8 meaningless demagogical
drag.net-a political pie-crust, made
10 be broken, but which it was
intended should cover up until the time
for breaking il came. the hodge-podge OF
bad faith, venality, and corruption on
which the party Of high moral ideas has
iattened in the past and hoped to continue
to iatten in the future. The inwardness OF
this dainty dish was not to be exposed
until next November, when Mr.. BLAINE,
according to the Republican programme,
was to be master Of ceremonies.
But the public have come TO understand
the force OF the de claratlOn,
"whags one MANS poison, slgnor,
Isanoiher's meat or drink"
To paraphrase the above and reverse the
order little: They have come to under
stand that what has been Republican meat
or drink has been their poison. They have
begun to appreciate that the demagogy,
fraud, sectionalism, and hatred upon which
the Republican party has thriyen and for
which, in the nature OF things, the Re
publican ticket stands, has been fatal
to the best interests OF the country.
They have begun to realize that the power
obtained through bIackmailing. bribery,
and the spoils system has been unscrupu-
lousy and brazenly used TO poison the pub
lie mind against constitutional and pure
methods. They have begun to awaken to
the fact that they have been betrayed time
and again by pinning their faith to Just
such promises as are now being dished-up
TO them by the Republican party. In a
word, TO them Dir. BLAINE is the Republic.
can party. and In view OF their experience
with that party, they are echoing-Some Of
them lamentingly-the words Of the pro-
pbet OF old
"Cun the Ethiopian change his skin, or the |
leopard his spotsf then may ye also do good |
that are sccaTiomed 70 do evil"
Yes. the Herald Is right. Blaineism Is
certainly the issue as far as the people are
concerned. Every attempt Of the BLAINE
organs to prove the contrary simply makes
this fact more patent. Whether they fly |
from the platform to BLAINE or from
BLAINE TO the platform they cannot blind
the public 10 the one central aud promi-
nent fact that Republican success means
another four years Of administration de-
bauchery. In appealing from tweedledum
TO tweedledee, and rice versa, the BLAINE
leaders only show the weakness OF their
cause. The Herald Is also right In saying
the indications are that the country won't
endorse Blsineism.'