The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-28
CURRENT PRESS COMMENT.

THE time may come, ana it may not be distant
when the Republican party in the several States will
feel constrained to lead public opinion the liquor
question led it in the days of the freeso issue
but at present its attitude and its proper attitude is
that of keeping abreast of the best and most pro-
gressive public opinion and acting the interpreter
and executor of the best conscience and common
of the country. That the whole nation is being
rapidly educated IN the matter referred to
blind not to That process of education should
be given reasonable time.-Minneapolis Tribune.
The old flags in themselves better monument
to the memory of the union soldiers than any shalt Of
iron marble. Expenditures looking to their preser
walton more in accordance with the wishes of the
people than would be expenditures for monuments.
They must in some way be made to endure longer
than mere monuments of brass stone 1t may be
difficult to accomplish all that is desired in this dir
rection but if the same reverent care and soietous
attention given these flags that has for ages bees
given religious relics and historical records there
is why they should not last for generations
Chicago Inter Ocean.
THE Democracy in electng Mr.. Carlisle as Speaker
promised the country that they would use their ut
ost endeavor to lower the protective duties Amy
swerving now from this high policy demanded BY
the people for the people will bring down upon the
Democrats the deserved scorn of the country This is
time for dickering. The protectionist party wiz
remain in power unless the Democracy oppose to il
the principles and the practice of tariff for public
purposes only Safety and success to be found in
n courageous expression of well-considered opinions
and in the fixed determination to do what is right
what may-Charleston News and Courier
THE gentlemen who may fairly be considered candi
dates for the Republican nomination all qualified
interests of the party and of the country would be
entirely safe. We may easily differ in opinions
to their relative fitness and availability and it is
right to all honorable and fair means to promote
the chances of the whom think would best
the purpose but it is neither right proper
neither sensible nor profitable to belitte other candi
dates by idle and presunptuous talk about their inab
ty to poll the full Republican vote of certain close
and disputed States.-St. Louis Globe Democrat
THE prospective value of the coming harvest is
much less than it was fortnight ago and even farm
will auffa in he
this means that fewer goods will be bought by our
agricultural population, and that the trade of the
spring and early will receive decided set
back OF course it do no harm in the long
to let the truth be known as soon as possible. 1T
American farmers must meet competition from
India and Australia which will force them to accept
lower prices for their wheat they should understand
the situation at once and to build unfounded
hopes upon the fictitious value which speculation has
given of their greatest staples-Cleveland
Leader.
AN undivided responsibility is serious than re-
sponsibility which may be shared with Others The
hesitation and indecison of the Democrats is the
significant too, because they have never been reluc
tant to apply the whip to enforce obedience to
any party mandate The authority of the caucus has
always been supreme in the Democratic party. That
it has not been used by the majority in the present
instance is therefore the best possible demonstration
that the party hopelessy divided the tariff ISSUE
and that the people cannot reasonably expect any
lief from that quarter. Upon what ground then,
will the Democracy urge their claim to popular sup
port in the approaching presidential eleetioni-Chi-
cago Tribune
THE wife-beater lis a troublesome criminal 1t is
seldom that his victim will complain of him. and when
she does the chances that she will ntercede for
him when the judge begins to pass sentence. The
dsproportion between the sentences passed upon
and other classes of criminals is absurd
anywhere Something surely be done to make
the penalties heavier without resortng to modes of
punishment which modern progress has repudiated.
This and stern spirit in the judges-which it must
be said they often ready to show when they get
opportunity-will do much law do There
many things in the relations of husband and wife
which the law is powerless to control and always will
be; but the steady improvement in woman's position
will serve to protect her.--New York Tribune.
HAS not the time come for revising the whole sys-
tenn of our foreign diplomatic intercourse and making
it conform to the facts of the day. That there is
needless friction in the machinery somewhere is clear
from observing that Germany and Turkey, whether
fairly or unfairly discriminate between the Washing
ton government and its representative in the same
breath denouncing the latter while renewing VOWS of
friendship to the former. Now, when we reflect that
through the telegraph these sentiments from the Bos
phoros and the Spree reach only few moments
after their utterance the absuldiy of sAvey keep
ing up the theory which the system Of ministers
resident originally founded, namely the main
tanning of representatives of the government at Eu.
ropean courts account of their great distance from
our country, becomes apparent.-New York SUM-