Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-04
THE REPUBLICAN DEFEAT.
fFrosg the Evening Wisconsin. I

Editor Wisconsin,: -All sorts of
reasons have been assigned for the
defeat of the Republicans in the late
election. Some say that St. John
did it; others that Burchard's rum,
Romanism and rebellion remark Gid
1T others that Whitelaw Reds fight
with the printers on the New York
Tribune did it others that Blaine's
trip through the West had something
to do with it others that the indie
pendent Republicans did it; that the
! Delmonico dinner was great mistake.
r That the Republicans had no money
that the Republican National Com
mittee were poor managers that the
Stalwart ring of the New York Re-
publicans paid off an offensive remark
that Mr.. Blaine made against Roscoe
Conkling by throwing cold shoulder
against Republican success that
Providence poured down rain for
week, and so on ad infnitum. But
we have not yet seen the theory ad-
vanced that Americans are migratory
people, that they like to change from
one thing to another, and from one
: place to another, even if it is going
from the frying pan into the fire. A
man becomes odious, whoever he may
be, if he is long in political Office.
There is no community that likes to
see certain set of men year after
year fatting at public crib. And a
man becomes especially obnoxious if
=, he is becoming rich out Of public
office. 1t is the very opposite of
; Republicanism to obtain unlimited and
= unending political power, or to trans
NIT to individuals any degree of sue
cession, or assume any particular
authority that is not equally open and
available to others. The changes that
will be wrought by compelling certain
Republicans to step aside who have
obtained an excess Of their share of
the leaven will but work. good to the
whole Republican party, who, as a
body, detest all manner of ring rule
The intelligent men in the. Republican
( party will be willing to act as a unit
with the party when they know and
feel that the footing is equal, and that
= the intelligent effort of one man is
as good and potent as that of another,
that no man in the future of the Re-
publican party can say to some supe-
rior: MY section of the country
went republican by reason of my
efforts" This election will have killed
off that class CT individuals. although
. it cost the country great loss in the
splendid administration that Mr.. Blaine
would have inaugurated. There is no
reason why the name Republican
party" ought to be changed to some
thing else. There is no deed the
: party has done that it need be asham-
ed Of The Wing party died because
its chief supporters would not openly
espouse the cause of the proslavery
element of the party. There is no
more comparison between the object
aims, and purposes of the Prohibition
party, at its inception. than there is
between a woodchuck and lion, in
fact, the Prohibition party ought to
initiate the example of the woodchuck
by going in their hole and pulling the
hole in after them. They are too
pure to stay on the top of this earth
and be subjected to the ways of this
world. The Republican party went
into power and have retained their
power for twenty -four years. by espous-
!: ing great national principles which
: have made this country all it is, and
gave it distinctiveness that it will
. always retain, which we call Ameri-
canism. The Democratic party has
- erept back to power again by scratch
without one distinct national policy,
with nothing before them but the off
ces, which the prospects of getting
: makes nimble the worst of copperheads
between 1860 and '65.
CHAs D. SMITH.
=, Fond du Lac, Wis. Nou. 26. 1884.