Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1884-09-10
SENATOR SHERMAN.
The Past and the Present-The Demo-
cratic Policy in the South.

Senator Sherman recently delivered speech
at Ashland. Ohio, The Senator began by stating
that the older he became the freer he was from
partisan pride. He then briefly reviewed the hiss
tory cf the Republican and Democratic parties,
and said:
Those of us who have lived through the
period of this struggle and growth can realize
by single glance OF memory from the present
to the past the great and beneficial change
which has been produced in the United states
since the Democratic party was IN power. but
OF government will appreciate this change more
by reference to some figures taken by me from
the statistics of the last census. From 1860 to
1880 our population increased from 81 4Jo, 600 to
to b1.0o0, 900, moro than SO Per cent. The NUM-
Der Of manufacturing establishments increased
from 10000 to 253,oUo The capital employed
In manufactures Increased from 81 eao, 900 600 TO
2,f09, 100000, or nearly three-foid. The humber
OF hands employed in manufactures increased
from 1,aii,ooo to 2, TBS 900, or more than double.
The wages paid to labofers increased from
s379 Ooo0oo to $a4s .ooo OF nearly three fold.
The value OF material used In manufactures In
cFeassd from sa,2S,, ,oeo ego g s, w so se2 q
from 1885. 100000 to $3.50, 100000, or about
three-f0ld
but this enormous Improvements ir our con-
dition is not confined to manufactures only ls
extends to agriculture and other pursuits as
well, The number Of farms in 1850 was 2.o44.-
900, while IN 1880 it was 4,0os, 800. The number
OF acres in farms increased during that time
from 4o7, 600 to 536,ooo,ooo, and their value
increased from $6,6t0 eco 900 to $h 1aT, ,0oD, JOG
while the products of farming increased from
$246, goo 600 to $406, GOO, 800.
I'm 1860 we had 30,Gs5 miles of railway. In
1890 VIC had 1898 miles, and now we have
127,ooo miles. Our exports OF domestic prod
ucts during the last year amounted to sSoNi'
100000, while in 1850 they amounted to $685.
00o,0o0.
"Our national debt, once an object of pro-
found alarm, Is being paid off at the rate OF
500 nD0, 900 year, the excess OF taxes being so
lightly borne that no considerable portion Of
the people complain of them, and no general
demand is made for the repeal of any OF them.
Indeed, 1t is marvellous feature of our condl-
ton that to repeal taxes is more unpopular than
to retain theln and some of these taxes are
themselves a means OF prosperity, and not
burden complained Of by any
The Senator then spoke of the triufnphs OF
the Republican party ID the past, and declared
the Democratic party totally unfit o govern tile
country. ConceTning the Democratic policy in
the South he said:
aThe Democratic party is in complete control
of all the Southern States. In this way they
claim ~ be secure of 1888 electoral votes, need
ing only forty-cigiit from tlfe North TO give them
yet we know that In perhaps majority OF the
Southern States if there was legal, fair eiee-
ton. without fraud or sioleucc, the Republican
party would be in the majority. We Also know
that they gained power in those States by cfinles
so revolving that when described i'll the nnldest
terms, good, quiet, honest people in the North
Goth. the truth Of such statements because
thev are not ca afle ri believing it possible that
such crimes would be reeortca tol " has got tc
be somewhat out OF fashion to talk abocS south.
ern ortrages, but no correct view can be had %
the condition of this country unless we are Will
ing to look at the exact situation OF the rebe1
States,
"Dy the ptricy aacptess In 1875 in Mississippi
the Republicans, white aud biHck, were eithel
not allowed to vote, or, il they voted, the ctun
was so made as to reject their votes, ana III
many cases, to count them on the other side
This fraud and violence was open. Ialpable, ant
scarcely dGniG8 II vas proved by witnesses by
| the hundred, whose TESTIMONY T. recorded II
public documents, now open to the ifspsealop q
any citizen. That fraud and violence was con
| tinued in 1876. and would have defeated Presi'
| dent Hayes but for the power conferred by stat
| Legislatures upon returning boards. device o
their own contriSafice,wh enabled the return
| ing boards IN Louisiana, Florida, and souti
| Carolina to return the electoral votes OF th6s
States for President Hayes. Sometiunes thi
| has been matter of complaint, and 1t has bee1
| denounced as fraud. Yet ! happen to know
| from the most careful examination OF these cases
| that in each of these States, ii there had been
| fair election, the majority would have beel
overwhelming for the Hayes electors. and tha
| the IT turning boards were not able to rerar a
the wrong done, but did lawfully and, pronerl'
reject the returns OF counties and parishes whar
! the fraud was most nalpable and gross, and thu
4 secured the election of President Hayes. 70,
\ all remember that even then bribery and frauo
| in Oregon and other States was attempted, ant
| the cipher dispatches, disgrace to the histor!
of our elections, showed that bribery was at
tempted in several OF the SOUTHERN States.
affirm without fear OF contradiction that In ever
| one of the cotton States q fair and honest vote
| free from fraud and intimidation, would plac
| all these States on the side OF the Republican
| party.
The occurrences at the recent elections y
| Mississippi and Virginia. known as the Copial
and panvillc uutrages, show tnat this policy i
| continued now, and the newspapers inform yo'
| that it is the openly announced and avowe'
purpose of the Democratic leaders to resort .
| the same frauds in Louisiana and Mississippi
and perhaps. other States. The success of tn
| Democratic party il only possible by crime
that in former times would have so shocke,
public opinion as to have led to the punishmen
| and disgrace OF every one who participated u
| them and vet this is the way, and the onl
| way by which there is possibility OF tn
Democratic party succeeding at the presen
| election. ] have often thought an
| believed that II the honest, good Democrats o
Ohio could appreciate, as i do. the nature Q
these offenses, and the danger to oar insttu
| tions growing out Of election trauds. they woul
| revolt against all affiliations with the Demo
| cratic party. ] concede that, as citizens an
neighbors here, they are as reaceable, as order
", and in the main az patriotic as we are, but
| cannot but think that they are so blinded an
mislcd by party zeal that they VIII condone an
take advantage OF crime and fraud TO secul
party ends, or still more charitable view, tina
| they cannot be persuaded. even by evidence, {
the truth of charges so disgraceful to the
party and their associates in the South.
| The Senator then considered the tariff ques
ton, the duty on wool, and urged liberal pei
sions for soldiers, closing with eulogy OF II
Republican national candidate.