The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-17
Political aesthetics.

lndIlOLS are Drought Vut III oHe CoiHPNi-
ison.
Political aesthetics.
The sentimental theorists and political
aesthetics. who are now seeking to attract
attention as independent Republicans, ;"
will find that they have misjudged popular
intelligence in the new departure they
have made. Their positions and their as
sertions convey the belief that they have
never had any real sympathy with the car
dinal ideas which underlie the Republic
can party. They were, as sentimentalists,
opposed to slavery, and as the toadies OF
capitalists in favor Of the Union, and af-
forwards of specie resumption. Slavery
having been abolished, the Union pre-
served, and our monetary system estab-
lished, in opposition to the votes and eff
forts of the party they now cooperate
with, they now show their true colors as
the enemies of the people. 1t is natural
that they should support Cleveland, be-
| cause he is the friend of monOpolies, as
shown in his vetoes, and against labor in
terests, as evidenced by his free-trade no.
tions. Professors in colleges and doctri-
naires in politics, heretofore acting with
| the Republicans. but now for Cleveland,
| hold to sublimated notions of social and
political ethics, beyond the reach and I'M
Outstanding of the people. They could go
with the Republican party so long as its
policy had a tendency to encourage their
ideas of exclusiveness, but when its con-
summations formed the basis of business
security and governmental integrity, it
had another work to do in adjusting the
educational and industrial systems Of the
country to meet the demands and supply
the needs OF the people. 1t laid down the
fixed American doctrine that American
legislation should be in the interest of
American labor-that our material indie
pendence was as essential as our political
independence, and that these could not be
through the school house for all, aud the
workshops and furnaces and mines for all
who might choose to engage in them. This
meant the education OF the masses and the
employment of labor at remunerative
prices. Free schools and protection to
American labor. through well adjusted tar
| iff laws, constitute cardinal doctrine with
the Republican party. 1t means leveling
| up of the masses-the diffusion Of intelli.
gence, Of comfort and of prosperity-a pro-
| test against all tendencies to caste or class,
and recognition of the equal rights and
equal opportunities of the people. The
aristocratic pretensions of Yale and Har-
vard-the colonial and baronial inspira-
tions which cluster around them-revOlt
against this plebian pretension, this popu-
lar aspiration ; and subservience to Eng
lish influence Institutes it's insiduous work
through free-trade theories against labor
| interests. There is a radical, conStitu-
tional antagonism between this class of
people and the masses, and it is natural
that they should divorce themselves from
a party that believes in popular education
and industrial progress and labor elevation.
They recognize in neither party apprO-
pirate association, but as an independent
factor they propose to cooperate with the
Democracy to defeat and disrupt the Re-
publican party, as the most effective prop
agator and defender Of these vital popular
interests. They select friend of monopo-
lists, bigot, and free trader as the con-
venientagent for their purposes. They have
not. cannot have any sympathy with the
Democratic party, as an organization. Its
constituency in the North is just the class
they spurn and contemn. They will use it
as tool to give effect to their dissension,
! in the hope that if successful, the general
disgust and distrust of the party thus ele-
waited, would bring about general disrup-
tion and decentralization, and the forma-
tion of new party led by these refining
sentimentalists and pharisaical preten-
derS.
The popular revolt, which is everywhere
in the North being manifested, against
these self-exalted kickers. and especially
Cleveland, whom they have selected as
their instrument, attests that the people
UIltI6 uIuClObdlu OllO ulOUlNco VI bIlcSt
high morality and exclusively virtuous
propagandists, and that they are measured
just for what they are worth. AS the
canvass progresses and the influences in
voked are better comprehended, we expect
to see stampede from the Democratic
party to Blaine and Logan, which will
constitute protest from the people, more
emphatic and significant than words can
convey, and which will leave the candi-
dates and the cause of these political
dudes with following so diminished as
not only to preclude all hope of success,
but to impress lesson of popular rebuke
that will not soon be forgotten.
The elimination of this element of es-
thetics and impracticables from the Re
publican party, attests its popular charac-
ter and is tribute to it's devotion to the
rights and interest of the people. Unable
to control it or direct it's mission. they
would destroy, in the hope that out of the
general wreck, tide might issue that
would carry them TO the front. They,
however, do not understand the Amer
lean people or comprehend the object of
American institutions. A government of
the people and for the people cannot be
contorted into an agency to wrest from
them their rights, suppress their aspira-
tions or arrest their advancement. The
people are the source, the inspiration, the
force of our institutions, and it is out of
the order of things for few dreamy the
orists to assume Write and patriotism
so exalted as to leave to the masses moth
ing but subservience and silent admis-
sion of their own ignorance, depravity and
unworthiness.
The independents" will indeed, have
but an insignificant influence in this con-
test, except to drive into the Republican
party those who are instinctively opposed
to monopolies and pretenders. and believe
that the government was designed for the
promotion of the interests and happiness
Of the many, as against the presumptions
of the few.
No man in the recent Democratic Con-
yention appeared to more disadvantage
than Thos. A. Hendricks. He went there