The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-03
The Partles and Thelr work.
HOW 40 MEASURE PARTIEs,


HOW TO MEASURE PARTIES,
The man who expects to find perfect po-
htical party whose every measure and policy
meets his full approval, will be disappointed,
and die without the sight Something, often
much, must be yielded by the individual voter
to the underlying principle that the majority
must rule. The bedrock upon which our gov
ernment rests is that the average judgment of
the majority is safe. The doctrine of the SUI
periority of the remnant may fit a monarchy, or
a despotism, bat has no place in a free govern
ment of the people, by the people. The voter
who claims to be too good and too pure to vote
with either Of the great political parties simply
because neither of them has espoused his par
ticular hobby, viii hardly purify or ennoble any
political party. He is too narrow for free gov
ernment based upon the aggregate will of the
not ripe for heaven. Every intelligent
voter in the United States knows
that either the Republican party or the
Democratic party will control this government
after the pending election. Which of these two
parties is to have control is to be again deter
mined at the ballot-box. If the results of the
past prove one of these parties far better and
safer than the other, if the leading policies and
measures OF the one party are good and tend
toward the Development prosperity and eeva-
ures of the other party are bad and tend to re-
tard development, unsettle business, crush pros
perity and check growth; if the promises and
pledges of the one party are plain, unequivocal
and just, while those of the other party are
ambiguous, equivocal and doube-tongued; the
voter who, knowing all this. deliberately with
holds his ballot from the party that is right in
the main, and wastes it by casting it in support
of some pet theory impossible of present success,
commits wrong against his country but little
less than crime.
There are three tests by which it is safe to
measure and compare political parties. First,
their past conduct; second their present princi-
pies, performances and pledges; third the
moral character and standing of the leaders and
Of the rank and Ale These tests, fairly applied
will not leave an honest-minded voter in doubt
Gas to which party best merits his support. A
review of the record cannot be charged by Dem
ocrats as an attempt to call up unpleasant mem
cries Even if it were, the Democratic party
could not complain. Fully one-half of the so
called Democratic national platform consists of
false charges against the Republican party A
line or two will suffice to show its animus and
at the same time justify comparison Of the
past conduct OF the two parties. 1t says The
Republican party, during its legal, its stolen
and its bought tenures of power, has steadily
decayed in moral character and political capac-
ity. Its platform promises are now a list of its
past failures Honey combed with cor
ruption, outbreaking exposures no longer
shock its moral sense If there is
an party ought to be beaten Happily, the his
tory of our country known and read of all men,
proves these charges to be malicious falsehoods
the fruit of corrupt minds.
The Republican party courts and challenges
the fullest investigation of every part of its
record. Can the Democratic party say as 1nuchY
Consider for moment the chief political cues
tions of the last twenty-five years, and let the
facts of history show which party has been
right and which has been wrong The Demo
cratic party was the friend and ally of slavery
The Republican party was the enemy of slavery
The Democratic party declared that the United
States was not nation, but mere federation
of States dissoluble at the win Of any State
The Republican party declared the United States
is A NATION and proved the declaration The
The Democratic party declared that the govern
ment of the United States could not and
should not, protect its life from assassi-
nation at the hands OF its enemies, The
Republican party did protect the life of the
Nation. and government of the people. bv the
people, and for the people, has not persisted
from the earth. just twenty years ago this
same Democratic party, In national convention
assembled, solemnly declared the war for the
preservation of the Union failure, and demand
ed that the government should surrender and
cease hostilities. The Republican party stead
fastly continued its hostilities against armed re-
bellion until every armed rebel surrendered, and
the war was a complete success The Democrat
ic party declared that our hag-the stars and
stripes-was not emblem of national power
worthy Of honor and homage The Republican
party unfurled it, and in the light Of its stars
conquered rebellion, and made it the proudest.
freest banner on earth. The Democratic party
declared that greenhacks were valueless, frauds
upon the people, branded with the mark of
Cain. The Republican party held that the prom
ises of the United States government were worth
their face in gold, and it has made them
so. The Democratic party declared that
negroes should not be permitted to
fight rebels The Republican party enlisted ne
Of helping to preserve and redeem the govern
The Democratic party declared that slavery
should not be abolished. The Republican party
said slavery is the the cause of rebellion; it
shall cease. Slavery died and the Union lived
The Democratic party opposed the homestead
law The Republican party passed the law, and
hnndreds Of thousands Of independent, thrifty
opposed the reconstruction acts. The Repub-
lican party passed the reconstruction laws, and
re-establshed the government upon the sure
foundations Of liberty and equal rights before
the law. The Democratic party was hostile to
the Thirteenth, Fourteenth aud Fifteenth amend
ments to the Constitution. It voted against
them and opposed their adoption, even to the
forced Acknowledgement of State Legislatures by
bolts and designations, The Republican party
said these three amendments, embody-
made part Of our national Constitution.
They were adopted. Slavery is forever pro-
hibited, Equal civil rights are guaranteed to
all The rebel debt can never be paid Our
national debt can never be questioned, and the
humblest black man casts as potent ballot as
the mightest Democrat. The Democratic party
opposed the act providing for the resumption Of
specie payment In his letter Of acceptance, in
1876, Thomas a Hendricks, now again Demo
cratic candidate for Vice president adopting
form. said: eve denounce the resnm ntion
clause Of the act Of 1875, and demand its repeal