Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-03-26
vrf1cIAL PAPER OF DAY COUNTY.
1T STILL LIVES.

Defeated but not ~dishonored. the re-
publican party resigns the administrative
control Of the nation TO Its opponent. We
have no disposition at this time TO quar-
rel with the clrcums'snces which have
lead to what we berieye to be only a tenn
porary abdication from power. The re-
publican party has no occasion TO apollo
gize for the record which it has made.
In reviewing what the republican
party has accomplished there IL no need
10 dwell uoon RE material progress ia
population, ~ iseaith and in the resouI-
ces Of production has been little short Of
marvellous. Daring the quarter Of a cen
fury In which the republican party has
directed the national policy this nation
has risen to the front rank among the
great powers Of the globe. But that is
not the proudest part OF tile record.
The republican party viii 20 down 10
history, not simply because 1t managed
the material interests Of the country
with unpar alelled success, but rather be-
canse il raised aloft the banner of human
rights. From the first il has been a par
ty Of principle and OF moral forces. Slay-
cry was q clrse-the legacy of the con-
federation The republican party de-
termined 10 treat II r. an EVIL 10 be
protected within It's constitutional guaran-
tees, but no further. Then attn the
iErepresible conflict between truth and
error, which could have but one result.
What a step is implied in The abolition
OF human slavery! Even the free man
draws his breath more freely and proud
ly now that the dark curse is bl0tted out.
IL means a better conscience and a high
err life for every man, woman ard child
in the land, now that de hateful relic of
barbaFism ~ no more
But the republican party did not end
It's mission with the emancipation Of the
slave. The great moral principles upon
which 1t was founded included the
championship Of right for the sake Of
right. II has never asked the question,
Twill this or that policy win?" but rs 1t
righta' Under the inspiration Of thai
principle IL has fought for the purity aud
inviolability of the ballot. II has de-
manded the protection If the humblest
citizens in the exercise of his political
aud personal rights. 1t has r~esolutely
defended the integrity Of the national
faith until the obligations which this
government assumes are accepted at
home and abroad with implicit conf
dence and trust.
II has enlarged the dignity Of the
nation. Every man to-day feels that he
has a right to be proud OF his citizenship
in this great republic. We are not sim
ply a confederation bound together by
Temporary ties. ready 60 split into frag-
ments under the slightest arrangement
Of our internal relations. The national
power IL respected throughout the entire
breadth Of the land. In 1850 the general
government doubted whether il had the
power 10 coerce a state in armed rebel
lion. II even doubted whether X might
protect its wi property against the de-
mands of local instruction. To-Day no
such doubt exists. One flag floats over
all, the symbol of a proud sovereignty
which seeks not oppression, but rather
offers the largest liberty Of individual
and local action consistent with the in
tegrity of the Uuion.
Ii is not simply that the republican
party entertains these principles; IN the
establishment Of them IL has commended
against active and unIemitting opposi-
ton. The moral principles for the ss-
adjustment of which the republican
party has q gsoriously commended are
accepted now, not because they were
never in dispute, but because they have
against the selfish Interests
arraysd against them Ii seems incred-
ible o that we ever should have
tolerated slavery; but the time Is not 50
far distant when slavery was quietly &C
as u necessary evil.
Ii 10 a glorious record which the re-
publican party looks back upon to-day.
Nor is its mission complete. What the
has in store for 1t no man can tell.
But so long as oppression raises its bale
fnl head, so long rs the weak need TO be
defended against the strong. 10 long there
10 work for the republican party.