Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-03-26
1.-THE 7
PAPER OF DAY COUNTY.
1T STILL LIVES.

Defeated but not ~dishonored. the re-
publican party RESIGNS the administrative
control Of the nation 10 It's OPPONENT. We
have no disposition ut this time TO quar-
rel with the circumstances which have
lead TO what vi believe to be only q tent
porafy abdication from " 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 IT. no need
to dwell upon the material progress in
population, ia wealth and in tile resour-
ces Of production has been little short Of
marvellous. During the quarter Of a CEN
tury in which the republican party has
directed the national policy this nation
has risen to the front rank among ihe
! great powers Of the globe. But that is
not The proudest part OF tile record.
The republican party viii "a down 70
history, not simply because II managed
the material interests Of the country
with unparalleled success, but rather be-
! canse il raised aloit the banner Of human
rights. From the first il has been a par
~ OF principle aud OF moral forces. Slay-
cry wa n Gnrse-the legacy of the CON
federation The republican party de-
termined to treat IL ~ an EVIL to be
protected within its constitutional guaran-
tees, but no further. Then cafne the
iTrepresible 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
~ o that the dark curse is blotted out.
II means a better conscience and a high.
er life for every man, wOman and child
Ia the land, now that the hateful relic of
barbarism is no more.
But the republican party did not end
lis mission with the emancipation of the
slave. The great moral principles upon
which II was founded included the
championship of right for the sake Of
right. II has never asked the question,
will this or that policy VIM" but rs il
right?v Under the inspiration Of thai
principle Il has fought for the purity and
inyiolability OF the ballot. IL has de-
manded the protection # the humblsst
citizens Ina the exercise Of his political
and personal rights. II has resoluteiy
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 10 be proud Of his citizenship
in this great republic. We are not sim
ply q confederation bound together Sy
Temporary ties. ready to split into frag-
ments under the slightest arrangement
OF our internal relations. The national
power IL respected throughout the entire
breadth ofihe land. In 1860 the general
government doubted whether il had the
power 10 coerce a state in armed rebel
lion. II even doubted whether il might
protect It's own property against the de-
mands of local instruction. To-Day no
such doubt exists. One flag floats over
ell, 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
tsgrity Of the Uuion.
IL Is not simply that the republican
party entertains these principles; in the
establishment Of them II has commended
active and unremitting opposi-
ton, The moral principles for the es-
Of which the republican
party has ~ gloriously commended are
accepted now, not because they were
never in dispute, but because they have
against the selfish Interests
against them 10 seems incred-
BILE now that we ever should have
tolerated slavery; but the time is not so
far distant when slavery was quietly ac-
as a 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 80 long as oppression raises It's bale
full head, so long as the weak need 10 be
defended against the strong, 30 long there
work for the republican party,