The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-06-02
THE NEW SITUATION.
rho People Are Not Calling for Repub
lican Rule to Any Alarming Extent.

EH0 1oeOpl0 arc NOC IOr 1kepUO> |
lican Rule to Any Alarming Extent.
A Republican organ at the West |
somplacently observes, in view Of the
apparent failure of the Democratic
House to accomplish what was hoped
from it, that "it has served at least to
show, by practical contrast, how much
Republican rule was worth to the
country, and to satisfy doubtful voters
that the great duty of the times is to
restore the old situation as soon as pos
sible."
What was this .'old situation?'' It is
well to recall it before accepting the
assumption that it was something
which it would be desirable to restore.
The old situation must have been bad,
Or the people would not have decided
TO change it. 1t was bad. Without in.
Justice, it may be said that every unset
lied question which now troubles the
Democracy, and every evil in the Gov
eminent which they are striving to cure,
is a legacy of Republican neglect or
misrule. To restore the ''old situation
is to restore a civil service thoroughly
and intensely partisan through
out, and to permit its use as an adj
junct Of a party machine. One year of
Democratic rule has brought a great
Improvement in this respect. The pub
lie service is being departisanized, and
there is no complaint of the neglect of
their duties by officials to engage in
partisan work, nor of the interference
of the peoples servants in the man
agement of elections. The new situa-
ton is vastly better than the old one in
this respect. IS
Of the labor troubles the same thing
is true. 1t was under Republican rule
and Republican laws that cheap con-
tract labor was introduced to this
country, that over-production was
stimulated by the bounties Of protec-
ton, and that the wages Of miners
were forced down to eighty cents day.
1t was the cold situation that saw the
panic of 1873 and the depression OF
1881, and that ended with million un-
employed ]aborers in the United States.
The rise of the many millions and the
combination of gigantic corporations
were both incidents of this former
regime. In 1860 the men in this coun
try who were worth $5,000,000 could
be counted on the fingers of two hands
In 1884 fortunes of S2O,0G0,000 ane
$4,000, 900 were not surprising, ant
men, erich beyond the dreams o
avarice,'' were piling still higher theil
superAuous wealth. The rich hav'
grown richer and the poor poorer, il
spite of the better condition of some
classes of working-men and the larger
earnings of salaried persons. Tramps
strikes and labor riots are develop
ments of the Republican era. TIL
Credit Mobilier, the grand larcenou
land grabs, the star route frauds, tn
decay Of the navy, and the department
thieveries were all incidents of the 'sol
situation.
Coming down to matters of curren
interest, did not recent Republican
Congress fail to pass national bank
tuptcy law, as we'll as bills for the re
lief of the Supreme Court, the fexula
! ton of the presidential count and pres
idential successionp Did not the las
Congress of that complexion. enact
: river and harbor grab of sl8,OOO,00
. over the Presidents veto? Did not
, and its successors run the pension u
to a sum in excess of the entire expense
{ of the Government in the year befor
the war? The Republican, party "as
t was" did many great and beneficer
acts. But the Republican party as it
: offers no inducements to the people
''restore the old situation. "-Bosto
+ 1 Saxntl0u Herald.