The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-27
TFiE OLD" SITUATION.
fhs People Are Not Calling for Repub-
Iican Rule to Any Alarming Extent.


fhs People Are Not Calling for Repub-
Iican Rule TO Any Alarming Extent.
A Republican organ at the West
complacently observes, in view OF the
apparent failure of the Democratic
House to accomplish what was hoped
from it, that lit 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 rs soon as pos
sible.'
What was this 'sold situation?" 1t 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
tied 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
misru!e. To restore the ''old situation"
is TO restore civil service thoroughly
and intensely partisan through
cut, and to permit its use as an ad-
j net OF a party machine. One year of
Democratic rule has brought Il 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 m,n-
agement of elections. The new situa-
ton is vastly better than the old one in
this respect.
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 a day.
1t was the ''old situation" that saw the
panic of 1873 and the depression of
1881, and that ended with million I'M
employed laborerS in the United States.
The rise of the many millions and the
combination of gigantic corporations
were both incidents of this former
regime. In 1850 the men in this coun-
try who We're worth $4,000 could
be counted on the fingers of two hands.
In 1884 fortunes of $50, 100000 and
$50, coo, Coz were not surprising, and
men. rich beyond the dreams of
avarice." were piling still higher their
supertluous wealth. The rich have
grown richer and the poor poorer, in
spite of the better condition of some
classes of working-men and the larger
earnings of salaried persons. Tramps,
strikes and labor riots axe develop
ments of the Republican era. The
Credit Mobilier, the grand larcenous
land grabs, the star route frauds. the
decay of the navy, and the department
thieveries were all incidents of the "old
situation"
Coming down to matters OF current
interest, did not recent Republican
Congress fail to pass a national bank
ruptcy law, rs well aS bills for the re-
lief of the Supreme Court, the regula-
ton of the presidential count and pres
idcntial successiOn? Did not the last
Congress of that complexion enact Il
river and harbOr grab of $lS,0O0.OO0
over the President veto? Did not it
and its successors run the pension up
to a sum in excess of the entire expenses
of the Government in the year before
the war? The Republican party ''as it
was did many great and beneficent
acts. But the Republican party as it is
offers no inducements to the people to
.'restore the old situation. "-BOstOn
!SuRdav Herald.