The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-09-23
REPUBLICAN NOMINEE
"TWenty:FiYe Years.

and join hands with the new
that means government
for the people, OF the people and by the
people.-Aueghany Sentinel.
Of course this is one of those campaign
squibs which get into print without the
writer of them thinking carefully over
what they import. This one however, is sug-
gestive, and naturally directs attention
back twenty five years to the condition OF
the country then, when it had been under al
most unbroken democratic rule for over
twenty five years. In 1861 the Republicans
came into power and found as an inheri-
tance from the previous democratic admin
istration, a bankrupt treasury, impaired
credit, weak and sickly industrial system.
or want of system, "a flucuating currency las
the result of State issues of bank notes,
the whole country flooded with wildcat
shinplasterS, and an impending conflict be-
tween the States, which threatened and
was designed on the part of the democratic
leaders to destroy the Union. 1t is within
the memory of many men now living, that
the credit of the government was SO low
that it could not borrow few mil
lion dollars, at even 10 per cent. in
terest, to supply the needs of the
treasury and pay the current expenses OF
the government, as result of the opera
tion of the tariff '..for revenue only'' of the
Democratic party. 1t was the crucial test
of that policy. and it proved disastrous
failure, bankrupting the treasury, while
it inhibited industrial enterprises so that
we manufactured nothing scarcely that we
consumed, but had to depend upon foreign
labor and foreign manufactures to supply
our wants. We were virtually slaves to
Europe, working for the support OF their
factories and to pay the wages OF their op-
eratives, while we were thus driving our
own country to ruin. To meet the treasu-
~ deficiencies in 1857, a loan of 0,O0O,-
600 was authorized by Democratic con-
gress and approved by a Democratic Pres
ident the same amount was asked for in
1858, and in 1850 loan Of $2l 10000 was
authorized at 6 per cent, but only 81 ,0oo,-
600 could be placed. Treasury notes were
issued in $780, redeemable in one year,
amounting to 10000, 900, bearing interest
from to II and II per cent. all that would
be taken. unless interest ranging from Is
to SO per cent, was allowed. The State
bank currency, issued under the States
Rights Democratic theory, by acts of the
States, was so uncertain and questionable
that person passing from one State to
another had to suffer ruinous discount
before his money would be taken for trav-
cling fare, hotel bills. or anything else, out
side of the State where it was issued. We
had Ficklin shinplasters, Imboden shin
plasters, and Burke shinplasters, for much
of the currency of this section of country
all under the statesmanlike administra-
ton of the Democratic party. These were
the EXAMINATIONS of the Democratic finan-
cial policy.
The Republican party came into power
in 1861, with the monetary affairs of the
Nation in this deplorable condition, and
its industrial interests equally Frustrated.
1t was confronted with a gigantic civil
war, as the result of the governmental the
cries of the Democratic party, and when
the fierce and bloody conflict commenced,
both the North and the South were with
ont the means, arising out of legitimate
to sSsher equip an
army or arrange for.Supplies. 1t was then
that the effects of Democratic customs pol
icy were positively felt. We had to de-
pend upon Europe for our munitions of
war, our clothing, and supplies of every
kind. We were in the attitude of a ma
tional dependent and probably nothing
but the necessities caused by such ire
mendous emergencies, aroused the country
to the Importance of industrial independ-
ence, and the adoption of the policy OF
protection to American industries and
American interests.
AS result of the fearful experience
through which the country had gone, the
present industrial and financial sys-
TENS of our government were lnaugu-
rated under Republican auspices. We
now can face the world with the pro.
ducts of our laborers and artizans. We
have financial system that has not
its equal among the nations of the
earth. We have met and overcome the
gigantic burdens which that unhappy con-
fiict imposed. When we were confronted
with the large war debt, the Democratic
party shrank back from its payment, but
the Republican party declared in its State
and National conventions, and through the
agency of Congress, that the autonomy Of
the nation having been preserved as the
price Of the debt, the credit of preserved
Union must be held as sacred as the I'm
ion itself. 1t marched with unflinching
courage and intrepid determination to this
vital and holy duty. 1t met it like ma
tion of freemen should have net it. Every
promise and every contract was religious
ly observed. Two billions of the debt have
been paid off. The credit Of the govern
ment established on the highest plane ever
known to a nation. Our 8 per cent. bonds
are at a premium, presenting an impress
sive contrast to our financial condition, as
we have cited above, when the Democratic
party surrendered the government. Our
national wealth had increased more in the
twenty-fv years of Republican admins
tration than it did from the foundation of
the government until 1861. Our industrial
enterprise is keeping pace with our po-
litical supremacy our wage earners, I'M
der the system of industries established
through the protective policy, are better
paid than the same class in any country
under the sun. The Homestead law, Civ
ing to the actual settler home at nomi-
nal price-a law which the last Democrat
ic President vetoed-offers an asylum for
the industrious laborer who may seek the
quiet and contentment of the husband
mans occupation on the frontier. With
in the past twenty five years, under Repub
Iican rule, we have spanned the continent
with four railroads, cennecticg the Allan
tic and Pacific oceans, and built up an en-
pire of wealth and population out of the
waste and desert lands of the nation. In
avery State the Public Free Schools offer |
The means for the education of the poor
children of the country, the fruits of Re-
publican demands and Republican legisla
Jon.
L L. T Ii.