Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-11-23
FRIDAY MORNING. NOV. %. 1888
A CONTINUING FIGHT,

1t is not unnatural that the passing fog
of defeat should, to the eyes of Democrats.
obscure for moment the nature and pro-
gress of the struggle in which their party
is engaged. Nor is it unnatural that in
their temporary disaster they should be
should be laid But we wish to remind
all who seek to lay it at President Ceve-
lands door that they should first examine
the chart by which the Democratic ship
has heen sailing for the past twenty years.
If the Democracy has met a check it has
met it by sailing close to its chart, and by
keeping to It's promises made to the people
every four years in that twenty. 1t is
unquestionabie that President Cleveland
held in his hand another term of four
years had he been willing to take it on
certain terms. He had given the country
clean, honest, unsectional administra-
tion and had he gone before the American
people on that alone, nothing could have
defeated him. But such a victory would
have left the country just where he found
it in 1884. The arguments Of the cam
paign; the sectional appeals; the wal
memories; the narrow scope of political
economy presented to the voters would
have been just the same. The country
would not have made one step forward
towards popular understanding of the
tariff under which the surplus had arisen,
nor been one step nearer TO reduction OF
its burdens. With a courageous patriot
ism which will shine in the history of his
country, MIR. Cleveland abandoned this
easy and level by-path to personal victory,
and struck into the rugged highway OF
the Nations good.
There are those who approve bis motive
as all patriots must debut think he was
unfortunate in the time he chose. But
they forget the history of this struggle.
The question which was uppermost Was
whether the National Democratic party
should keep faith with the people or, like
the Republican party, delude them every
four years with promises of reduction OF
tariff taxes never to be kept. Its pledge
was given to be performed when it got
into poWer-not when it had had two
Presidential terms. 1t ag0s in power ana
the time had come. MIR. Cleveland was
not bahind hand in his share. He and
his party did not agree in the details; but
in the main purpose of the reduction OF
taxation they were earnestly in accord.
Neither the President with certain pros
pec5 CT q second term. nor the party with
its assured continuance in power, were
swerved for one moment from the path OF
duty to the people by those pleasing allure
ments. The issue was defined by the
party ard not by the President, for the
Mills Bill was not exactly in accord with
his suggestions though fully in line With
his ends.
That the party has not won on this, its
first presentation to this generation Of lis
programme for reform ia taxation, is
net surprising. When We remember that
all the young and middle aged voters OF
this period have been reared under a Wal
Tariff Taxation; that all their lives they
have heard the prosperity of the land at
tributed to that taxation; had actually
been taught to believe that the seasons OF
depression were the result OF not having
enough Of it, and that they had been
with an audacity unparalleled, schooleo
into accepting the accumulated millions
of the protected interests as the wealth
of the country" it Is not surprising thai
the majority of them were not prepared t.
accept its overthrow. AS matter Of day.
and mouths, the issue On which the De
mocracy lost the ccuntry three weeks ag;
had not been practically before this gen.
Grafton of Americans more than six
months. It was a brief space, but 1t wa
well spent. It was filed with an educa
ton of the people which will bear its
fruits, and it was the beginning Of a can
paign which will not cease until victory
comes. Brief as it was. it settled the
fact that the taxes are to be reduced by
enc party or the other. If the Republican
party during Harrlson's administrati' q
shall escape from its bondage to TIE
Protected Manufacturers, it may give the
people this boon; if not, they will only
have to wait until the Democracy comes
in, in 1892 Whether the Republicans can
emanclpate themselves is doubtful, but
there is 10 doubt about the temperance
in the field, four years from now, Of the
very same issue. The Democracy has
inaugurated this fight against High Tax
alton to last, and the loss Of campaign
is only an incident IN the struggle.
The "LARGELY PRIVATE AT