The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-03-15
The Democratic Party.
BY FORSYTH DE FRONsAC.


A blight came over affairs in 1885, and
has continued its depressing influence to
the present day. About the same time
the Democratic party came into power. 1t
would be hardly fair to the people TO say
that the blight produced the Democratic
party. and it would be doing Injustice to
the blight, to say that it is the offspring OF
that party. They do not seem to be re-
lated to each other by visible or consan-
guineous ties. but only to have occurred
simultaneously.
On looking over Americas mistakes, it
is worthy of note that the several other
social depressiOns, monetary panlcs, and
most of the failures of crops, severe win
tiers, and summers of OverpOWering heat,
came with the Democratic administration
into power, or else happened to quell the
general satisfaction felt in Democratic
rule.
If such things had occurred IN ancient
heather times, the prophets would have
declared that the immortal gods were
angry with the people for tolerating the
Democracy and were thus making their
anger known.
But the Christian members-if there
are any-of the modern Democracy, will
he apt to say as they look over this start
Ing record of disasters. "Whom the
Lord loveth He chastenetb," and forth
with will adduce these very disasters as
conclusive proofs that the Democratic
party is blessed, that it is the Lord 8
anointed, and has divine right to official
jurisdiction in the United States. In like
manner could the Egyptians. suffering
from the severe plaques, attest these as
evidence of the favor which they had found
in the sight of the Lord.
No one can satisfactorily explain the
relationship existing between mishaps and
the Democratic party, whether they are
the hybrid monsters resulting from some
secret marriage-mOrganatlc most likely
of that party with Pandora; or whether
they spring from some such causes as the
refusal of the members of the Democratic
administration to recognize the just Obl-
cations of government, can not be said.
But this much is plain, that any man who
drives a kicking mule. must expect to have
his buggy smashed.
The Democratic party again and again
has been compared to tiger. But the
tiger protects its young, and the Demo
cratic party, through one of its opponents
in Congress. has recently declared that,
even if certain of the debts of the United
States are acknowledged by the Court of
Gains. such as the French War debt they
SHALL receive no appropriation. Most all
of the original holders of these claims
were Democrats, because they were mer-
chants, and the merchant class was the1
the backbone of the Democracy as the
manufacturing class is the backbone now
of The Republican party. Perhaps it is by
such refusals to recognize Indebtedness
that false ideas of honesty are raised IN
the community, and that men seeing the
government chett its citizens, follow that
exalted example and cheat each other I'M
til monetary panic ensues. From such
wild cat schemes of dishonesty. those wit
little capital suffer most Hence result
social depressions; energy. through lack of
confidence in such government AMI in
the community itself, is discouraged and
abated. There is not so much planting
done, there are not so many fertilizers en-
ployed; there is not such careful outlook
kent for incidental chances and there re
suit fewer crops. This is only hasty
survey, but perhaps it is enough to indi-
cate, even to the most obtuse, how there