Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-02-10
DEMOCRATIC PRETENcEs.


From the New York Tribune.
How fine it is to hear MeSsrs.
Scott, Coke and other Pennsyl.
vanla milliOnaires connected with
great corporations, in resolutions
which tLey adopt az members OF
the Democratic State Committee,
commencing the President and
their party Tor DEVOTED service to
be the cause Of the people against
rich corporations. The dulest crea-
ture in the world must be moved to
Homeric inextingushable laughter
by the absurd audacily of such
praise from such men. Just at this
time 1t happens that the Knights
of Labor, who are not ia all things
wise but are actually part of the
working people and not rich EN-.
plOyers or representatives Of pow.
erful corporations, adopt resolu.
tons concerning Dir. Scott, whose
long fight with his employees is not
forgotten, and Mr.. Coke, one of the
operators whose barges the men re.
fused to unload, thus precipitating
the great Reading strike. II these
men remain on the Democratic
State Committee, the knights TO.
solve that they will not vote the
Democratic ticket. But ii they do
not remain, the large contributions
expected from these two million
aires and others TO the Democratic
campaign fund will be withheld,
and Democratic dispatch aflirms
that Mr.. Scott gave $4,000 to aid
the election of Mr.. Cleveland.
The incident illustrates certain
differences between the two great
parties which go very deep. For
years it has been the constant pre-.
tence of the Democratic party that
it especially represented the poor
people, and was especially anxious
to serve their interests. Its only
policy for years before the war was
that dictated by rich slave. holders
against the interests of labor every.
where, and yet even then il pro.
fessed to be the party of the labor.
er. Since the war its sole policy in
regard to the questions which con
Germ the industry and trade of the
Nation has been hostility 10 the
system adopted for the protection
OF American labor against foreign
competition, and yet it claims to
DO the party of labor. 1t processes
hostility to capitalists and corpOr'
atoms, and denounces the Republi.
can party as the party of capital
lists and corporations. Then the
party of labor votes to take away
the protection of American labor
the party of the workers against
the employers gives Messrs. Scott
and Coke control OF its state Com.
mittee.
The thoughtful wOrkingman sees
that one of two conclusions Is inev-
table. Either the party is dishon-
est IN protesting to represent the
workingmen and the people at all,
or it has sold them out for the III.
huenoe and the peouuiary cOntrlbu
tons of The corporations and the
In either case its dis
honesty deprives the party of con.
fdence. That it does, in fact, serve
the interest of rich importers, for
eigu agents and foreign manutac-
turers in the tariff matter, against
the interests of American labOrers,
begins to be understood by Knights |
of Labor and others who are study
ing the subject, aud who see that a
British policy and British interests
are not for the benefit OF American |
labor.
The Republican party was never
intended TO be and has never claim
ed to be the party of the poor |
against the rich, or of the laborers |
against the employers or of the peo-
pie against the corporations. 1t /
holds that poor and rich both have .
4 vital interest In good government; /
hat laborers and employers both |
nave need of defensive National .
policy which promotes the welfare .
If both; and that people and cor
1oratiOns both have right to de-
nand from their Government no /
but even-handed justice.
rbe Republican party has from the
irst been, in fact, controlled III
great degree by practical working
men, who form a majority OF its
members. But it has honestly |
,triven to do equal justice as the
.rustee OF power for the whole peo-
Die. Many times it has failed, but
{ has so far succeeded that the
growth and prosperity of the cOnn-
Try since this party shaped the pol
cy of the Government have been
lnequalled in any age or country.
It does not dishonesty pretend to
be the party of labor, and at the
same time vote against protecting |
ab0r.