The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-02-11
PEACE AND PLENTY.

The Happy Results OF Three YcarD Of
Democratic Experience.
Three years ago the electors of the country
placed the Executive branch Of the Govern
mcnt in the hands of the Democratic party.
The trust rcposed In II has been faithfully full
filled The country has had the beneht Of .
wise, safe, honest and economical administra-
ton OF the government, and that is all that 10
expected Of any political party. The laws
have been impartially enforced, the revenues
have been faithfully collected. the standard OF
official integrity has been raised, the navy has
been purified in its methods and strengthened
In its resources and In its foreign relations the
been steadily preserved.
There is no denying these ringing
and unchallenged statements of Cover
nor HILL They are, however. a source
of sore discomfort to certain Republican
leaders who can not help seeing that
the country is in a distressingly and,
as far as they are concerned. an omin-
onsly prosperous condition. Mere par
tisanship may gnash its teeth at the
success of a Democratic Administration,
for it is thereby deprived of the cakes
and ale which an office-grabber always
includes in his definition of patriotism.
but the great body of American people
arc grateful for National prosperity, no
matter by which political party it is
achieved.
These Republican leaders were very
poor prophets in 1884 They foretold
National ruin, tho extinction Of our
industries and a general crash and
smash in case Democrat should be
made President There was to be an
eclipse of the sun and moon; there
were to be epidemics and plaques. the
Confederate debt was to be paid;
slavery was to be re-established at
once and the undertaken would make
ready to take charge of the defunct
Republic. This was the agreeable pict-
ure presented to American citizens
by the politicians who had fattened on
the perquisites OF Office. given away
two hundred million acres of our pub
lie domain. spent one hundred millions
Of dollars on navy OF which any
third rate power on the globe would
be ashamed, and retained unnecessary
taxes until the Treasury was bursting
with surplus which the people
needed for the conduct of their BUSH
ness and which the Government had
no use for.
These gentlemen. who feared the adj
vent of the Democracy and pretended
that their fears were born of their dis
interested patriotism. have been max.
ing history twenty-five years, and the
people are reading now page by page.
Senator Sherman. Mr. Foraker, of Ohio,
and Mr.. Blaine, of Maine, have sturd-
lily protested that the Republican es-
cutcheon was undimmed by scandals,
and that when the books were exam
ined they would be found to be cor.
rect Thoughtful men have marveled
at the recklessness of such assertions,
at the monumental impcrtinence which
insisted that black and white, was in
suited the people by regarding them
as fools who liked nothing better than
to be gulled. There was the Whisky
ring. the Credit Mobilier infamy. the
land robbery, the monstrous cJr-
ruption by which poor Hayes was
counted in, the innumerable navy jobs,
and score more of colossal misdeal-
ings, every one of them the accuse.
ton and the proof of dishonesty. Still
the Republican escutcheon was I'm.
dimmed.
s'You will be ruincdr' they cried, and
hoped the lie would keep them in pow
err. They even scattered throughout
Virginia lot of chromos ornamented
with slave block and an auctioneer
selling black men to the highest bid.
der. and a legend containing the ago.
nizing assurance that If Mr.. Cleveland
were elected the old times would all
come back again. and the South
would fight and win in Congress the
battles which it lost in the Wilderness
and at Appomattox Business was to
go to the dogs, taxes were to be raised
and every conceivable disaster light
like a vulture on the carcass of the Re-
public and pick its bones.
Well, the country has had three years
of Democratic experience. The sun
shines, the rain falls, the crops grow,
the seasons change just the same as ever.
Not quite the same, though. for we
have never been SO prosperous or con-
tented as we are to-day. The bloody
shirt is waved in vain. Tho three pal
sizes have not taken effect. The South,
North. East ana West never under
stood each other SO well, and never rc-
spected each other SO much. We have
become one people, united people.
satisfied people. q people who are
growing rich That is enough to say.
for it includes law and order, tho
protection Of our homes and honesty