Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-16

T TO, Support CAEvEtAHO. pa
The Leading California German 1sePub-
ncan Paper Leaves Its Party.
The San Francisco California Demo:
Erat, the leading German daily news >
paper on this coast, and heretofore
strongly Republican in National poli-'
tics, has pronounced for Cleveland and
Thurman. In a long editorial the
reasons for the change of policy are g..
given. The article opens with the
statement that if the Republican party
had not degenerated, there would have
been no reason for the Denlok;rdt leav-
ing it. This retrogression is in both
principles and candidates. LAS far as
the honesty of character of the oppos-
ing candidates is concerned" the
editorial SAYS, 1.-THE citizen could
choose his ticket blindfolded and de-
post it in the ballot-box without fear
of injuring the public interest. The
contest in this campaign" it con-
tinues. twill. therefore, be conducted
entirely on questions of principle.
These principles must not be judged
as expressed in platforms, but from
the character of the parties, their at
titudes and their former actions. The
Republican party" it adds, "has
taught us to care less than the snap OF
finger for platforms.
The Republican platform is charac.
terized as full of high-sounding COM
monplaces. and the question asked:
&" What has that party done since 1884
to strengthen its appeal to the peo-
ple?' After the glory of the past and
its men "comes race of mean
spirited adder-heads and narrow
minded zealots, who dragged the
party into the dirt and joined every
tramping movement from which they
satisfy frivolous prejudice. Scare
crows of liberty instead of heroes!
Look on that picture, then on
this: Lincoln, Seward, Stanton, Sum-
ner, Greeley. On the other side, John
j.. Ingalls,, H. w. Blair, William Ma
hone, and H. H. Riddleberger. Tho
tariff question is then taken up. with a
full sense of the need of such reform
as the Presidents message foreshad-
owed and the Mills bill presented for
action. The Republican position in
favor of high protection is deemed Il
desertion of party principles, and the
effort to excuse the declaration for free
whisky and tobacco as 20 rhetorical
exaggeration" pitilessly criticised;
with the concluding query: Are all
the planks in the platform similar ex-
aggerations?'' Republican treatment
of German-American supporters is con-
sidered at great length and the charge
of base ingratitude made against the
party. Harrison and Cleveland are
next compared, the formers position
on the Chinese question being ruth
lessly exposed: EAT all times he stood
by the Chinese, even going so far as to
favor their naturalization" Cleye-
lands career, on the other hand, is
stated to be phenomenal, Indicating
moral power and an intelligent devo-
ton to duty. his position on the tariff
proving a character which bears the
mark of true greatness. He is no
demagogue; he is a man" The eulo-
gium of Cleveland is continued in an
analysis of his principal actions as
President. Morton is "a member of
the moneyed aristocracy, chosen more
for his wealth than his ability" To
Thurman, "a man who has the conf
dence of the whole country" is paid n
high tribute, and Blaine's unqualified
and lofty estimate of the "Old Roman"
is quoted. The conclusion of the edi-
torial is a straightforward pledge To
support the Democratic National ticket
and an appeal to German-Americanst to
follow the eXample.-San Francisco
Examiner.