Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-05-16

charts Of the first explorations; and so 20
htical progress may be made by turning
back and relearning the principles Of gov
ernment which made possible the great sue
cess of this Republic.
Equal and exact justice to all men f" is
as noble an utterance to-day as it was when
it was first penned.
Support of the State governments in all
their rights" should be as sacredly man-
tanned in each of the thirty-eight States as
1t was in the thirteen.
preservation of the general Govern
ment in its whole constitutional vigor''
grows more important every day, as upon
it depend the maintenance and growth Of
our institutions.
g. jealous care of the right of election by
the people" appeals to every honest man
at this hour moro forciblY than ever before.
For we all realize that within the past few
years the attempted and successful frauds
upon the elective franchise have been
alarming.
"Absolute acquiescence in the will of the
majority, the vital principle of republics,
from which there is no appeal but force, the
immediate parent of despotism," has al
ways been a jealous principle in our scheme
Of government, and never but once has it
been set aside; and to every honest Ameri-
history Of his country four pages which
contain nothing but the inscription: 1.-THE
will OF the majority disregarded. Fraud
first triumphant in American history"
Keeping in view these several funda-
mental principles, the greatest progress
may be made in reference to the conduct of
administration, which will inure to the ben
eft Of all the people. Progressive politics
should fear no danger and oppress no
weakness; it should be fearless, generous
and humane it should rebuke the arrogant,
cherish honor, and sympathize with the
humble; it should be the censervator of lib
erty, labor and property; it should be the
sentiment of freedom, equal rights and equal
obligations. But there never was "a senti-
ment, however ennobling or sublime, but
what met with criticism and opposition, and
it is therefore expected that any step taken
to correct the abuses growing out of a sys-
tenn OF politics long adhered will meet with
harsh criticism and defiant opposition. The
Jefferson scheme of government, which
made every citizen a sovereign, was stub
bornly contested, and the opposition Of the
Federalist to a peoples government was
transmitted to Its offspring, the Wing, and
is nursed to-day at the bosom of the Repub-
lican party-the lineal descendants Of the
blue line Federalists.
The Democratic party has not always been
free from just criticism, but the times for
censure have been only when it has de-
parted from the well-defined principles of
Jeffersonian Democracy, which, If followed,
must always make it party of progress.
Defeat has como to the Democratic party at
times by reason of its careless disregard of
the demands of the people on great ques-
tions at issue and its perfunctory proclama-
ion af .rrlee
ever it had the courage of its convictions
and placed itself squarely on the side of
right victory has followed.
In 1884 the convention which nominated
Grover Cleveland for President made
standard-bearer for the party stronger
than the platform upon which he stood A
very large number among those who were
denominated the leaders of this great politi-
cal organization were satisfied that public
sentiment demanded an Improvement in
the methods which had been practiced in
the administration Of public affairs, and
were desirous Of giving an unqualified
Endorsement to existing laws enacted for
the purpose Of correcting the abuses COM
planned Of, yet, with hesitancy equal to
cowardice, through fear of driving some
body out Of the Democratic party refused to
take the step which their candidate had the
ton Of right, born of an honest purpose.
made him President Of the Uuited States.
We arc now in the morning Of the con-
test Of 1855; soon the candidate of each
Of the great political parties viii be before
tho people. The standard-bearer of the
Democratic party win be that fearless
champion Of the peoples rights, that earnest
ievotec Of the public welfare, that honest
conservator Of the chief executive trust
Grover Cleveland, and it is the duty of the
St. Louis convention 10 give the country
such declaration of progressive party faith
that the victory in November viii be as
overwhelming as was Monroe's in 1870
The Republican party, which exists and
lives only on the reflection that it was once
great. will possibly have a candidate, but
to-day It is afioat on the sea Of uncer-
tainty without a plot and with no
fixed point for landing. 1t is, indeed, mo-
ment for solemn thought when ~e consider
that the parry which once had upon its roll
the names Of such men as Lincoln, Greeley,
Seward. Sumner, Chase, Trumbuil, Palmer,
Julian and Doolittle is left to choose Presi-
dental candidate from among those whose
only merit is hatred for a part OF the peo-
pie OF their own country and their wiling
ness to defend a system Of taxation which
is not only oppressive but robbery. Pro
gressive politics means the destruction OF
the unamerican tendency Of q very large
number Of our citizens; not By force and
vinlerces but hv the advocacy. mppovt snd