The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Duty of the Republican Party

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30 the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
have just been thinking-and have concluded
to put my thoughts down-of the glorious record
of the Republican party Ever the side of
freedom, right and iustice-espousing free soil
when it required coura &c to do it-opposing the
advance of slavery, and finally corauering on
the principles of restricting it; fighting the
war through to successful termination-reor-
gsnizing the country into one great homogene-
Gus mass of patriotic citizens, where menacing
sections had existed-making the Constitution
conform to the new conditons-fund-
ing the great debt and putting it IN
course of payment-making the flag respected
and honored everywhere and bringing a long
season of unexampled prosperity Such are
come of the things accomplished by the old
party. and SO well did it do it's work that al
though the opposition have now been in power
three years. it has notlain its hands on or undone
a single act OF the Republicans A glorious
record, and only. accomplished through courage.
Courage to espouse and courage to maintain the
rieht-accepting defeat rather than surrender
any part of its principles. All this is accom-
plished-.'the past. at least, is secure'-but what
of the futures The things struggled for are
misunderstanding cones; but the method
how best to conduct the government now we have
re-established (which is the right and just
side of the great economic and moral questions
presenting themselves: these are to be determ-
ined, espoused and fought FOR. One OF the
planks of the platform upon which Blaine was
having failed completely to relieve the people
of the burden of unnecessary taxation by wise
reduction of the surplus" and then adds: 1.-THE
Republican party pledges itself to correct the
irregularities of the tariff and to reduce the sur
plus" Thus far were right, and now the
question is, are we going to keep on in the right
or are we going to permit Mr.. Cleveland and his
part of the Democratic party to crowd off
solid platform of right, and while
they occupy. il. compel us to stand in
the quicksand of cheap expediency and defend
q
asked to aid in the removal of the tax from to-
bacco, and let it remain on rice. sugar and pota-
toes Are we to be asked to relax any part of
the whisky tax, while necessaries for the poor
remain taxed for from 40 to 20 per cent There
is a right and wrong side to these question:
Let us, as in the past, espouse the right side
the side upon which is correct economic prnci-
pies and enduring justice Because when we
were young and vigorous we absorbed what was
its high tariff notions, it will not do
to let wheels drop into the ruts
in which it stalled. No cheap and easy expe-
dient-such Mr.. Blaine suggests of calling
tons presenting themselves too big to be
disposed of by any expedient. The great fact is
people hundred millions of dollars more than
Is required to run the government. This is a
great fact To continue to do it, and seek ways
unnecessary public buildings, or any
Of the many ways suggested TO
get the money out of the Treasury, would be
Ine worst possible puDiIc economy, ana lead only
to corruption and disaster. Let US then, as Re-
publicans, as the party best equipped TO govern,
bravely in the present and future as IN the past,
recognize the right; let US say this unnecessary
tax shall not be gathered. Let say the tax
shall be reduced to the wants of the government,
the details of such reduction to be left to the
wisdom of well-advised Congress, but that it
shall be reduced. and that the tax whisky
and tobacco shall be the very last to be reduced
one penny. If any tax can be paid that can; il
any tax should be paid, that should. And more:
Let us be courageous enough to say in
own State that the liquor traffic shall
be completely subservient to and
trolled by law. Let learn wisdom from
from nsighboring States and make the disreputa-
BILE whiskey traffic pay through high license at
least part of the enormous cost and damage it
inf1icts on the State. Whenever the Republican
party assumed positive Observation-Disclosures it
could sayI This Is right in justice and morals
it has triumphed. The country is full of good
men; let US not be afraid to appeal to them. No
bugIe- blast from osr leaders has yet touched the
keynote. When the presidential bee is buzzing
in this direction and another in that direction
he sees in streaks and seems to lose the power
of taking a comprehensive sweep of the whole ]
horizon Let us then, in spite of them and their
selfish and streaky views grasp and hold to the
right of all public questions, and, in the past,
helping hands will come to us from all sides.
ID. W. MINsHALL.
TERRT HAUTE Ind Jan z