Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1888-07-13
POLITICAL MOVEMENTS.

IuuepeuueuCe tO leTlllindtiOi
made him the unanimous choice
of the people for first President O
the United States. But before the
close of his first term two distinc,
parties had arisen, the Federalists
and Republicans. The early Re.
publicans held that the Constitu.
tion gave too much power to the
government and soon came to be
known as Democrats, Democracy
meaning government of the peo-
pie. This party came into power
with the election of Thomas Jeffer-
son, who held the office for eight
years. From the beginning of JEFF
ferson's administration till 1860,
the government was in the hands
of the Democrats, excepting the
administrations of J. Q. Adams
from 1925 to 1899, w. II. Harrison
from lS41 to lS45 and Taylor and
Fillmore from 1S49 to 1853.
Thus it will be seen thet the
Democratic party, up to 1860, had
held the reins Of government As
years. Nor is it strange that the
Democratic party should have
kept its power SO long. The peo-
pie had only recently ceased to be
subjects of Great Britain and
foreigners were continually flock
ing to our shores to find homes,
that would enable them to enjoy
the greatest liberty consistent with
true citizenship. Because of these
conditions, Democracy became an
endearing term, and while it is
commendable that foreigners SO
readily grasped the meaning of
the term, il is true that they voted
the Democratic ticket not because
they had thoroughly investigated
the principles of the party, but
because the term Democracy
sounded as music in their ears.
Hence, it was only when side
issues, such as the war records of
Harrison and Taylor, came up and
swept away party lines that the
Democratic party was out Of pow
er, and then for but four years at
time. Sentiment and not useful
ness kept the party in power.
However, after nearly seventy
years of a Republican form Of
government the need of changes
became manifest and progressive
men saw that the old parties had
served their purposes. This caus-
ed the formation of a new party on
the broad and humane principle of
universal liberty. This party was
known as the Republican party,
and its humane principles and
financial policy, the grandest the
world has ever know n, placed it in
the seat of power, which it held
for nearly a quarter of century,
and it is a matter of history that,
under the wise administration of
this party, no nation in the world
can compare with progress and
prosperity of the United States in
the same length of time,
But the people became restless
under long period of prosperity
and in 1884 the ely of reform"
was raised. The people fell in with
the cry and party lines were swept
aside as in the campaigns of Harri-
son and Taylor, and the Demo-
Gratis were again put in power.
But the Cry of reform had hardly
died away ON the air before the
party found that no reformation
WAS needed. The treasury was all
right and the rules of civil service,
aproduct Of the Republican party,
had been carefully adhered to. In
short the only safety was in fol-
lowing the Republican policy
which has been done in every
thing save the civil service. Not
withstanding the promises of the
President, civil service, under the
present administration, appears to
be farce, and seemingly SO dis
honest have been the methods,
that many influential Democrats,
particularly in New York, have
turned against their party.
In the mail service have
these broken promises been
most fruitful of dissatisfaction.