Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-18
A THOUGHTFUL ARTICLE.
What Is the Grand Issue in the Coming
Presidential CampsiCne

Presidential Campaign?
There are three parties in the contest,
each of which will put forward q special
idea, on the ground of which it viii ask
for the SURFACES of the people. The Dem
ocratic party will push free trade to the
front, while the Republican party will
magnify protection. and the third party
will glorify prohibition. All these are
questions of living interest to the nation,
and deserve careful thought aud treat
ment but they are all Incidental, and not
one of them is fundamental On every
one of them men may honestly agree to
differ without imperiling the life or even
the well being of the republic.
But there is one question of supreme
and fundamental importance involved IN
this contest about which patriotic men
cannot differ. and on the right settlement
of which depends the life Of republican
institutions. That question is one of a
free ballot and an honest count. II these
cannot be secured, 1t is idle to talk of a
constitutional government Let 1t not be
forgotten that this Is government of the
people, and that the fundamental principle
on which it rests is the rule Of the ma
jority Just the moment the majority,
by free ballot and an honest count, is
made impossible, that moment the foun-
dation of the government is gone, and
any attempt to exercise its functions Is
practically revolution or usurpation.
Only a majority expressing its will
through honest ballots, honestly counted,
has any right to rule in this country. A
majority secured in any other way either
by putting the voter in mortal peril or By
suppressing his ballot is simple anarchy
and rebellion. And the government ad
ministered by such a majority would be a
fraud, having 10 right of authority under
the constitution, and no claim to the re-
spect and obedience of the people.
And is not this the style of government
under which the American people are liv-
ing today Can any intelligent and can
did man suppose that Grover Cleveland
was legally elected president of the
United States? A solid south means in
timidation and fraud II Is simply noteri-
Gus that the Republican vote is suppressed
throughout the south wherever 1t would
endangor Democratic supremacy. Louis
lana has majority Of &c, 900 colored peo-
pie, every one of whom would vote the
Republican ticket as naturally as duck
takes 10 the water, and yet in the recent
by more than 90. 600 majority. Mississippi
has a maiority Of 170O colored people,
and still the state is carried by over
whelming Democratic majorities South
Carolina also has a colored majority Of
some 220 ,000 but all the same tho Demo
Gratis roll up their immense majorities.
Now does it need to be said that fair
vote and an honest count would give all
those states to the Republicans. and that
if either of them had been permitted to
cast its vote fniriy aud legally, the pres
eat administration could not have been
elected? Tho usurpation, therefore, is
complete, and the question IS, how lorg
can tho government stSad after its foun-
dalton is gone. and how long viii the peo-
pie consent to have their rights taken
from them by violence and frauGI
Is it not clear, then. that the supreme
Issue ia.ths corning election Is the rule Of
the najoHty-the fundamental law OF
The fepublicy That law has been In s1s-
pense these four years, SO that tho very
existence Of the government - threatened
for lack Of constitutional support 1t Is
all very well TO talk OF FREQ trade Or
tariff or prohibition as affecting good gov
eminent one way or another, but IL is Idle
to e1alt an incident Of good government
into the Importance OF basal principle,
which involves the life Of the government
itself.
In the dark days Of the war we forge.
incidentals and " Int for the main thing
the lie Of the nation Fer tbs wsl1id
upon the altar eight billions CO tresSuro
ard eco. go splendid lives Bat now.
when the constitution Is equally violated
aad csurpation and revolution are ICrrisHg
!. over us. there ara Iaea who ere Shout
ing themselves hosrse ovsr certain evils
incident 70 the government, whils they
are exerring tbeir diress might 70 destroy
the party tha. saved "a liz periled nation,
ard that now stands batting for tie very
foundation Of tho gsvorur.ea: as e1-
pressed In q free ballot aid q honeg.
count These men claim E-yerScr 10
.elIigs-cs and virtue. and vet segu oe-
,e-nnued TO strike down ,so only arm
stretched on. 20 rescze the eotiut-y firm
these who are putting IL jeopardy its
peace and life TIE iss1e of TO-DAY Ia the
Issue Of twenty Eve years sgo; only sAiftcd
f,oza fhe battlefield % tbs ballot bar- u
Is s.ili 70 be determined whether tho
Cnseo, under tie constitution and accord.
ius 70 the oooztitu.iaa. shall b preserved
n iIs Llt.TT.ET o. S1eA6Gs II kss&<1 Pc
ish - the haE6s q lzwisss and ns-rr.rg
ne.-
Tie Republican party SAVED tie Cnioa,
s1d rs roiSssoa vii n1t Be e-sSed -EztI
the ro.e th-or.a in Lo1is..rE gid A.zSss
s.ppi sad Ss1.h C;-ro..1s sh4sl Re as ffas
AID a. hsnae.lT counted - II Is II Xzs-ss-
carsetts. Xs.ss:s Of ,dlieJ e2s b dis
eas.@d and emphasized according 70 sse4r
nat1re sz6 .elz.ir. inrore2nc1. 81. vhea
we ccze 70 a question which i,vo'rns tas
very life O: sAa rspzblic tssre can Be but
C.. or4rion s-.d enc eo--ss O! scrisa-
Tie Decc-a.io p2-ry -.s tbs f@:ty 81
treason eud rebeJSoo. sd "a weighed
6oxn sy history ihst osse.s. 70 SIX Il
forever Il Is rcv tbs party q GS1-pa-
ssoa. aad Ias1s ESQ ay-s &-Ssss ASsess
Nc.e sd : s1ly ccaz.. % co--ycl ira ssv-
ranEz.s G. ...s csE1iJ k--ss IL k&3 -