Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-09-15
Mr.. Johnson and His Canvass.
To the STANDARD :


To the STANDARDS
Toward Mr.. Johnson / entertain a
high personal respect. His life proves
him philanthropist, model gentle
man, Christian. lie possesses bust
ness sense of Il very high order. In
this regard, for this latitude, he has
been a great success, but his speech
yesterday and that of his coadjutor,
DIR. Kelley, proves both Of them to be
the greatest political cranks of the
State, 1 might say of the age.
The burden of their song was
against Cleveland and the democratic
party, and why? because the party
in State and National council failed
to insert in their platform a prohibit
ton plank. Now consider for a mo-
ment the cheek and idiocy of this
proposition 1T the time and unGcr the
circumstances offered.
The party is in death-throe strug-
gle with its bitter and powerful foe
for the sovereignty of the States, and
the protection of the masses against
the greed of monopoly. And at such
a time and in such a struggle, when
every unnecessary weight should be
laid aside to make victory possible,
they gravely ask this party to Shout
der cause that has been voted down
in almost every State in the recent
elections. If that plank had been in
serted, would it not have read out of
the party every anti in the Nation?
1t would have been a death knell to
the Democracy and all her principles.
And vet it is this act of suicide we are
asked by these gentlemen to commit
The ants in this show themselves the
more patriotic, the more level-headed.
Under the same logic they might
have demanded an explicit utterance
against prohibition. The clause
against sumptuary laws is not such
an utterance for several reasons: 1st,
Because it is claimed by prohibition
advocates that their policies are not
sumptuary in character. I'd, If con-
ceded to be of that character, then
they are beyond all question uncon-
stitutional. Sd, This declaration of
the platform has always been prin-
ciple Of the party, and is taken from
the very letter of the Constitution. l
hope you do not mean to erase this
clause from the Constitution. Again
there are many Blair-bill democrats,
many Green-back democrats. They
might on the same principle kick out
of the traces because there are no
planks for them. And thus issues
ad infinitum might he multiplied, to
divide and distract, while the enemy
in solid phalanX captures all the posts
we agree should be defended. If
there is any craftsmanship or wisdom
in this course can not see it.
Again, what means this cry of free
ballots and election frauds ringing in
the Republican platform, in Harris
on's letter of acceptance, in the Chan
dler resolutions, and all along the re.
publican lines? 1t means the re.
establishment of military rule in the
South, carpet-bag sovereignty in the
homes of our fair sunny land.
We know what this is, we know
what a presidential steal is. And yet
Mr.. johnson and DR.. Kelley would
have you believe that there is but five
cents difference in the parties.
Again, there is no chance for pro
hibitiOn success in this campaign
State or National. 1t cannot, even j
all its partizans were so pledged, ar
rest this danger of a new construction
to place the South under carpet-bae
rule. The Democratic party like {
giant has crippled this hydra who
would despoil our homes, and if yoU
gentlemen prohis do not unwisely
fetter her by deploying her forces
she will in this canvass utterly ami
hilate the monster. s..
! Take thisand smoke it in your pipes
! In the day of action your republican
. allies will join the cohorts of Democ
rncY'S foe. l. 8 Il