Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-03-30
FRIDAY MORNING. MAR. 80. 1885,
ITS TWO ISSUES.

lection and free ballot. 1t is to be noted,
though not unprecedented in the history OF
political parties that have fulfilled their
mission, that on both of these issues the
Republicans have gone to the length of
their tether, and SO to speak, thrown up
the sponge. Let us take Up the past. The
party has but one tool with which to man.
ufacture Protection and that is High
Tariff. Since 1851 it has used no other. 1t
does not see, and cannot be made to see
that there is any other way to protect the
manufactures of America and those en-
ployed in them than through High Tar
if. 1t is something to be emphasized in
our remembrance of this High Tariff rule,
that under it, for the first time in the his
tory of this country, Labor was driven to
organize itself into secret organizations,
and that for the first time in our expert
ence as Nation, gigantic strikes involv
ing hundreds of thousands of men have
been made. These and other manifesto
lions of the unequal working of the system
were the fruit of the Republican partV's
procrastination. Its last three National
platforms had promised amendment. Its
last President probably the last Republic
can President that this country will see for
many years Mr.. Arthur, sent to Congress
a message urging the reduction of the
tariff as promised in the party plat
form. His predecessor. Garfield. had held
the same view. But the only thing the
Republican party did to fulfill its promises
to the people was to pass the Morrill, Tar
iff bill in 1ss3-another High Tariff bill
under the workings of which the surplus
in the Treasury has jumped from $780,
O00. 900 to $217 900 900. and the strikes are
more frequent and more gigantic than
they ever were before. If the Repub-
lican party we're not honest in their adop-
ton of the Morrill, tariff, it proves that
they do not intend to comply with their
promises to the people; if they were honest
it shows that they are incompetent to re-
wise the tariff In the interest Of the masses
of the people. 1t further shows that hav-
ing failed through lnsincerity or incom-
potency, there is nothing left but to turn
the work over to some one else to be done.
The truth is that the Republican party
has failed because 1t catered to Monopoly
instead of Protection. and is the party of
the former instead of the latter. The
Democracy will now take its turn at re-
vision of the tariff. In all other respects
it has given this country good govern
ment since it came into power-a most
excellent argury that in this respect it will
not be found wanting.
The second issue of the Republican
party-and that for use in the North
ern MARKETS free ballot" By this
term, as our readers well know, it does
not mean free ballot in Maine. Wiscon-
sin and Pennsylvania. but such an election
return from the Southern States as will
show than the Republican vote in those
States is not less than the number of
Negroes there residing, over the age of
twenty-one years. Let US take this issue
up. It is not new one, for that has been
the contention of that party eyer since
the Southern States we're re-admitted to
the Union. The Republican party dicta-
ted its own terms of Reconstruction. 1t
put in the Presidential chair Gen. Grant
supported by two-thirds Republican
majority in both houses of congress. 1t
had the legislative and the judiciary
departments Of thu government, and it
had the arDy to back it. These We're aids
use. When the Republicans in South
ern State failed to carry it, President
Grant backed the Returning Boards
which threw out the Democratic votes
and gave the certificates to the defeated
Republicans. So in earnest was he in
sustaining the Republican programme. that
in 1875, long after the States were admit
ted, Gen. Sheridan by his authority turn
ed Democratic members of the Louisiana
legislature out at the point of the bayonet.
No better opportunity to test the feasibll-
ity of the programme for securing the
desired sort of free ballot" could have
existed than under President Grant, and
yet it dismally failed by 1876 every
Southern State had Democratic Cover
nor, and by March 1st, 1877, three days
before his term expired, Gen. Grant tele-
egraphed Gov. Packard, of Louisiana,
that she feels it his duty to state frankly
that he does not believe public opinion
will longer support the maintenance OF
State Government in Louisiana by the
use of the military, and that he must con-
cur in this manifest feeling" Thus ended
the effort, under the most favora BILE sur
roundings, of the Republican party to
make the Republican vote at the South
tally with the Negro population thereof.
This is what the Republican party has
done for Protection and Free Ballot
exhausted the patience of public opinion.
run its issues to extremes, and at last
aroused the popular sentiment against
itself and its methods. 1t now promises
that if it is trusted with power again it
will do something or other. it is not clear
what, nor does it make a great deal of
difference. 1t failed to reduce the revenue
when 1t had the power; it failed to make
Republican States at the South when it
was clothed with authority and force, and
it cannot ask for new trial, The imam
ifest feeling'' of the Nation is against it
on the old issues and it is unable to find
new one. 1t is out of line; the march OF
this country is not backward.
DEATH OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE
OF THE UNITED STATES.
The halls of Congress, the public build
ings at the National capital, and the U.
s. Court rooms all over the country are
dressed in mourning for the death of the