Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-09

In the Forum for July, Justin : Nor
rll. the venerable and able ntcd States
senator from Vermont, has very inter
citing article on Republican Party
Prospects. In opening the senator re
frrs to the magnificent record of the
Republican party In the past record of
eminent services and broad statesman
ship that needs no vindioatiun such
history Is in itself the best possible
guarantee of the party's eminent qualfi-
rttion to conduct the affairs of the nation
with comprehensive wisdom and he ilthy
vignr.
1t is not to be denied, however, that
unskilful leadership may at any time
wreck powerful party. A. couspicr-
Gus illustration Of this the senator cites
the opinion. very generally expressed
among Democrats, that the defeat
OF their party was due To the
folly Of Grover Cleveland Ia nauseatiug
the country with an overdose of Free
Trade, to the utter exclusion of every
thing else.
Among the vexed questions to be dealt
with by the present administration the
Senator notes a number which will call
for large measure of sound Judgment
and prudent determined consideration.
Prominent among these Is the silver ques-
ton. This the senator regards ~ =
problem of great Importance, and accord
ing to the success of the Republican
party IN dealing with it will largely
depend its future prosperity. and its hold
upon the confidence Of the people.
The intimidation and fraud so univer-
sally practised at the south also present a
problem Of vast Importance to the people
of the North. The advantage which
southern bulldozer- gain by the addition
Of thirty-eight votes-or fifty perhaps af-
ter the next experimentation the repre-
sentative power OF the southern states on
account of their six millions of colored
population, has been successfully used
once. and may be used again. to control Il
Presidential election. Northern people
when. by the suppression Of the negro
vote the ballot of the white man ut the
South Ia made to count vastly more ia the
affairs of the Nation than the ballot of any
citizen in the North, and when q State
like South Carolina, with II 900 less polls.
has five more electoral votes than New
Hampshire. The negro race in the South is
rapidly growing in numbers and intelli-
gence. To-day 1t owns one hundred
million dollars worth of property aud
has as many members OF Christian
churches As do the whites. How long
II will submit to be deprived OF
its constitutional right of suffrage
is certainly a question of great impor-
lance, and one in which the interests of
the South itself may best be subserved by
an early consideration Of ii.
The senator draws an excellent picture
of the Democratic party, past and present.
ain its earlier days" he SAYS. lit had
some fixed principles, everywhere
openly proclaimed, but it has none
now save whatever its national CONVEX
tons elaborate to ft such candidates as
Greeley. Hancock, or Cleveland, and sub
ject to quadrenuial change and mistifica-
ton" In turn it has advocated state
rights and the resolutions of ~" hard
money; soft money: and numberless
other temporal expedients designed TO
catch votes. The time has been hen Tho
party was wont to denounce all internal
Improvements as Unconstitutional, bu,
now no appropriations for such
works appear too extravagant to find
elastic support In Democratic House OF
Representatives, The party once claimed
as its patent of superiority the equal
rights and privileges of all men: but in
eleven states such rights and privileges