Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-03-22
CHANGES IN POPULAR GOVERN.
MENT.

CHANGES IN POPULAR GOVERN.
MENT.
Popular government necessarily involves
more or less frequent change in the ruling
power. All American citizens understand
and approve this principle, because they
know that, while men come and go, our
system and institutions abide, unaltered and
unalterable, so long as the majestic unity of
the peoples will inspires, supports and pro
tects them. But there is always sentiment
Of regret created by the spectacle of great
political changes-parties acquire sort of
personality through the living influence of
leaders, and the outgoing of one admins
tration and the incoming of another cannot
escape the sombre shadow of all decisive
moments. The past is recalled, with its
hopes, labors and purposes, and the future
darkens the present by its inevitable anx-
iety and uncertainty To consent to the
spirit Of change does not fully exercise the
regrets and apprehensions all such changes
excite.
The Cleveland administration surren
dered its control under circumstances among
the most remarkable in American history,
and amid the camorous greetings of its
successor, it is we'll to realize its influence
and significance. Four years have more
than rolled by since the Democracy walked
into power over the moral wreck of the Re-
publican party. 1t was the corruption that
had infected all branches of the government
during twenty years OF Republican rule
that made Democratic success in 1884 pos
sible. The Republican party had become a
vast machine, working for the benefit Of a
group of selfish and dscredted politicians
and few protected interests. 1t had lost
: all patriotic spirit, and the very principles
of our institutions were perverted by its
sinister influence from their august and nat
ursl application to the service OF rings
cliques and personal ambitions. Who can
forget the various exposures and discredta :
BILE events that followed SO rapidly on one
another during the administrations of Grant,
Hayes and Arthur-the whiskey rings, the
Babcock trials, the Belknap frauds, mail
contract swindles, civil service abuses, the
electoral commission and hundred other
scandals, to say nothing of the continual
warping oflegslatien in the interest of land
grants to railroads to foster and protect the
special interests of the Eastern States.
The moral disintegration Of the Republi-
can party sogan with the Reconstruction
Acts" by which it perpetrated fraud in
the name OF liberty, and it had its compile
ton in the historical crime of the electoral
commission and manifest and pervading
rottenness and dishonesty in official circles
The whole frame work of the government
became diseased by the canker of unholy
intrigue and misbegetten ambitions, and in
the stern and significant words of President
Cleveland, "the communism of combined
wealth" began to menace and overshadow
the liberties OF the people.
1t was these facts that at length awoke
the country to the evils OF Radical rule. 1t
was the voice of the Democracy that pro-
claimed the danger, and the tide of reaction
set in The Democracy carried the coun-
suits of victory. 1t triumphed again in
1884 and Grover Cleveland became Presi-
dent AT last a great change was inaugur-
ated-the nest OF vipers at Washington was
smoked out and the government passed into
pure and able hands. The whole host Of
,.-e,,. - ,T,71.... !, .ar,...a i, -.
type were banished and new era opened
an era If progress If fa,rl.ss ac,;an in tbe
ne,n,e,s ;n,sros, of re,orr ha,os,y and do
cencv
m. C,evela,a administrator w.s ono 81
ax,r.or,;n.rv ,;ror ana n,,r;,,, ana - ~
lords n startling contrast with the nrecedino
ara I, was freo fron Al, s..naais = - rr,n,
,he d;syraca If oarr,n, ,,mo;a,o o.,,,
intelligence resolu,e of nur,ose and nj b;ot
.hanor M ;n,ocr;,v ros a, a. h..a :, 20,
nat;ona, .fF,;rs an, - ,,aa...., .o,.,
onence ali ac,s a nd annointm.n,s no % hoor
an the basis of the nuhlic welfare Thare
were No defaIcations No bints .von NJ dc
renutable acts The racord made hoe ha.r
clean cne No,b;ng tos haa, doa ~ =,
reouires Defiance and m,ch has hoon aone
that compeIs admiration The whole racord
of the Cleveland administration cons,i,,to.
bright and honor.h,e maze i, Aror;oar
history Tha t;nances nave haan ,,,aoaa :, :,
M a souna amt n,oonor.,s has;s ~ - =,
has been rebabilitatea and every denart,
mont of povarnment conducted With on.ro,
ami wisdom VIVA, a con,r.s, oil this a.
fords with The nreced;np Ranubl;can id
mipis,rations If Grant HAYES and Ar,hur
One is clear unright loyal ~ the hast ira
diuons of American noi;,;cs ,ha o,bers .re
dark ,r,nh,oa and conf,saa c,,, ~ 80.
res between noli,ical leaders anaing IN tho
assassination of . President fplI Of ot,,cia1
escanades and corrnnt;ons and If ~ re,chod
scbemes for tho nromo,;on NJ r.rson., an
hn,ons and cl.ss interes,s The cr,mo. =,