Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-08-14

1t differs from faction, in implying a less dis
honorable association, or more JustiiiaDle de-
signs
This was Webster's definition of the
word in 1850. Webster, in 1850, did not
know the Republican party of 1S90-or
perhaps he would have called it faction.
Let us see how far his old definition fits
the new Republican party. That body
is certainly "a number of persons"
less than majority of the whole COM
munity, and steadily decreasing in size
but still number of persons" "Unit-
ed IN opinion" comes next. Are the
Republicans united in opinion? If they
are, in what opinion are they united?
In any opinion concerning the Tariff,
or that Protective System of which they
talk so glibly-when they feel sure that
no action is likely to follow their talk?
We doubt it. All through this session
of Congress the Republicans have been
pottering over bill to amend the pres
ent tariff laws; and their innumerable
discussions seem to have established but
one fact-that there are as many opin-
! ions about the tariff bill as they are tax
able articles in the tariff list. We have
failed to discover the slightest sign of
unity of opinion on this most important
question. Their opponents, the Demo-
Gratis, seem to be well united in the opin-
ion that the tariff should be reduced
wherever there is the remotest possibility
of reduction. But the Republican party
| is of more than one mind on this sub
iect. Some Republicans think that a
general reduction of duties would be
wise Some think that general increase
of duties is absolutely necessary. Some
talk the whole business as q matter of
details, and want to see the duty raised
here and lowered there, and stricken off
entirely in the other place.
And even these last do not agree
among themselves. The man who
wants duty on hides may think that
sugar and tin-plates should be free,
while his colleague, who believes in free
hides, may feel inclined to extend that
freedom to sugar, or, at least, to let sugar
off with small tax, while he would
clap prohibitory duty on tin-plates, if
it were not for his other colleague, who
points out to him that there are no tin
plates made in this country, and that the
galvanized-iron manufacturers can not
yet supply the whole country with sub
stitute for sheet-tin. And as this other
colleague is ardently advocating the high
taxation of Australian woods, which can
not be raised in this country, the situa-
ton becomes so complicated that not
even the most indurate Republican can
assert that there is any thing like unity
of opinion in the Republican party so
far as the tariff is concerned.
The tariff question is the question of
| the hour; but the Force-Bill is the ques-
ton of the moment. 1t is one of the
forms in which the eternal question of
Capitalization presents itself. The Force
Bill, so called, is designed to turn over
| to the Federal authorities the control of
elections for members Of Congress-; and
practically, to make the party dominant
at Washington the sole judge and mana
ger of those elections. If it passes Con
gress in its present form, and receives
the sanction of the President, it pro-
vides about the most perfect system that
can be devised for keeping the Republi-
can party in power forever-in fact, of
making of their last victory ''finality,"
as one prominent Republican put it
whether the people wish it or do not
wish it. One would think that the Re-
publican party would be united i'll opin-
ion on this point if on no other. And
yet we are credibly informed that there
are at least handful of Republicans il
the Senate who prefer to stick to the
J present system of popular suffrage, and
let the states elect their own representa-
tiyes, as the trainers of the Constitution
meant that they should.
Are there any other questions now be.
fore Congress of such magnitude that
those who hold opposed opinions upon
them may be said, from that fact, tC
form political parties? We can moi
think of any, now under discussion
which approach in importance the two
we have mentioned. And on these, i
seems, the Republican party is decidedly
not united in opinion. But there is more
to that definition. A party may be "a
number of persons" who are "unted in
not only opinion, but "design." That
seems to make the Republican party
come within the definition The Repub.
licans are certainly united in one design
to get all the offices, and keep them
whether they deserve them or whether
they do not, whether they are elected to
them or not, whether they fill them well
or i'll.
But is this just what might be called a
'justtiable design r' Is association for
the accomplishment of such ends honor.
able or dishonorable association Is il
not exactly the design and the associa-
tion which the lexicographer had in mind
when he carefully distinguished the
|
| party" and indicated the odium which
should attach to the meaner word ? In
short, is it not true that the Republican
party has no rational claim to the honor
able name of Party, and no right to call
itself more than faction-an Office
grabbing, vote-buying, patronage-barter-
ing faction2
1t ~aS party. 1t was the great
est party that this country has ever
known. 1t was party led by high
principled, unselfsh patriots (now in
their graves, the most and the best of
them), who gravely accepted an unpar-
alleled responsibility, and bravely per-
formed a mighty task. But it was a
party in those days because these men
were united in opinions that involved
great principles, and in designs only to
be carried out by fine intelligence, un-
conquerabe real, and noble courage.
The principles which formed their opin-
ions are to-day the principles of every
man in this country who is capable of
possessing a principle or forming an
opinion. There is no division of opinion
in this community as to those principles.
North and South, East and West they
are accepted by all men. No man has a
right to lay claim to them as a partisan
possession.
1t is gross wrong and cruel insult
to the memory of the men who founded
the Republican party that its name
should have been stolen by horde of
conscienceless office-mongers, and pros
tituted to their base uses The Republi-
can politicians of to-day are no more a
party, in the sense that the followers of
Lincoln Sumner Chase and Sawarl