Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-11-12
The Policy Of cleveland Approved.

The Policy Of cleveland Approved.
THE DOOM OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
FoRsEHADowED.
On the day of election on the 4th instant,
q Democratic cyclone swept over the whole
country-North, South, East and West.
The result far exceeded the most san
guine expectations of the Democrats. They
expected victory, but not such a glorious
one. The Republicans hoped to win, but
feared they would lose. The result has
surprised and gratified the Democrats, and
it has astounded and mortified the Repub
licans. The administration and the Re-
publican policy have been condemned and
repudiated by the people. The masses of
the people had the sagacity to see that the
Republican party was pursuing policy that
would be destructive of liberty and ruinous
to all the interests of the country, and they
had the patriotism to rise in their strength
and to ''smite it hip and thigh" They
showed they were in earnest, and they hurl.
cd against that party tho thunder-bolts Of
their indignation fred with uncommon
wrath" The policy of no party has ever
been go emphatically condemned, or Its
leaders 50 severely rebuked.
This was the case not in one section or
one part of the country only. but in the
whole couutry-North, South, East and
West. 1t was national condemnation and
rebuke of sectional and centralizing par
~, that legislates not for the whole country
or people, but for particular classes in one
section, and in disregard Of liberty and JUS
tice and the rights and interests of the
masses of the people.
The result shows how false was the as
sumption of the protectionists and opponents
of Tariff Reform, that the election of Har.
rison meant that the people were opposed
to Tariff Reform and favored, and even de-
manded, high protective tariff. This, it
will be remembered, was the argument or
rather pretext, for the passage Of the Nc
Kinley Bill. That, they maintained, was
what the people wanted. The truth is, as
they have demonstrated, the people did moi
Uant it, but that the leading Republicans
did, because they had promised ii to those
out of whom they had ''fried the fat'' for
campaign purposes, and their bold and bald
assumption was merely false pretext to
subserve corrupt end.
In compliance with their bargain, they
passed the Mckinley Bill for the benefit of
those, chiefly, who had furnished the cam
paign 'sboodle," and who were expected to
do likewise in the future. That Bill, they
said, was what the people wanted, as shown
by the election of Harrison. The Demo-
Gratis, on the other hand, maintained that
the election of Harrison did not show that
the people wanted high tsriff-that willis,
he was elected by the electoral college, 10
consequence of the corrupt use, by the Re
publicars, of money in New York city and
Brooklyn, Cleveland had ninety. odd thou
sand majority of the votes cast by both
races, and majority of more than q million
Of those cast by the white people.
This Issue between the two parties has
been submitted to the people and they
have rendered their verdict, and have
proclaimed that, in that contention, the
Democrats were right and tho Republicans
wrong-most egregiously wrong. The
Republicans passed the Mckinley Bill,
which they said the people were clamoring
for, and. as soon as the people had an op-
portunity to express their views and
wishes, they proclaimed in trumpet-tones
their most emphatic condemnation of it,
thus proving, "beyoDd the shadow of
doubt" that the election Of Harrison did
not mean the approval by the people Of a
high protective tariff, or condemnation
Of the Tariff Reform advocated by Cieve-
land and the party that supported his
election. The people have demonstrated
that they approve the policy SO boldly
avowed, and SO ably advocated by Cleye
land, whose arguments 10, favor Of it have
not been, and cannot be, successfully re-
futed. If there be one man more justified
10 expressions of delight at the result Of
the recent election than any other, that
man is Grover Cleveland, and we'll may he
say, SIS he did the day after the election -
Il am delighted. I challenge the right
of any man in the country to rejoice more
heartily than over the results of yester-
day. My qualification is that of an Ameri-
CAP, proud of his fellow-country-men, WHO,
though led away for time by party preju-
dice and by blind confidence in cunning
and selfish leaders could not be deluded to
their ruin."
Wien he hoisted the standard of Tariff
Reform and "equal and just rights to all,
with special privileges to none," and
planted it in the front, it was, as all real
lied, bold sni hszaldous act at tha
time; but as he was convinced that he was
right, and as, like the brave and chivalrous
Henry Clay, he would "rather be right
than President" he did not hesitate to do
1t. Though he was not elected, he las &c
regrets for the course he adopted, and now
he has special cause for rejoicing, as the
people have expressed in thunder-tones
their condemnation Of the Mckinley Bill,
which implies approval of the policy he 81
boldly, go earnestly, SO ably, and so self.
tacrifcingly advocated. As high as he
stood in the estimation of the people before,
be stands higher Low, ard if the National
Democratic Convention we're held now, he
would be nominated by reclamation for the
next President.
The Democratic party is National
PATTY, whilst the Republican, is sectional
party. This is not only shown by the
policy advocated by these parties respect.
lively, but is demonstrated by the result Of
the recent electiop, as, after the 4h OF
March next, there will be N ore Democratic
than Republican Congiessmen from thu
Northern and Western States, showing
that tie Democrats would have majority
exclusive of the South. Whilst the Demo
crstic party is national both in it's policy