Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-08
Negative Parties.

| Negative PartleS,
IL is curious fact that for thirty
years the republican party which has
controlled the policy of this govern.
ment has had no rival for the estab-
lishment of political principles. The
opposition has always been Of a
negative character. 1t has invariably
sought to pull down and has offered
nothing definite as a substitute for
republican doctrines. The opposition
has never at any time been a unit on
any national political issue, Opposi-
ton platforms have been made up
of worn out theories that have come
down to their trainers through genera
tons Thcv are still looking at the
destinies and the i'.,isrests Of this
oor,t,v NOT from, tho s+ordno'~t of
today but from that of fifty years ago.
They have been looking so much that
they have lost sight of the future. The
demOerstic party of today opposes the
republican party and its doctrines
because it was the custom of their
fathers and their grandfatheIs II
oppose such principles aid if there is
any one thing mUIe than another t.
which a democrat is attached it is
time honOred custom. Whatever he
does, or thinks of doing, leaves undone
or refuses to think about at all is
done or thought or rejected in accord
ance withpime honored custom.
Because the democratic leaders of
the 3O's and '4O's were III favor or free
trade when this country had no manu-
facturies OF any consequence a Jack
sonian democrat" must be il favor Of
free trade now when this country has
under the wings of protection grown 10
such immense proportions as a manu-
featuring nation that il now threatens
to compete with the oldest and most
wealthy manufacturing countries of
Europe.
The democrats of this county have,
in accordance with their time honOred
custom of denOuncing everything pro-
gressive, denounced the present tariff
law as the infamous Mckinley bill. -
They have no definite suggestions to
make in regard to the tariff. They
are sure that the bill is Infamous
because their own platform says So
Tariff reform" is to be their battle
cry. What that means they know not,
neither do they care.
Whether they would restore the duty |
on sugar and thus raise its price to the |
consumer 40 per cent they do not say.
Whether they would repeal the "reci-
procity clause" and close the newly |
opened markets of Cuba, Brazil. Ger
many and France to the farmers wheat |
and corn and beef and pork, they DO |
not say.
Not single one of their leaders has
yet suggested a definite change ne
would make in the law. They are not
certain just what changes they would
make, but the law is infamous" of
that they are reasonably certain. Such
is the indefinite position which that
party has maintained in its opposition
to the republicans for thirty years.
The new opposition to the republi-
cans in Kansas is just as rambling in
its political creed as the democrats.
Already it is plain that the alliance is
not unit on political issues.
1t contains free and unlimited
coinage men and men who favor free
but not unlimited coinage, men who
hold the sub-treasury scheme to be inf
nitely practical and men who regard it
as superlatively visionary; men who
are out and out protectionists and men
who are plain free traders; men who
ire prohibitioDists and men who are
opposed to all sumptuary laws; men
who think that veterans of the Union
army and the WIDOWS and orphans of
Union soldiers should be
'ensiOned and men who speak of the
pension system as ''steal;" men who
approve of the general drift of republic
AN legislation and men who regard all
avs made in pursuance of republican
'olicy with hatred. 1t does not seem
possible to unite elements so diseordant
y, the single bond of discomfort, and
liscontent is the sole bond of unity s
Voven by the politicians who would
make the alliance third party.T o
Probably the idea most prevalent in =
bis party is that the government 7,
honld print enough irredeemable G
fper money 10 supply a volume equal a