The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-03-11
THE REPUBLICAN POLICY.
Revolutionary Methods of Repudiated
Party.


Party.
1t has never happened that a political
party has gained permanent advantage
III this country by means of chicane.
The influence of partisanship has for a
time seemed to minister to the fortunes
OF conspirators against the public veal.
Hayes wore the purple of Republican
office holding for four years as the re-
suit of a gross fraud upon the people,
but every page of his administration is
filled with proofs of the demoralizing
nature of such acts. Garfield was
elected because the Treasury at Wash
ington was looted that Indiana might
be carried with soap" Harrison sits
at the capital the head of party
possessing power through the repeated
debauchment of his State. In all these
incidents may be found some of the
causes which have led to the reversal
of the party majority in Congress.
There have been those who believe it
necessary to stand for their political
party because they believe reform
possible within it's lines. Those who had
entered political life in the early days
of the Republican party could not
easily surrender that organization be-
cause of the prominence of unscrupul-
Gus men.
That element in the Republican party
which comprises it's best men can not
view with composure political action
which tends to the overthrow of every
principle for which they have fought.
They can not look at the complications
in the State of Connecticut without re-
alizing that partisans are betraying the
voters of that commonwealth. In that
State there is no contention as to the
election of one officer named by the
Democracy, and the pretense as to
others is too flimsy to deceive citizens
observant of political methods. In the
| State of Nebraska a worse state of af
fairs is found. In both these States the
| Republicans have been abited to place
men in nomination with firm reliance
on the will of the majority. But the
reputation of the Republican policy
has been so emphatic as to make neces-
sary revolutionary methods that some
thing may be saved of the party organi-
zation for future contests. 1t is an
appalling prospect for the managers of
the party machine to face a possibility
OF a united North against the party of
sectionalism. Yet this is the logical
result of the dangerous policy of trihing
with sensible citizens. Broken pledges
| have been the rule. redeemed promises
the exception with Republican man.
ayers.
And now the time has come for pa
triots in the Republican party to con-
slider what of danger lies in the revolu-
tionary measures adopted in the inter-
est of the men controlling their organi-
zation No citizen believes the rank
and file of either party willing to over
throw the Government or to adopt such
a policy as would warrant forcible re-
sistance to usurpers of power. The
memory of the su lden and complete
breaking of party lines at the sound of
the attack on Fort Sumter is too fresh
in the public mind to make necessary
an argument favoring the patriotism of
this people. It may be that the deter
mination of the new issues now before
the country will cause another break
ing of party lines. In such an event the
Democracy will best serve the people
by sustaining such bold front against
fraud as will entitle them to continu-
ance of the popular favor already ac-
corded. In the present crisis candid
citizens of all shades of political belief
are coming to the opinion that in the
Democracy lies the only hope of over
coming the cabal which seems deter
mined to rule or to ruin. The Nation
has withstood similar attacks and viii!
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