Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-04-06
The Party Of Don't"

The Party Of Don't"
In a recent speech in Illinois,
Senator Cullom complained that the
Democratic party was the great
don't" party of the country, says
the Raleigh, N. G. Chronicle. He
says: Don't has always been the
burden of the Democratic song and
is now" For the last thirty years
of its history, Senator Collum has
been pretty accurate in his analysis
of the position of the Democratic
party; but why has it been the
don't" party? Let us see. When
military satraps were sent South to
humiliate the people after they had
surrendered in good faith, the DEM
ocratic party led by Hendricks and
Thurman and Bayard said don't"
when the Force bill was pending in
Congress in 1875, the Democrats,
led by Randall cried Don't" so eff
fectively that Mr.. Blaine aided in
its defeat; when the national bank
ing act was passed by Congress,
the Democratic members Of Con-
gress proposed better plan and
said, "Don't;" when the Morrill,
tariff bill, which has impoverished
all agricultural sections more than
any other measure ever enacted by
Congress, was about to become a
law, the Democrats said DON'T"
when the public lands were being
shamelessly given away to railroad
corporations, the Old Roman led
the Democrats in a vociferous
"Don't;" when the conspirators
stole the Presidency in 1875,
DON'T" was the burden Of the
Democratic song; when silver was
demonetized by trick, the Demo-
Gratis in Congress protested earnest
ly, and their vehement "Don't" was
the beginning of the agitation for
the reconciliation of the white
metal; when both houses of Con-
gress passed the dependent pension
bill, some Democratic members lack
ing the nerve to vote against it, it
was a Democratic President with a
backbone as big as a circus pole who
Numbered back "Don't" that COM
manded the admiration of patriots
and won the hatred of treasury
looters. These are some of the
"Don'ts" of Democracy. Our only
regret is that the farmers of the
West, some of whom now are beg
ging Southern farmers to join them
in a wild-goose chase after quanti-
ties of gold, which, according to
Ruskin's fable, any one may have
without asking if he can only make
his way to the source of the Golden
River-our regret is that all this
legislation has been enacted by
these Western farmers; and now
when it proves injurious to them,
they have not the manhood to de-
nounce it and advocate it's repeal,
but invite Southern farmers (who
have been saying Don't" all the
timel to go with them on Wild
goose chase for Especial privilege"
for themselves.
The glory of the Democratic par
ty while it has been in the minori-
ty is that it has had the courage to
say Don't" and keep saying it. 1t
has been well said that of the ten
commandments, seven are "Don'ts."
The bad boy complains that his
father says Don't" and the vio-
lator of the law is indignant that
the statutes are a collection of
"Don'ts :" 1t has not been because
the Democratic party has desired to
keep on reiterating Don't" but be-
cause the Republican party's wanton
disregard of the people has compel
led them to protest at every step
against the legislation that has pro-
duced scores of millionaires at the
expense of tie masses.