Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-05-04
General Gordon on the Political Situa-
finn

In reply to a request from a number
of Georgians for his views upon the
political situation in the South, and
upon the contention of the third party
that there is no difference between
the democratic party and the republi-
can party" Gen. J. B. Gordon, in an
article in the Augusta Chronicle,
enumerates the evils of which the
farmers of the country complain, shows
which of the two great political parties
is responsible for these evils, and points
out the only practicable mode of OBJ
tanning relief. One party, it is shown,
has controlled the policy of the gov
eminent for thirty years. and that
party, General Gordon declares, is
wholly responsible for the evils it's
policy has inflicted upon the people,
The obvious remedy is to secure
change of policy by securing a change
of rulers-by voting into power at
Washington a democratic President,
Senate and House of Representatives
consistently opposed all the various
vicious measures of republican policy,
and may be trusted, if given the OPP
portunity, to introduce reforms. To
hold it responsible, along with the re-
publican party, for the legislative and
administrative abuses of the last thirty
years is to commit a mOnstrous folly
To desert it now that it is on the point
of winning the victory of reform is
political madness.
There are certain measures of which
particular complaint has been made by
farmers and others. General Gordon
mentions eight, as follows: The sup
preston of the State banks and the
creation and perpetuation of the ma
tional banking system; the concentra-
ton of power over our currency in
Wall street; the demonstration of
silver in 1873 the violent contraction
of the currency effected in 1879 by the
hurried resumption of specie payment;
| the thieving tariff tax, which is a
burden many times increased; the
| squandering of the public domain !;
| the repeal of the income tax, which re-
dressed in part the inequality of the
as to have an excuse for increasing
| taxes. Add to these features of repub-
lican policy the force bill, to which the
party now in power is pledged and the
agriculturists and other voters of the
| South have a brief list of republican
legislative sins to which the democratic
party can plead most emphatically
| mot guilty"
1t has protested against their COM
mission. 1t has to some extent miti-
gated, if not prevented, the enact
ment of odious laws. To join a third
party now on the plea that the demo-
cratic party is to blame would be base
ingratitude as we'll as blind folly. 1t
would mean the perpetuatiOn of the
very evils for which relief is asked. 1t
would mean, if carried to any large ex-
tent, the loss of the House and the en-
actment Ct the force bill, which the
republican party has so long desired to
fasten upon the South. Patriotism
demands of Southern voters that they
sink their differences and try to unite
upon matters of general interest. 1--WE
are ALL" says General Gordon, ''in
favor of lower tariff and lower inter
est for money. On these vital issues
an overwhelming majority Of demo
Gratis are in absolute accord with the
producers, farmers and labor unions of
the country. How much wiser, then,
to cease quarrelling and fight together
for the general cause.n The logic of
the situation reinforces General Cor
don's argument. Sulking during the
coming campaign = pre-eminently a
campaign for principle-must be not
only discreditable to the intelligence
of Southern democrats, but in the long
run disastrous, socially and industri-
ally as well as politically, to the South
ern people. Sun.