Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-04-23
THE REPUBLICAN OUTLOOK.


The outlook of the Republican party
at the beginning of the preliminary
Presidential campaign has not been so
promising since 1880 as it is to-day
The result of the Spring elections in
every locality shows that the party is
alert, harmonious and we'll organized.
The importance of this condition of
things cannot be over estimated. 1t
shows that the coming presidential
battle is already half won and that the
Republicans only need to move straight
forward in the lines already marked
out to make the victory complete in
November.
One of the evident causes of this re-
newed Republican vitality is the grow
ing popularity Of the policy of protec-
ton. The free trade advocates have
never ceased to gloat over the success
of their effort to deceive the people of
1890 in respect to the effects of the Nc
Kinley law. The cry of high prices
and lower wages then raised produc-
ed temporary apprehension that pro-
lection had been carried to extremes.
This coupled with the natural indiffer-
ence of the Republicans in and of year,
gave the Democrats their phenomenal
victory in 1890. But eighteen months
trial of the new law has dissipated
these fears and demonstrated the bene-
fits that are certain to accrue from it,
and the voters are now eager to show
that their apprehensions were i'll
grounded. The Rhode Island election
is the most significant proof of this
fact.
Another evident cause for the Re-
publican revival is the confidence in
spired by President Harrison's Admin
istration. 1t has been clean, strong
and efficient. The attempt to ridicule
it as weak has met with an ignominious
failure. Every question has been
bravely and conscientiously met and
solved. There has been no attempt
to deceive the public by sensational
acts or the proposal Of clap-trap poll
cies. The business of the government
has moved straight forward, and peace
has been preserved at home and
honor abroad. The growth of the
President in the confidence of the
country may have been slow but has
been just as sure, and to-day it is on
ly fair to claim that he enjoys larger
share of the confidence of the country
than any President since Abraham
Lincoln. This is high praise, but it is
fully authorized
A third cause of the renewed trust
in the Republican party is the demon
stratioH again that the government
cannot be safely trusted in the hands
of the Democrats, the colossal crime
by which the New York Legislature
was stolen, and the scandalous ap-
pointment of one of the men who per
petrated the robbery to a seat on the
bench Of the highest court in the State,
made a profound impression on the
people. The shameful gerrymander-
ing and Michiganizing of States solely
in the interest of the Democratic par
ty, the fact that such an unprincipled
damagogue as ex-governor Hill could
be seriously regarded as promising
candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton, and the proved unsoundness Of
the Democracy on the currency ques-
ton, have ali had an effect on the pub
lie mind and caused a pronounced and
energetic revival of Republicanism.
1t is under these favorable auspices
that the party is about to enter the
Presidential campaign. There are no
discussions i'll its ranks as to candidates
or policy, and it needs only to move
straight ahead and retain the public
confidence it has justly won and secure
another four years lease of power
Phil Press.