Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-10-15
i 1875 was opposed By every Democrat
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the Dem0Cratlc fdrty uurlug bne War,
and its hostility to the system has not
ceased to this day, when the repeal OF
the tax on State bank issues is deliber-
ately proposed in its National platform.
That party thirty years ago defended
these State ISSUES, although they were
not secured, had no uniform value
throughout the country, we're easily
counterfeited aud displaced greenbacks.
1t advocates return to the same system
now. and apparently from deliberate
preference for an inferior currency. In
like manner majority of the same party
instead of cooperating with the Rspub.
iican Party in adjusting the relations be-
tween gold and silver so that both metals
will circulate at par with each other, ia
vor unlimited free coinage by which gold
will be drained out of the Treasury and
the country plunged headlong into mon
ometalsm on the lowest plans.
THE TWO PARTIES IN CONTRAST.
The Republican Party, while it has
enacted great policies, National, indus.
trial aud financial, has remained loyal to
the traditions of humanity and honor
which were the inspiration of its youth.
1t has maintained resolutely the integrity
OF the restored Union on the basis OF uni
versal liberty aud unrestricted citizen
ship, while the Democratic Party has
sought to subordinate National to sec
tional interests and to paralyze emancipa.
ton, that GROWING act Of justice and
magnaninnty, by conspiracIes in the
Southern States against majority rule.
Honest elections for National lawmakers
IRE guaranteed by the Constitutional
Amendments, embodying the results &C.
compllshed in the war for the Union.
The Republican Party stands for the
principle OF equal political rights through.
put the Union. The Democratic Party
tot only repudiated the doctrine when
its representatives in Congress voted
against the Constitutional Amendments
1t the close of the war, but in its political
practice it has continually followed the
worst traditions of slavery in fomenting
,Ace prejudice and establishing minority
rule.
The Republican Party throughout its
history has been fighting the battle OF
free labor. In the beginning it was
popular agitation to prevent the extern
ZION of slavery to the Territories and
subsequently it was a terrible battle with
slave-owners' rebellion; but in the end
it has been prolonged campaign in the
interest of American labor menaced with
destructive and degrading competition
from the labor of less prosperous aud en-
lightened European States. Since the
first election of Lincoln 10, 900, 900 aliens
have found homes and workshops in
America; yet Notwithstanding this i'm
mense addition to the working force OF
the Nation, there has been gain of
nearly fifty per cent. in the average rate
of wages. The result could never have
been accomplished without Republican
legislation for internal improvements aud
the operation of the Homestead law, and
above all without systematic protection
of American labor employed in home in
dustries. For this comprehensive Ma
tional policy, which has not only con-
verted the older Eastern States into hive
of manufacturing and filled the wide
reaches of the West with the pulsating
beat and throb of industrial energy and
American enterprise, but has also created
the new South with its bouDdless re
sources, credit is wholly to be given tt
the Republican Party.
The Democratic Party has never lost
the impress of the domination of thu
slave power. A low tariff and fret
trade were the economic doctrines of
the Southern planters, aud were en-
bodied in the Confederate Constitution.
The Democratic Party has remained 10y
al to these malien traditions. Its frs
and lv President since Buchanan's
election on q platform OF "progressivj
free trade los. no time in giving the
signal for tariff reform campaign,
which, if successful, would leave Ameri-
cal INDUSTRY and labor without protec-
ton and support. The party stands to-
day fully committed not only to the low
tariff cause to which both Douglas and
Breckenridge were pledged by the plat
forms of 1860, but also to the extrava
giant vagary of Calhouuism that protec-
ton is unconstitutional. As it was the
friend and ally of slavery, so also it is
the irreconclabe foe of free labor.
The history of the two rival parties
since Lincoln's election offers a startling
contrast between survivals of the worst
and the best traditions. Equality of
tights ali sympathy for the mass of the
common people were the leading princi-
pies of Jefferson. A latter-day Democ-
'acy stands in the South for unequal
lights and minority consrfracies, and
throughout the Union for tariff policy
by which American labor will be de-
graded to the European level. JACK
sons great strength lay in his intense
teyotion to the principle of nationality
md III his adherence of sectionalism.
\ latter-1ay Democracy, by the revival
Of the constitutional quibbling OF CAL
hounism and by its persistent hostility
to National politics, has repudiated his
principles. What has been best in the
tendencies OF its history has fallen into
lnnocuous desuetude. What has been
worst in the theories and practice of its
slave-owning and sectional leaders is
tenaeiously preserved.
Republicanism, on the other hand.
holds fast to everything that is emo
bling and elevating in its history. 1t is
,he party of National honor which has
removed the foul reproach of slavery and
redeemed the plighted faith of the Gov.
ernment in financial legislation and ad.
ninistration. 1t is the party of equal
rights, an uusulIied ballot and honest
elections. 1t is the party of National
! policies OF com prehensive scope and en-
ightened self,interest by which industry
IS diversified, labor systematically pro.
iected, aud the prosperity of all classes
and sections promoted. Between its
present policies and the traditions of its
glorious past there is unbroken contin-
atty of patriotic action. Senator Joha
sherman, in the Independent.
Lesson in Wool Prices.