Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-08-18
DEMOCRATIC PATRIOTISM.

DEMOCRAT PATRIOTISM
That there are thousands of good,
honest patriotic men in the ranks of the
Democratic party 40 one is SO foolish as
to deny. In the halls of Congress and
in our State Legislatures as well as on
the field of battle, has this been prov
EN-. To such individuals too much
credit can not be given. Nor is it say
ing too much to declare that the dis
covery of such men in such a connec-
ton is strange indeed, and worthy of
remark. Within the ranks of the DEM
cratic party, among the great mass
good men predominant. 1t is in the
gang that rules, the leaders, the upper
case members of the party, that we are
surprised to find honest and patriotic
men men who put love of country
above party, and regard for their fell
low man as of more consequence than
mere partisan triumph.
At no time in the history of this coun-
try has the fact that among the self
appointed leaders of the Democratic
party been so clearly demonstrated that
there are those who would wreck the
Government and pauperize the Nation
to achieve party success. Nothing es-
sential to our prosperity rs a manufac-
turing people is too sacred to protect it
from assault by such men as have, on
all occasions, opposed them. Of all
gross exhibitions of hatred of their
country, nothing in history equals the
attacks made upon u commercial
prosperity by these un-American states
men since the pa sage of the Mckinley
Act. Nothing has been left undone
that could'in any possible manner pre-
vent the country from being benefited
by that law. Did some man or firm
make known an intention of engaging
in the manufacture of an article made
possible and profitable under the pro-
visions of that law, at once the batter
les of the enemies of America and Amer
lean workmen were opened through the
mouths of these leaders and the col
umns of a mental and subsidized press,
and the project not only discouraged
but the men who had invested money
in it abused and villiied, all because
IN attempt was to be made to employ
our own labor to create for our own
use such articles as we had been, before
the passage of the Mckinley law, buy
ing from foreign manufacturers, thus
sustaining the labor of Europe at the
expense of our own, feeding the labor
of the Old World while our own next
door neighbor stands idle, hungry and
longing for work. AS an instance of
this hostility to home enterprise and
development we need but to cite the
case of the tinplate plant recently be-
gun in Anderson, Indiana. The plant
was almost completed and rave every
promise of success, and would soon
have been in operation, had not the
Democratic papers and politicians of
that state begun a systematic attack
upon the men who had invested their
means in it, and by direct charges and
inuendos so affected the credit of the
concern as to embarrass it, and tempo
rarily suspend work. To this cause is
due, according to the managers, the
present condition of the plant. Why
this hostility? Simply because the
success of such enterprises as have been
fostered and encouraged by Republican
legislation would operate against the
designs of the politicians of the Demo.
cratic party and at the same time give
hearty and u~nmistakable emphasis to
the claim that the Republican party is
the party of the people and for the peo-
pie, while on the other hand it would
show up the Democratic party, as rep
resented by its would be leaders, as
being willing to sacrifice everything
for the sake of-themselves.
How strikingly was the patriotism of
these same men displayed during the
last session of Congress, particularly
while considering an appropriation for
the Columbian Exposition. No sooner
was the bill announced and its purpose
made known than some of those same
little five for a nickle, jumping Jacks
made the startling discovery that il
would not do at all for the Government
to loan the managers of the Fair apy
money oh no indeed, it was out of the
question, in fact it was ''unconstitoo.
tional !" Exactly. But was it not
equally unconstitutional to vote a sum
of money in aid of the New Orleans
Exposition To that proposition some
of our very able constitutional states.
men from Tennessee gave their earnest
approval who now find it unconstitu.
tional to do likewise for a National af.
fair to be held in a Northern city.
Shame upon such craftsmanship, cry