The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-09-23
THE DANGER SIGNAL.
CLEVELAND TELLS WHEN 1T
SHOULD BE RAISED. ~
But the Republican Party Is the Only One
That Has the Wisdom and Patriotism 20
to Raise It---words of Timely Warn
Ing.

One of the silliest scares ever raised
during a campaign to delude the
people is the present Democratic howl
about the so-called "force bill" And
yet the Democrats, since they have
been driven from their free trade and
tariff reform" entertainments by the
weapons of protection and reciprocity,
have been laying great stress upon the
force bill' howl, as a campaign argu-
ment 1t is but another of the usual
Democratic attempts to create prejudice
against Republican principles: To nm
derstand how baseless Is the Demo-
cratic cutlery against force in elections,
it is necessary only TO read what the
Republican party demands in its
national platform This is the plank,
and the only plank, against which the
Democratic howl about "force bill"
is directed:
We demand that every citizen Of the
United States shall be allowed to cast ONE
FREE AND UNRESTRICTED BALLoT IN ALL PUB
Lie ELECTIONS, AND THAT SUCH BALLOp SHALL
BE COUNTED AND RETURNED AS CAST; that
such laws shall be enacted and enforced as
will secure to every citizen, be he rich or
poor, native or foreign born, white or black,
this sovereign right guaranteed by the
constitution. The free and honest popular
ballot, the just and equal representation OF
all the people, as well as their just and
equal protection under the laws, are the
foundation of our republican institutions,
and the party will never relent its efforts
Until the integrity OF the ballot and the
purity Of elections shall be fully guaran-
teed and protected in every State
There is not the slightest hint here
of force in elections or federal bayonets
at the polls. That plank demands
nothing more than the United States
constitution guarantees to every citizen
nothing more than Is requisite to the
perpetuity of free popular government
Are constitutional rights such a bogy
to the Democratic party?
Grover Cleveland himself has fully
approved the principles embodied In
the national Republican platform On
the 22nd day Of February last, he
lectured to the students of the Michigan
University, at Ann Arbor, on the sub
ject of Sentiment in Our National
Life" After discoursing while on
his theme, he said:
81 have thus far spoken of a peoples
sentiment as something which may ex-
list and be effective under any form of
government and in any national con-
dition. But the thought naturally fol-
lows, that IL this sentiment may be so
potent in countries ruled by power
originating outside of popular will,
HOW VITAL MUST ITS EXISTENCE AND
REGULATION BE AMONG OUR COUNTRY.
MEN, WHO RULE THEMSELVES AND ADJ
MINISTER THEIR OWN LAWS. In lands
less free than ours, the control of the
governed may be more easily main
tanned, If those who are set over them
see fit TO make concession to their sem
timent; yet, with or without such con-
cession, the strong hand of force may
still support the power to govern.
BUT SENTIMENT is THE VERY
LIFE BLOOD OF OUR NATION"
Having told his hearers how vital a
thing this sentiment is, he proceeds to
specify particularly of what it consists.
He says:
"None of us can be ignorant of the
IDEAS WHICH CONSTITUTE THE SENTIMENT
UNDERLYING OUR NATIONAL STRUCTURE
We know they are
ga reverent belief in God,
ga sincere recognition of the value
and power of moral principle and those
qualities of heart, which make noble
manhood,
devotion to unreserved patriotism,
Glove FOR MANS EQUALITY,
"UNQUEsTIoNING TRUST IN POPULAR
RULE,
''The exaction of civic virtue and
honesty,
Faith in the saving qualities of
universal education,
''PRoTECTION OF FREE AND UNPEB-
UERTEn A
WILL, and
San insistence upon strict account
ability of public officers as servants of
the people.
'THEsE ARE THE ELEMENTS OF AMER
loan SENTIMENT; and all THESE SHOULD
BE FOUND DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN THE
MINDS AND HEARTS OF OUR COUNTRY
MEN,"
THE TIME HAS COME WHEN
SIGNAL SHOULD BE RAISED
All the language quoted above is
endorsement of Republican doctrine as
can be penned.
What is the Republican demand for
a FREE AND UNRESTRICTED BALLOT HON.
EsTLY COUNTED AND RETURNED, but the
ITce duu uupcTVcTUeQ EXPRESSION OF
the popular WILL" which Cleveland ap-
proves?
What is the Republican demand for
laws to guarantee this sovereign right
to EVERY CITIZEN, RICH OR POOR, NATIVE
OR FOREIGN BORN, WHITE OR BLACK,
but practical expression of "love for
mans equalityp'
What is the Republican demand but
an evidence of "unquestioning trust in
popular ruler"
The ardent wish of the Republican
party is that such sentiments ''should
be found embedded in the minds and
hearts of our countrymen."
The Republican party insists that
these sentiments have been displaced
and that "THE TIME HAS COME
WHEN A DANGER SIGNAL SHOULD
BE RAISED"
Cleveland is good enough Republic
can to vote for Harrison and Reid.
Two of "a Kind.
The Confederates declared protec-
tive tariff unconstitution al in their