The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-12-15
The Democratic Dilemma.

Observers at Washington, Republicans
and Democrats alike, depict the Democrat
ic leaders as depressed 10y the responsible
tiles they are soon to assume and in any
thing but an eXultant mood Men who
have promised what they cannot perform
may well feel conscience stricken on real
izing the situation: but it is somewhat of
a revelation to learn that the Democratic
party has a conscience. As Tammany
now has full control of the machine, in
Guiding the President elect, it must be
accepted as the embodiment of Democra-
cy, and conscience is not a quality of the
Tammany tiger-a beast all jaws and
greed and claws. But if any individual
Democrats at Washington are showing a
realizing sense of the situation they have
helped to create let them have full credit
for this unlocked for sensibility,
What is the situation? The Democratic
party found the country prospecting rs
never before it's honor and credit main
tanned at the highest standard With low
prices for the necessaries of life, good
wages in all occupations, ample markets
for our surplus products. peace and pros
perity everywhere. the Democratic orators
and organs inausurated campaign of dis
content. They told the workmen that they
Were ground down and oppressed by their
employers, compelled to pay double prices
for food and clothing because of the Me
kinley bill, and led them to believe that
higher wages and lower prices for the
necessa1ies of life would result from car
lNing out the Democratic policy OF free
trade. BY equally specious arguments
they are said to have secured in some
States quite proportion of the soldier
vote. \" sooner was the election over
than the victorious Democracy began to
talk of placing a tax on tea. coffee and
sugar, and 4 bill taxing sugar has already
been introduced into the House. Coffee
has advanced in price, probably in antic-
patton Of legislation. and there will of
course be a substantial increase in the
price of all thlee II these staple articles
if the Democratic policy is carried out.
The soldier gets Lis reward in ii move
ment fol cutting down OF abolishing the
pension list. Probably they will not ven
tule on tile last step, but tlpl hope to Gu.
down the appropriations for pensions. to
about forty million dollars annually. This
+i,pt- +lfiul- liza, y I.
they viii gall the pallpel pension bill. by
which pensions will be paid only to the
absolutely destitute. OF these who are di-
rectlY wounded and are unable to earn a
livelihood 10y theil own eXeltiol~ such
a bill, they think. would pass the Senate
and would receive tie approval of Pres-
dent Cleveland. There is nothing in the
record of Mr.. Cleveland. as President.
which would raise the dplht but That he
would be willing to approve any bill to
reduce pensions.
This taxing the nccessares of life and
cutting down the pensions is to enable the
Democrats to carry out their free trade
programme. Ieyenue must be provided
to run the governments and instead of de-
HVing tfIom manufactured articles which
come in competition with our own. they
propose to Get It by robbing the veteran
and taxing the breakfast. dinner and sup
per table of the whole American people
they tllNS propose to increase rather than
decrease the cost Of living. while taking
the tariff of of manufactured articles will
result in killing American Industries or
reducing the scale of labor to the Euro
pean Standard No wonder that confront
ihg such problem causes the Democratic
leaders to despond.