Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-02-24
A PARTY OF DISHONOR.
DEMOCRACY STANDS BEFORE
THE COUNTRY AS SUCH.
A Prospect That Not One Of It's solemn
Pledges viii he FULFILLED when 1t Comes
Into Power--Congrcssiona ExtravaEance
Steadily Growing.
bourbon False Pretcnses.

The Democracy again stands be-
fore the people OF the natien as the
party OF false pretenses and dishonor,
says the Cleveland Leader. 1t is
soon to come into complete control Of
the Government, and when 1t takes
the reins OF power 1t will do so with
every promise by which it induced
the people to trust it discredited, and
with no prospect that one OF Its SOL
emn pledges will be fulfilled.
.ss Two years ago the present Demo
cratic House OF Representatives was
chosen on two issues, the tariff and
economy. Its particular mission was
to keep down expenditures. 1t can
plead that Republican Senate and
President stood in the way OF reform
ing the tariff, though there would
probably have been no reform any
way. But no such excuse can save it
from responsibility for the expendi-
lures authorized, for the Democratic
House has originated all the appro-
priations. If IA billion dollars
was "profligate waste" and "rnin-
Gus extravaganza" on the part OF the
Fifty-frst Congress, as the Democrats
charged so sweepingly in 1890, the
expenditures of the Fifty-second are
vastly worse, for they will exceed those
OF its predecessors by the enormous
sum Of $50, 100000. The Republicans
had gone into power pledged to fair,
honest and liberal appropriations, as
befltted our rank and standing as a
nation and the works carried on by
Federal authority; the Democrats
were pledged to retrenchment and
reform. Such Is the difference be-
tween the parties. While pretending
to superior honor and watchfulness
of public interests, the Democrats do
even worse than did the Republicans
when they were denounced as dam
gerous plotters, and their policy con-
demned as inimical to the public
welfare.
1t is the same way with regard to
silver and the enforcement OF regu-
lations protecting the lives OF railway
employees. The Chicago platform de-
nounced the Sherman act Of 1890 "as
cowardly makeshift, fraught with
possibilities of danger in the future"
Yet when test vote was taken in
the Senate Monday, twenty-five Of
the thirty-nine Democrats In that
body went on record as opposed to
the repeal OF that measure. The
platform adopted at Chicago in June
declared explicitly that I'VE favor
legislation by Congress and the State
Legislatures to protect the lives and
limbs of railway employees, and de-
nouneed "tbe inactivity Of the Re-
publican party, particularly the Re-
publican Senate, for. causing the
defeat OF measures beneficial and
protective to this class OF wage
workers" Fair words, these, but
how the representatives of the party
belle them by their acts. The Sena-
tors who are pushing the wise and
necessary bill compelling the use of
automatic couplers on all railway
freight cars, and of systems of brakes
better calculated to save life and pre-
vent accidents than those now in use
arc Republicans, and these who op-
pose it are, with two or three excep-
tions, Democrats.
The party was victorious principal
ly on the tariff issue, yet Mr.. Cleve-
land has already side-tracked it for
the silver question and been unmerci-
fully snubbed by the Democratic
Senators for his pains. The attitude
Of the party throughout is one OF
cross purposes and Inconsistency. 1t
as much as says to the country: We
have the Offices for four years, so
what are you going to do about it?
No swindler eking out livelihood by
obtaining money by false pretenses
ever made promises more reck.essly,
broke them more ruthlessly, or faced
his victims with more sublime ef-
frontery and unblushing impudence
than is now manifested by the DEM
ocracy. 1t Is comforting to think,
in witnessing this disgraceful exhibi-
tion, that the public cannot be duped
for any great length Of time, and
that false pretcnses will work their
own cure presently.