The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-18
IN DEFIANCE OF THE PEOPLE.

The Republican party and its leaders
have ever since their crushing defeat In
November. which was preceded so imme-
diately by that OF 1890. been engaged In
the task of trying, by every means posi-
bic. fair or foul. TO hold on to Office in
defiance Of the emphatlcally expressed
will Of the people. Hardly had the echoes
OF the battle died away over their COM
plete rout at all points. when they began
the work OF seeing II. by any imagina-
bic scheme or technlcality OF law. they
might not hold on TO power. although the
popular verdict had been Overwhelmingly
against them. Hence II was that in the
Northwestern States they tried to cheat
the voters OF their choice at the polls
through the medium OF Republican can
wasting boards. and count In enough
beaten legislative candidates of their par
" TO enable them TO steal United States
Scholarships. and why they have en-
deavored 10 prolong the contests in these
States at least until after the usual
special session OF the Senate in March,
49, AAtohit iiQJOl III
that body to the last extremity.
1t is not at all surprising that the
President should be found aiding his party
to the extent of his power in thus op-
posing known popular sentiment, for II
Mr.. Harrison IS not a Republican ne is
nothing. He has become so thoroughly
identified with Radicalism as to be n
stalwart of the stalwarts, and therefore
has long since Endorsed the governing
principle Of his party, that the people
have no rights which the Republican
party must respect, If by any legal pre-
text or technicality these rights can be
ignored. II is not strange therefore that
here, in the very last expiring days Of
his administration. he should be found
e~ndeavoring to keep Republicans in office
by extending the provisions Of the civil
service law to minor and insignificant
Federal positions, in connection with
which no one before him had ever dream
ed of applying that statute. And now, so
determined is he to keep in place under
a Democratic administration even the
HuiiDIC9N ~iu IdSt VI his ntUCiIHtn pOS-
sible, that he has even ordered the dis
charge, from a minor position in the post
Office Of this city, of a lady who has filled
the place for over twenty years, and who
has relied on it for support for a blind
and infrm husband. so that he may ap-
point a Republican in her stead. Could
ever Radical meanness. the climax of all
go further?
But a day of reckoning will come. The
masses will not be unmindful OF these
efforts to defy them and retain, by every
means which ingenuity. made skillful
by long practice, can devise, a party
in power which has, twice in succession, |
been rejected, discarded and pronounced
faithless to its trust by an indignant
people. II they ever declared anything
so emphatically as to place their will be-
yond dispute. they have declared that
party and its minions. and no
how much a Republican President
and Republican schemers may try to de-
feat them, they will eventually have their
respected. The Democrats will
need no stronger arguments against their
opponents in the next campaign than
keep themselves in office after they had
been rejected by an overwhelming popular
sentiment.