The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-12-27
SOME BITS OF HISTORY.

Democratic papers and orators that
financial reform was not the issue
at all. Assurance followed assur-
ance that the finances of the ccun-
try were all that could be desired
that the credit of the government
was unimpaired-that money was
good and ABUNDANT that it was I'M
wise, very unwise to tamper with the
safest and best banking system thai
man had ever devised-that the real
issue before the country was Tariff
Reform.
The masses of the people believed
the Democrats were sincere, and
truthful, and so, they hurled the Re
publicans out OF power and put the
Democrats in. They had the right
to expect-and they did expect
that the Democrats would give them
d thorough and sensible reform OF
the customs laws Of the country.
Were the expectations of the people
met? Have we obtained any real
reform of the tariff? Every fair
minded man is bound to say, that
the tariff bill of the first session of
the present Congress is a shameful
compromises miserable compact
with monopoly-a piece of unblush
ing deceit from end to end.
Now, take the facts as we have
stated them-take the facts as they
are-and what conclusion are we
bound to reach? Why simply this:
The Democratic protestations and
professions in favor of tariff reform
were false from the beginning. They
never had any serious intention of
allowing customs reform; and they
onl y took that matter up to draw
the attention of the People away
from the real cause of all their trou
bles in a thoroughly vicious and rot
ten financial system. We appeal to
the common sense of all men to de-
eide if all the actions of the Demo
cratic party since it came into pow
er do not make it certain that thai
party has deceived the people with a
false cry of tariff reform. If the
Democratic party were natural
person, it could be indicted and pun
ished in a court of Common Law for
obtaining goods under false pretense.
Indeed it has been indicted in the
great court of an indignant citizen
ship; and it will soon be wearing the
shameful stripes which symbolic its
wanton and cruel betrayal of nigh
public trusts.
Then again, ever since we can re-
member, the Democratic party has
been professedly the friend of free
silver. A free silver plank was put
into its platform at Chicago; and
Mr.. Cleveland was nominated upon
it, and elected. He was scarcely
warm in his executive nest, when he
called the Congress together in ex
traOrdinary session, and commanded
it to tinish the work of DESTROYING
silver as money by Internationally
repeating the purchasing clause of
the act of 1890. The silver men in
and out of the Presidents party, be-
sought our American Gar to allow
some conditions, if they were never
30 slight; But no! Those for whom
he acted had issued their mandate;
and nothing but repeal-nothing
but the final degradation of silver
would be allowed. And the sig
nifcant fact in the whole bad bust
ness is seen i'll the cowardly submits
sion of the Democratic party to the
will of its master. The only fair
conclusion that any one can reach
is, that the professions of attach
ments to silver made by the Demo-
cratic party were hypocritical and
false from the start. They put a
silver plank in their platform; and
Mr.. Cleveland stood upon it to be
elected, when he and other leaders
of his party knew they were play
ing only game of simple seeming,
and were bent upon betraylng the
people who trusted them, 80 soon as
they could win position that would
enable them to make betrayal effec.
tive.
We conclude-we are bound to
conclude-that the Democratic par
ty is unworthy of trust.
After the late revolt of the peo-
pie from this party of false and
fraudulent professions, the Demo
cratic Secretary of the Treasury
comes forward with scheme to re.
form the banking system. He even
uses the language of the original AL
lance agltators, and tells the world
that We need such financial reforms
as will give US ')arger and more
flexible circulation" These recon-
mendations are specious and smooth.
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