Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-09-06
WHY BE A DEMOCRAT.

article in the last issue of the Demo-
craft. 1t seems to us to be Il. very
hard question to answer and it seemed
equally IL poser to our friend of the
Democrat. He says because they be-
lieve in the principles of the Demo-
sratic party. But what are the pIin-
ciples of that party? When a man
processes religion his fellows Judge
him. not byAis professions, but by
his conduct, SO in amy phase of life it
is from the acts If a man or party
that the World gathers it's principles
and to that test the Dem ocratlc
party will have to submit. What
single thing has that party done in
the last thirty years that should
make any intelligent man wish to be-
long to it? Heretofore when asked
that question the reply was 1--WE
have had no opportunity; we have
been in the opposition; give us a
chance, give us entire control OF the
government and we will quickly show
you what we can do; everything will
! be changed and we will make this
country veritable Garden OF Eden. .
These fairy tales had their effect.
The people said we will give them a
chance. The All Wise Cleveland was
elected and with him IL Democratic
House and Senate SO as to give the
glorious reform full swing. They as
sumed control of the government in
all it's branches. The promised
change in the condition of the country
came and came in chunks too. But
| the change was not SO rose cOlOred
as was promised There was a
marked change in the ''clover." In
stead of the glorious times which they
promised, Il wave of desOlatiOn
swept over the country. Banks fail
ed, the savings of years were swept
away. The mines CLOSED down and
charity, alone. stood between the
miners families and starvation. Nor
was distress confined to this class.
The working men all over the country
suffered alike. The factories and
mills were idle or running on reduced
time and wages which the laborers
were only to glad to accept rather
than entire lack of employment.
If any one had predicted, two
years ago, the vide spread desol;l-
ton and misery which has marked
the advent of the Democratic party to
| power hi, would have been set down
by his neighbors as AZ lunatic and
| would have stood good chance of
spending some time in all ASYLUM
No one thought it possible to SO
change the conditions Of this country
| in so short a time. But the change
was made and, squirm and twist as
they please the voters will hold the
Democ ratio party responsible for it.
AS far ais principles go the Demo-
cratic party never had any that the
whole party were united On. They
have blown hot and they blOw1l cold
Onevery question that has been be-
fore the people in the last twenty-five
years. In the last campaign their
platform declared for tariff for
revenue only and that protection was
unconstitutional. But their candi-
date for president and the most prom
inent members of the party FASTENED
| ~ u; Il
| lust that but were in favor OF a re-
vision of the tariff in such Il manner
as not to interfere with the business
interests of the country. What they
meant by that the Lord only knows.
In congress we find them in favor Of
protection for the industries of their
own particular district but %amor-
ing for free trade for the rest OF the
country. Their eliminating act was
the passage of a law that satisfied no
one and the passage OF which their
own president characterized as
''party perfdy and party dishonor.'
The party loudly denounced trusts
| in it's pl&tform but the only principle
that they held fast throughout all
their legislation, the only thing in
which they We're consistent through
out their bill was in their devotion to
the gigantic trusts of the country.
Every business interest of the country
had to give way SO that the trusts
might be cared for and the only bene-
ficiaries under that law were the
sugar trust and the whiskey trust.
They cared nothing that the poor
working men should pay from one to
three cents per pound more for their
sugar so long as Havemeyer and his
associates were cared f )r.
After carefully looking up the Dem
ocratic record we can find no good
answer to the question "Why be a.
Democrat You had better give it