Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-05-12
A MOUNTAINEER
Exposes the False Pretenses of the
Democratic Party.
To the Editor of the Herald.

To the Editor of the Herald.
1t does seem to me that the party
now in power is either incompetent
or unwilling to adopt any measur
that will relieve the present depressed
condition of the country. There is
hardly a schoolboy but what knows
and can refer to the campaign
speeches made all over our country,
made by Democratic speakers, in which
the Republicans were arraigned as
thieves and robbers, as "a party of
'Publicans sitting at the seat of
customs demanding a tax on all
that the poor man consumes" A
Tariff for Protection was unconstitu-
tional and altogether wrong, only in
tended to rob the poor man of his just
earnings, that a few of the wealthy
manufacturers might be clothed i'll
purple and fine linen, while the poor
laboring man was made to bear the
burden of taxation. But said they,
1--WE, the Democratic party, are the
friends of the poor man; we, as a par
tv, have always stood up as the cham
pion of industrial liberty. Hand over
the Government to us, and soon the
iniquitous system of wholesale robbery
will be a thing of the past. We are
the party of 'Reform!' We are the
good old honest Democratic party, a
party always pledged to do the clean
thing. regardless of fear or favor. We,
the Democratic party will steer the
ship of state to a safe and sure haven
of prosperity. We, as a party, are op-
posed to Tariff taxation. We are op-
posed to monopoly. We are opposed
to trusts and combined capital and all
class legislation intended to benefit
and enrich the few at the expense of
the many. Oh, yes; fellow-citizens,
when once this grand old party of JEFF
ferson and Jackson gets control of the
Government, your market will be en-
larged, your graneries will not be fill
ed to OVERLOOKING with musty wheat,
waiting a demand. Your farms will
not be o~verstocked with surplus cattle,
but the supply will be inadequate to
the demand. The opening up of the
markets of the world will fill your
pockets with money, and your hearts
with laughter" But where, o, where,
shall the people turn to see a realiza-
ton of their pledges? The Sherman
purchasing clause has been repealed,
the Federal elections law has been
robbed of its sting, the Bland bill has
heard its death sentence, but what, O,
what, has been done to remove the
curse of hard times, or drive the wolf
from the door of thousands of homes
Echo answers, nothingl No longer
do we hear of the strike at Homestead
that foul strategy of the Democratic
party. But are we free from strikes ?
Aretheynct ofalmost daily occurrence!
What means this host that are now on
their way to the National Capital? Is
it an evidence of National prosperity?
Does it tell us that the people are sat
isfied with the present administration
at Washington? Does it prove that
an era of peace and plenty has been
i~naugurated at the seat of government
by which the poor and downtrodden of
this free country are to be lifted up !?
No, mol But the reverse. 1t tells in
un~mistakable language that thousands
Of men are out of employment; that
thousands of wives and children are
on the verge of starvation. 1t tells
the sad story that the American voter
has been deceived and misled by dis
honest and treacherous politicians.
Nothing of the kind has ever occurred
in the history of the country before.
Why now? Has the tide of industrial
prosperity begun to flow? Are these
foot-sore sons of toll going to Wash
ington to thank Mr.. Cleveland and
the party that he represents for the
good times that have come to them
aud their families? Echo answers,
No! Then why do they come? They
say to ask that some law may be en-
acted to relieve the present distress so
prevalent throughout the country.
They come to ask ON legislation
that will restore confidence, and bring
about a better condition of labor.
What the result will be we are not
able to determine. God forbid that
the tragedyat Harpers Ferry may ever
again be enacted on American soil.
More anon.
Steel S0f1AHx