People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-03-26
Republican Prospects.
Harper's WeeklY, March IA.

the ranks of the Wings and of the
Democrats to found a new Organiza.
tion devoted to high moral and pOlit.
ical aims, under the leadership Of
statesmen of eminent character, com.
manding ability, and the courage Of
sincere convictions. The contrast
between the spirit and condition OF
the Republican party in those days
and its present plight calls forth mel
anchOly reflections. The time for its
national convention is approaching
The ORIGINAL ANTISLAvERY MISSION
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS
LONG BEEN FULFILLED, AND NEW
PROBLEMS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
ARE PRESSING FOR SOLUTION, The
Republican party still pretendS that
it contains in its ranks the best Of
popular intelligence and virtue. 1t
claims public confidence and support
on the ground that by this superior
intelligence and virtue tits best fitted
to solve the great problems before us.
What these problems are every candid
observer knows. THE BUSINESS COM.
MUNITY OF THE COUNTRY ADMITS
THAT THE TARIFF Is NO LONGER ONE
OF THEM. While some selfish inter.
eStS still clamOr for higher protection,
the business world at large is known
to be on the whole satisfied, for the
time being at least, with the tariff as
II stands, and wishes it substantially
TO be let alone. This is so true that
even many of the old protectionists
hesitate to touch it. They are well
aware that what prevents the revival
OF prosperity is not the low tariff,
BUT THE CURRENCY DISORDER. The
questions really and urgently demand.
ing the attention of the country are
those Of the currency, and of admins.
tratiye reform by the abolition of the
spOils system.
If THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WERE
STILL WHAT IT ONCE WAS, ITS LEAD
ING MEN WOULD RECOGNIZE 1T AS
THEIR OBVIOUS DUTY TO COME FOR
WARD AND BOLDLY TO EXPRESS
THEIR SINCERE CONVICTIONS ON
THESE SUBJECTS. They would seek
by every legitimate means to summon
to action and to organize the support
ers of these opinions within theil
party, to the end Of securing from the
national convention a clear and STRONG
approval Of them, and the nomination
OF candidates known to be in accord
with them. The convention wouli
thus become, as the early Republican
conventions were, truly representa-
tive body Of honest citizens intent
upon serving the public interest by
making certain policies prevail
tnrough party effort. What do VIZ
behold? A large number of the lead
Ing men of the Republican party
among them some of the most power
1ul, are open advocates of the spojls
system with all its demoralizlne
efectS, and even of those who occa-
slonaIly express their disapproval Of
1t and have good word for reform
out few are courageous enough to ad
Vocate reform with aggressive empha
sis. In fact, in most states the repu
lar organization Of the Republican
party is resting upon the spoils prin-
ciple aud held together by spoil,
methods. And there is no prominen,
Republican leader, at least no pros
pectiye candidate for the presidency
VINO openly demands that fidelity Il
CIVIL service reform be made one O.
the cardinal tests of Republicanism
Almost all of them are willing to lei
the boys" understand that if tn,
Republicans win, the lOaves and fisbe,
Will 60 to them as much as possible il
the old fashion.
AS TO the currency question, thei
attitude is no less disCrediJable. Tn,
tremulous agility with which tn,
Republican candidates dodge around
corners to avoid clear expression O
opinion on the most pressing neet
OF the time would be amusing were i
not so lamentdble. Almost all of III
leading men are now engaged in al
effort to crowd the real problem O
the day into the background by ad
vaDcing fraudulent tariff issue (
the front-fraudulent we say, becaus
they know that the country does no
only not demand it but rather repel
it, and that it is only to serve tn
purpose Of deceiving the people as t
what the issue of the contest reall
should be, 1t is a significant fact
which other candidates should not b
slow to comprehend, that the advanc
ing of this false issue necessarily tend
to give the nomination to Mr.. Mt
Kinley-the man whose high-tarit
record is the most prominent, Will
his record on the currency Question
the NEST Objectionable. Were tb