The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-27

been accomplished. We stood in posses
sion of the government with the greatest
Democrat of all in the presidential chair.
when the Eaarplots. and some of the very
same men who caused the trouble before:
have kicked the party into the mire of
communism and PoDulism. Now we are
asked to undertake another twenty-five
years journey through the wilderness to
! restore the party TO its standing In the
community and to put 1t In such repute
that it may go at large without, giving
bond to keep the peace As said before,
/ have no stomach for the task.
.'Since our country is of necessity gov
erned by parties. it is the duty of every
man to give his support to one of the two
great parties. and to cast his vote in such
a way as to actually influence the result
The right of suffrage is sacred trust, and
no man can fully discharge his duty by
going to the polls merely as a matter of
exercise and throwing away his vote. No
sensible man fishes in cistern or wastes
his ammunition firing at the moon. And,
coming again to the matter of insincerity
in politics, 1t may be observed that this
trait is not entirely confined to some of the
people who are supporting the Chicago
ticket. Whatever the future. purpose of
those who named tne National Democratic
ticket, no one will dispute that the present
one is the election of the Republican ticket.
what can be more groteSque than this
thing OF running one ticket for the purpose
of electing another? / ask you, is it not
the more sensible thing, is it not the more
manly thing to directly and openly espouse
the cause of and vote for the Republican
ticket?
THE TARIFF QUESTION
how shall we get over that? For myself,
1 confess that in the hard school of expe
rience 1 have been taught to modify my
views as to the tariff. The theory our par
ty has held is a beautiful one, an attrac-
tive subject for the stump speaker; indeed,
an ideal theory; but has not experience
demonstrated that, like all other ideals, it
is the unattainable? We fought for it in
three elections and got licked in two of
them, and then we finally succeeded with
our theory and elected a President, SEN
ate, a House of Representatives, and had a
Cabinet assembled, all for tariff for rev.
enue only, and everything seemed lovely.
What was the result? After a long and
tortuouS session, the delay and uncertainty
of which paralyZed the business of the
country. our tariff production came forth.
What was then promulgated? An awkward,
lll-conceived measure. differing from its
predecessor only in degree, one which has
disturbed business has failed to produce
the revenue necessary for the purposes or
the government, an epitome of failure, the
spised and hated by each other. a monde
script brat which no one would father and
for which the President of the United
States very properly refused to stand god
father by aff1Xing his signature of appro-
val. What. then, is the truth of the whole
matter? You cannot have a tariff for rev.
enue only, for the simple reason that you
cannot elect angels from Heaven to seats
in either branch of Congress A tariff for
revenue only can never be enacted for the
reason that such a one must be laid almost
entirely upon some of the commonest nee
eSsaries of life reaching and affecting
every citizen in the most irritating manner,
and the PRONUNCIATION of such a measure
would cost two-thirds of the men who
voted for it their seats at the next election.
The cheap men who now hold seats in Con-
gress, and the cheaper ones who are trying
to secure the places, are not going to FISK
their precious salaries by voting for a
measure that puts them in absolute peril.
ITO my mind the future prosperity of this
great Nation will be most surely reached
by system of sound money, a tariff suf-
ficient to produce revenue adjusted in the
interest of our own citizens, and a vigor-
Gus foreign policy which shall make re-
ciprocal trade not only an advantage to us,
but a necessity to all our neghbors upon
Western seas. Such policy will carry the
flag and the commerce of our country
around the world. All honor to the Repub-
lican party in that it now stands for all
these things. 1t made great sacrifices to
do 1t sacrificed the support of States
rather than retain them at price which
1t scorned to pay. Laying aside old quar-
rels, forgetting old differences and coming
with unbiased minds to "a. consideration of
by candid men that, either from choice or
through force of circumstances. the Repub-
interests of the American people. Its plat
form is distinctly right upon the questions
that are now agitating the public mind. Its
candidates mar FULLY accept that platform
in all it's integ1- " and stand to-day for that
which is most laudable in politics. most
conducive to the public peace and the
preservation of the public honor. At least
believe these things; and so believing
give to this party my vote and cheerful
support. l do not overlook the tremendous
price which every man pays who prefers
his country to his party. and who allows
his patriotism to come between him and
his former political associations. It means
that he must abandon all hope of political
preferment, and forever lay his ambition
upon the altar of his country. Those who
are not willing to make such a sacrifice
may follow their own course; have chosen
mine. Believing that long as present
conditions exist If is the 6utv nf
patriotic man to support the Republican
party and its candidates. / will do so cheer
fully and without he slightest regard to
wise. We will march to the music of the
Union, and our high purpose shall be one
country and one flag. now and forever"