Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-28

VI NV SSSht ~ M AN
the same time opening up a great CIV
II and military highway between the
Atlantic and Pacific states. All this
was bitterly opposed by the Democrat
lie party-opposed-who would believe
1t now-on the old accession theory
Of states rights or decentralization
The Democratic party bitterly OPP
posed the g~reenback pollok of Secre.
tary Chase when IL was necessary to
resort to extraordinary measures TO
save the life or the nation In its strug.
gle with slavery and to pay the cit
izen soldiery. And the animus of this
opposition was a desire on the part
Of the Democratic leaders TO save
slavery. as was proved by the action
of the Democratic convention which
nominated General Mcclellan In 1864,
%denouncing Lincoln as q tyrant and
declaring the war a failure.
The next great struggle OF the Rep
ublican party was when il attempted
lto bring back the country from Its en-
forced greenback or treasury note
war policy to a solid specie basis In
time of peace. Then the Democratic
party took UP the greenback policy
at q time when the life OF the coun-
try was not at stake, at a time when
that policy meant a partial repudia'
Ition Of debt, when especially i would
have deprecated the wages Of every
wage Garner In the whole country,
as well as the compensation OF the
farmer, the blacksmith, the school
teacher, the preacher and the sales
man.
The free silver movement was the
same thing In a different form, and
the Democratic party true 70 It's ~
stincts made is to I Its battle cry
in 1896. The effect of which would
have been to compel all laboring men
Ito accept a currency for their wages
that was nat worth W 80 cents on
the dollar. The people did not un
derstand the issue al stake and when
the Republican party cam out for
honest money and entered on a cam.
paign Of education II made a bold
venture but II won and now even
Its enemies recognizes Its wisdom.
The paramount issue between the
two great parties eve since the ques-
tion Of slavery was settled has been
the protection Of American industries
as against free trade, and when the
history OF the last forty years is
written by the future historian II Will
be recognized that the'tarif has done
more than any other fiscal policy 70
make the laborers OF the United tates
the happiesi, most PROSPEROUS and
best paid class OF laboring men In all
the world. This policy will be the
browning glory OF tts moral policy
During all It's history the Republi.
can party has marked out the course
which II believed 10 be for the best
interests Of the country and has never
once been compelled 10 repudiate Its
record. On the other hand. at al.
most every presidential election the
Democratic party has been compel.
ed TO repudiate part OF lis former
platforms. Almost every milestone
In It's history Is a tombstone Of some
dead issue Where Is Its pro.slavery
record and anti.war record, its states
rights record. its INSTRUMENTATION
record, It's anti.homestead record, its
grecnback record, its i6 % ! record,
its anti.cxpansion record, lis Tree
trade record? Gone where thu. wood.
bine tsineth and. no one .cares 40 he
seen dropping a flower upon their
graves. ". u. II.