Evening star., 1932-05-01
BY JOHN CLACETT PROCTOR.

just beginning to up, will be
fairly seething with the arguments Of
the orators and spellbinders of the
- two big parties and as in days OF
yoFe. many uncomplimentary things
will be said.
For years, up until Grover Cleveland went
out of the White House. the principal argu-
ment was around high tariff and low tariff,
with the Republicans standing for protection,
and then came william Jennings Bryan with
his 16-to-1 platform. to which the people did
not take kindly enough to elect the gentleman
from Nebraska.
Right or wrong, there must be something
to argue about; the voter must be led to
believe that the other fellow Is too incompetent
to get in, not sufficiently competent to stay in,
the case may be. Following the Civil War
the Republican spellbinders Haunted the
bloody shirt, while the Democrats in addition
to explaining the tariff question, called the
Republicans robbers, and tried to prove It,
However, whatever may be said on the
subject, the District of Columbia can find no
great reason for taking offense. since its
friends in Congress include members Of both
parties, and those members who seem unable
to differenfiate between a national and q
local government and who regularly refuse
to pay the Nations proportion Of expenses
in the District of Columbia, are about equally
divided, and matter who the President
might be, none of them up to the present time
has refrained from paying of his political
debts with some Of our nice juicy pluns.
Naturally both parties owe much to the
District of Columbia since, as for all other
purposes the people here are large con-
tributors to the campaign funds, and, TO use
another old saying. Money makes the mare CO."
Indeed, In years gone by-before the days OF
the Civil Service-the Federal Office holders
in Washington practically paid all the election
bills, and they did If they wanted to not,
for the penalty a drastic and severe one
II they opposed the will of the mighty. But
now, where the matter is a voluntary one, It's
helpfulness should be all the more appreciated.
Particularly should this apply to the
Republican party. which was practically born
in this city rs years ago. the year Fremont
and Dayton were nominated at Philadelphia,
Pa, for the Offices Of President and Vice
President, respectively.
OF course, there was always bad blood in
Congress over the slavery question, and for
about a decade before the Civil War people
talked little about anything except free soil
and State rights.
CARLY in January, 1847, the National Era,
l. anti-slavery newspaper, was established
in Washington, with Gamaliel Bailey
editor and proprietor and John G. Whittier
as corresponding editor. Bailey was a con-
servative sort of writer and avoided as much
possible creating friction with those Of
Southern leaning, who in all probability made
up large part Of the population Of Washing
ton at that time. though he never hesitated to
advocate the doing away with slavery in the
territories and in urging restriction upon it
so far as new States were concerned.
Hardly had the Era obtained good start
here before an event occurred which nearly
caused its plant to be wrecked but this was
due to the enthusiasm Of Daniel Drayton, who
had induced the captain of vessel tied up at
of the wharves in 1847 to take to free soil
a colored woman and her five children. SO
successful was he upon this occasion that the
following year he was induced by some
abolitionists to take a large number away
Drayton came here, so the story goes, with the
captain of the schooner Pearl and tied up
short distance below the Sixth Street Wharf,
where cargo Of wood was discharged. Later,
in the darkness of night, he took on board q
human freight Of rs colored men, women and
children, set sail, and reached the mouth Of
the river before the wind died down.
Many Of Washington's and Georgetown's