The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-07-28
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in PERILOUS TINES
CAUTION

1t is rather strange that it should
be so, and yet all our history demon
strates that in periods of deep adver-
sity, when public and private debts
harrass the people, when business is
dull, when unemployment is wide
spread, it is the party and the pro-
gram of conservatism that appeals
most strongly to the voters.
1t would seem as if the neutral
trend under such circumstances would
be towerd radicalism. 1t would seem
as if the more revolutionary the pro-
gram presented by political party
the greater its popular appeal would
be. eve have tried the old SYSTEM"
the people might be regarded as say
ing, "and it has brought us nothing
but distress. Now let US face square
ly about and go in the other direction.
Things certainly can't get any worse
and there is a chance they may get
better" That would seem to be the
natural line of argument in times of
economic stress and strain.
But our history does not bear out
this assumption.
Times were terribly hard in the
seventies, following the imitation
period of the Civil War. Money was
scarce, unemployment was wide
spread, business was at standstill.
1t seemed to the superficial observer
as if the situation were made to
order for the radical. And so poll
teal party arose which offered an I'M
limited issue of greenbacks, "easy
money" which, the people were told,
would advance prices, restore employ
ment, stimulate business. The people
listened to the alluring promises, they
heard the specious arguments, and
when. election day came they voted
for the Republican party which had
painted no enticing pictures, had
offered no magic formula, which had
told them only that if kept in power
it would resume specie payments,
maintain the gold standard, stand by
the principles of sound government
laid dawn in the Constitution.
Times were hard again in the Nine
ties, terribly hard, and again the radi-
cal thought he saw his opportunity.
Not greenbacks this time, but Gree
Silver" was the battle cry, "easy
money" bringing better prices, afford
ing everybody employment. Again
the people listened and weighed, and
again they voted for the Republican
party on the most conservative plat
form it had ever written. The sure
instinct of the people warned them
against entering upon unknown paths,
against setting sail upon an uncharted
sea.
And so in the present period of
economic distress the trend of public
sentiment is obviously away from
radicalism. That was demonstrated
in the primaries that preceded the
national convention. 1t was demon
strated notably in Wisconsin and
Iowa and Pennsylvania. For the first
time in twenty-eight years there was
not a radical delegation in the Re-
publican convention from any state.
The people turned grinly away from
the "sure cure" doctors, from the fire
alarm orators demanding that they
about-face and march in the other di-
rection, from the revolutionaries who
shouted that everything. that is, is
wrong.
And that is what they are going to
do at the coming election. They will
scan the measures that were intro
duced in the last session of Congress
and. that were approved by the men
who will control the government if
the Democratic party is placed in
power-measures that would fasten
the dole upon America, that would
debase our currency, that would add
enormously to our interest-bearing
debt, that would inevitably increase
taxes with no corresponding benefit
and they will turn again to the party
that always keeps its feet on the
ground, that does not promise more
than it can perform, that steers a
steady course whether the weather
be foul or fair.