Year: 1875

Iowa has had prosperity, and that IN
SO far as the policies of party or I'D
ministration of State has or may in
fiuence these results, to the Republi-
can party we are indebted for this
growth and advancement.


THE TWO PARTIES.


Turn we however, to the very logi.
cal inquiry whether anything can be
found in the proposed policies OF
accomplished measures of this party
tending to either advance or retard
this prosperity, promote or interfere
with the desired good government
extending the same inquiry to the
policies or proposed measures OF
those opposed to the administration
or party in power.


| And as these parties have in this
State, tickets and platforms, for
which they are now asking your sup
port and approval, l may perhaps
quite as logically and briefly rs in
any other way, answer these inquiries
by considering what they propose,
glancing, it may be, hurriedly, if the
time will permit, at the candidates
presented for your suffrages.


THE CRY OF REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION.
| This much-abused Republican par
ty is in the platform Of the opposi-
tion, arraigned without stint for i,s
corruption and failure to administer
the affairs os the government in xc-
cordance with the principles Of the
Constitution and the doctrines of the
fathers. And their candidate for
Governor, on the day of his nomina-
ZION. in his splenetic effort, ravingly
said, 81 expect no kindness from Re-
publicans, and shall show them none.
! intend to show that party no quar-
ter. The Republican party is cor
rupt, every inch of it, from top to
bottom, and ! intend to hold up thai
corruption to the voters of Iowa."
This arraignment is neither new nor
strange. That no effort has been
made to make good this Indictment
is of no moment to this question, for
they can still keep charging. The
stock in trade of the opposition con-
sists in fault finding and complain
ing. As they have not done any
thing for fifteen years, as they have
no Official or administrative response
bilitv, they can indulge in the luxury
of charging everything, rs they sup
pose, with perfect impunity, hoping
that in all their wholesale ISLANDERS
the people may possibly believe
something, or q part of what they
say, and their party thereby gain
little courage and cheer.


Now propose to dispose of these
wholesale charges, found in all their
pla, forms, proclaimed from their
every stump, and heralded in all their
papers, by very brief reference to
facts, matters of record, matters of
official history.


THE STEWARDSHIP OF REPUBLICANIsM.
In 1860 this nation had bankrupt
treasury. You remember no one had
any conf 1ence in the currency then
in use Whatever navy or army We
had was small, demoralized aid scat
tered. There was next TO no sus-
tanned authority, and what there
was, was defied in almost one halt
the States. and insurgents held our
forts and arsenals. The party then
in power made no pretense of its
ability or right to stem the oncomiDg
tide of rebellion and disunion. In
deed it was proclaimed by the then
chief magistrate that there was no
power in the constitution to coerce
state, or stay the movement which
was sweeping the nation to destruc.
ton the most certain. Armed men
thundered almost at the doors Of the
national capitol, and the stoutest
hearts quailed before the impending
great danger. Under such circum-
stances the loyal people Of this ma
tion called the Republican party into
power. Theirs it was to preserve
the trust which the Democratic party
was ready to betray. Have you
nation o-day, therefore you owe it to
the patriotism, fidelity, and courage
of this rarty, and by the side Of this
one crowniug act of loyalty and
patriotism, all the clamors aud charg-
es of the opposition sink into insig
nifcance, and i, would seem that the
people should be most reluctant, for
this reason if none other, to credit
charges of dishonesty, corruption and
violation of trust, coming from such
| a source.


But again: The cowardiee and
imbecil.ty of the opposition not only
plunged the nation into war, but
during the four years struggle went
to the very verge of active treason,
and since its close has done all in its
power to defeat the government in
its efforts to save and preserve what
was secured as its fruits; and in the
face of these things, despite all this
opposition we have provided sys-
TEN of free homes for all settlers.
We have made labor free and hon
orable. Secured for the first time
liberty and equal civil and political
rights to all The States lately at
tempting to sever their connection
with the Union have been recon
structed and restored. Taxes have
been reduced at the rate of millions
per month, and the public debt in
like proportion. The national credit
has been raised at home and abroad,
and the utmost vigilance exercised
in the collection Of the revenue. We
have fully settled and perfected the
citizenship Of all adopted citizens.
We show an army of officials dis
missed. Peace maintained by the
treaty of Washington, and the ma
tional character kept to the point OF
highest public respect throughout
the civilized world. Expanded our
railroad system from 10000 to near
| 100000 miles. The Pacific railroad
built, our internal and external COM
merce advanced as never before, a
sound currency given, having the
confidence of the people-increased
our agricultural and manufacturing
interests-and the crOwninp glory Of