Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1886 — THE G. O. P. [ARTICLE]

THE G. O. P.

Its Love and Sympathy for the Workingman—More of Blaine's Demagogy. [From the Detroit Free Press,] Mr. Blaine’s appeal for the workingman’s vote is so entirely characteristic and illustrates so accurately the manner in which his party is accustomed to prove its claims to support that it is worth considering for a moment. We do not refer now to the stale claim that protection has given the g. o. p. a claim upon the workingman by raising his wages. That proposition has been contradicted so completely and successfully that even Blaine himself must laugh in his sleeve when he undertakes to present it to an intelligent audience. What we refer to now is the appeal he makes on the ground of fatherly interest of the Republican party in the welfare of the workingman. In his Lewiston speech Mr. Blaine frankly admitted that the workingmen had discontents and grievances which the State or the nation, or both, could remove. The first that occurred to him was the lack, in the Maine law making ten hours a working day, of any provision to enforce the obligation of the law. That it was all wrong he assured his hearers. The workingman when told that ten hours was a day’s work was entitled to the protection of the State and the use of its strong right arm in help ng him to his pay for a day’s work when the time was up. And to show that the Republican party was in hearty sympathy with the workingman on this point he called their attention to the tact that the Republican candidate for Governor in his letter accepting the nomination had declared that the ten-hour law should be made obligatory and mandatory upon all the people in the State. Another grievance which caused his eyes to overflow with sympathy for the workingman was the “trustee process” law of Maine, what we call in Michigan the “garnishee” law. With faltering tongue and voice choked with emotion he painted a pathetic picture of the unfortunate workingman harassed and annoyed by the consciousness of a small debt he could not pay and compelled to witness the tying up of his wages by the flinty-hearted creditor. But his tongue ceased to falter and his voice came forth in full volume as he assured them that here again the Republican candidate for Governor was their friend — that he was fairly bursting with sympathy merely waiting the insertion of the workingman’s spigot to gush forth in a rich and overwhelming stream. And he further assured them that when the Governor should be elected trustee process would shrink cowering to its lair, or words to that effect, while a Republican Legislature would abolish it off the face of the earth, or that portion thereof over which a Maine Legislature has jurisdiction.

And at last he came to the most inhuman and indefensible law of all, the law which permits the iron-hearted creditor to send the workingman debtor to the dungeon cell, where, in Mr. Blaine’s own touching words, “he cannot do a stroke of work.” It was cruel, he said, a relic of the dark ages; but the same ministering angel who had consented to abandon his stone quarry and run for Governor had sworn him a mighty oath that imprisonment for debt should be wiped out and be known no more among the children of Maine. Wherefore, said the Plumed Knight, come all ye workingmen and vote for this grand old party whose candidate maketh those refulgent promises.

It was an old, old trick, a Republican trick that has been played in every campaign since there was any party of that name. If it deceives the workingmen of Maine, they must be far below the average of the intelligence which the workingmen of the country possess. Mr Blaine very cunningly omitted to tell—but we venture to say they knew very well without being to.l—that the Republican party in Maine is directly and criminally responsible for the existence of these wrongs, the cruelty whereof he pointed out so clearly. During the past quarter of a century, with the exception of scarcely a single year, the Republicans have had entire control of legislation in Maine. During all this time these grievances have existed, pressing heavily upon the workingmen. Had the g. o. p. cared anything for the workingman it could at any time have relieved him from these crushing burdens. Had Mr. Blaine cared anything for him he could have secured relief from the Republican State Government. But neither the g. o. p. nor Mr. Blaine cared a rap for the workingman. They do not care a rap now. All they want of him is his vote. But for that "they would not even take the trouble to promise him relief, as the candidate for Governor has done. If the Maine workingmen accept that naked promise as atonement for years of criminal neglect, they deserve to have it broken, as it will be whether they accept it or not.