Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1886 — “A HEARTLESS KEYNOTE.” [ARTICLE]

“A HEARTLESS KEYNOTE.”

So Says Mbs Helen M. Gougar in Criticising Senator Habbison’s Lafayette Speech. The following are the criticisms of Mrs. Gougar, of Lafayette, after hearing Senator Harrison's recent effort in the Star City: I lUteued to the eloquent address of General Ben Harrison last evening with great interest, not more for the high reputation of the man and politician than from the fact that the speech was to be the “key note” from which all politicians are hereafter to soun 1 their bugle blast during our campaign. There was much in that address that I would like to ask honest information about, but I will cons fine myself to only those polnt3flthat struck me as beiug most worthy of attention:

First, Mr. Editor, allow me to ask if our wer is not over? lio mover our country and see it so peaceful ahd prosperous that I have been hugging the delusion(?) that the prunibg hook was occupying the place of the sword. Am I deaf to the beat of ihe drum, the tread of the soldier, and alive to the arts of peace? We were told of the terrible sufferings of tne Union soldiers because of his niggardly pensions; and all this was laid at the door oj the Democratic Administration. If the U> I n so!| dier is in this condition will you be good enough to tell me what the Republican paity was about for twenty years of its power, just preceding the two years of his present rule, that it did not deal more justly with him? Great fault was found that Union soldiers were not holding the postofflees under the present Administration.— Will you tell me how many editors held the pos offices in this county who never smelled gunpowder, while Union soldiers hobbled about on crutches, eking out precarious livings, during the last few years of Republican rule? Could not a Democratic orator put another side to the gen leman’s tear*diawiDg periods on this point? Mr. Editbr, our Government has dealt most generously with the soldiers, and if needs be, let us have home 3 established, as was advocated last night, for those disa Med in the country’s service; but,sir, I protest against the kind of campaign oratory that tends to keep up section * al strife in our country and rekindle the auhnosities of the war. Suehjjooliticai clap-trap snoulcl be spurned by the ex-soldier more earnestly, if possible, than by any other man, for he is the one who has done most to preserve the oneness of our people. Mr. Cleveland was arraigned most severely for appointing ex- rebel soldiers to public office; but, Mr. Editor, who made this possible? I answer, the Republican party in power that granted a general amnesty to these men. From that moment a Rebel soldier stood, iu the eyes of the law, on a par with a Union soldier, Mr! Cleveland has availed himself of this fact only, and by the appointment of these men he has carried out the spirit and the letter of the act of tLe Republican party; also by these appointments he has healed up much of the bitterness of the past and bridged the bloody chasm that will enable our people to march together, a solid phalanx of patriots, to thwart new enemies that threaten us, not iu sec tions, but the U ion over. Mr. Harrison’s speech struck me as aheartless ‘key-note’ that was sound* ed to deaden the conscious throb bingsof the pulse of the people. It is not the issues of the late war that our people are thinking about; ii is the issues of the war that is upon us with the saloon, the liquor traffic; but uot oue word did Mr. Harrison utter on this momentous question. In his attempt to draw tears about the “mes sles” one could see, not faintly, the pale, tear-stained faces of wives of drunken, debauched men, halfstarved children, and a long line of misery that cabs loudly for redress at the bands of our law-makers, but f or these poor souls Mr. Harrison had not so much as a thought. Mr. Harrison tiied to s.ir up a feeling of indignation in behalf of the Mississip pi politician who had been threatened if he persisted in running for office, but he had not one word <# condem nation for that element in politics righ f here at home, the saloon-atic rule, that boycotts, defames, burns and murders to keep Itself in power. Has not Mr. Harrison read of Ahe res cent muader of a tiaddock?

T here is much complaint that no interest can be awakened in the present. campaign. Is It any wonder when men with the abtlity and power or General Harrison go oui among the people with suchfdeal issues as he presented to his large and iDtelli gent audience last night? I believe the time is at band when the people and the press should step out from

under the whip of political partisan rule, an I fearlessly criticise such men and measures as retard the progress as retaid the progress and u»i y of the people. The address of Ml. Harrison last night, and all others that follow it on the same note, can do no good to a people who have long since buried the bitterness of war and are moving oa the ranks of new enemies that threaten us on all sides.

HELEN M. GOUGAR.