Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1888 — A Question for New Vote[?]s. [ARTICLE]

A Question for New Vote[?]s.

Any young man, before he enrolls himself under the Democratic banner, shoifld consider seriously this question: “If I join the Democratic party, how long can I stay with it?” We will assume that, Tike many young men fresh from"their studies, he is inclined to freetrade ideas. We will suppose that he votes the Democratic ticket in November. and considers himself a member of thatp&rty. A few weeks Jater the Legislature of his State—iot this may be true in any State —meets, and a HighLicense bill Or some other strict temperance measure is introduced. He sees his new-found party rally solidly to oppose it under the dictation of the liquor dealers. He is. vexed and. ashamed. He is intelligent, well-edu-cated and sincere. His conscience compels him to oppose the party he has just joined, and to denounce its action. Later on, a bill for the and better protection of the ballot is introduced. Here again he sees his party solidly contending against a measure which probably every conscientious voter in both parties wants to see passed. Again he is vexed and ashamed. It seems to him that the party leaders are actuated by the lowest motives, pander to the worst - classes of society, and are besides blind to the signs of the times. Again he opposes the party in which he has just enlisted. , Now, does a man show good common sense when he joins a party which he expects to spend most of his time opposing? On most of the great questions of the day—temperance being one of the chief of them—the Democ - atic -party is as hopelessly wrong as it was on the slavery Question, and if can no more chage Its position than it could with regard to slavery. Even many who do not agree with Republicans in believing that the free-trade tendency of the .party is its. most dangerous /character*--, istic, are compelled to admit that upon moral issues it is utterly wrong-headed. Then why have anything to do with it? To jump on a train for the sake of jumping off again is a very slow wav of reaching one’s destination.. Many persons of this -class seem to think that some mysterious virtue resides in Mr. Cleveland, which secures the country against the perils of complete Democratic ascendency. The record of his administration shows that this confidence is one of those delusions which. is not uncommon in politics. Many voters who supported him four years ago have found it out. But in any event the hew voter should remember that the power behind the President is that of the Democratic party, with its old character still unchanged. Mr. Cleveland cantiot possibly remain in power more than four years longer; and ‘when he is gone, the party must fall back upon the old set ot leaders whom the A merman people distrust. ' The notion that this hoary bladed old sinner, the'Democratic party, has at last been converted, and will now do works fit for repentance, is no new thing. Wheh the Democrats, of the South agreed to support Mr. Greeley, on a platform of universal amnesty anil reconciliation, many UlLug were glad to believe them sincere, and joyfully hailed the dawn of a better day. Yet the shocking atrocities &$* which the negro votedn the South has .been’ suppressed wete committed many years afterward, while the most shameless frauds known in the history of republican institutions continue to this day, and are relied upon to re-elect Mr. Cleveland. When Mr. Tilden was nominated there was a class, especially among the young voteys, who betiffced that the Democratic party was about to become a great instrument of administrative reform. It was onljroa few months before they were over-

whelmed with confusion and shame by the disclosure of the cipher dispatches —the vilest political conspiracy in our history. Those who indulge in similar dreams about the Democratic party of to-day have a like rude awakening' before them. It dnuiys to itself, by a natura], attraction, the worst elements, and can no more change its character than the leopard can change its spots.