CO I 



REPTT.UCAN PARTY. 



field was against what was called a "thin! terra " j and that a change was needed, had some effect in de- 

 and Gen. James A. Garficld was nominated on the eiding the contest. Aaothor clement in favor of the 

 thirty-sixth ballot. So intense was the tot-ling In'- I>< in. K-racy was the disaffection in New York through 

 twrrii tlir rival factions thai it looked as if a divided tin- opposition of ex Senator Conkling, and the result 

 party and defeat would follow, but the frit-mis uf of the election in that State showed its deciding 



Grant, as a rule, accepted the verdict of the . 

 lion, and former dimensions were put aside for present 

 success. The Democrats made a strong nomination in 

 the person of Gen. \VinfieldS. Hancock. The tariff 

 became an important issue, the Democrats advocating 

 "a tariff for revenue only." That plank was at- 

 i hy i IIP Republicans, who favored a tariff for 

 the protection of American labor. The Republicans 

 wen- doubly successful, elect ing their Prenoent, and 

 also a majoriiy of the lower House, thus giving them 

 entire control of the government 



The death of Pres. Garfield, and the induction of 

 Chester A. Arthur to the presidential chair, caused. 

 for the. time, considerable unrest and division in the 

 party. No person entered on presidential honors 

 uii'ler more serious difficulties than Arthur, yet bv his 

 manly and conservative course he won the confidence 

 of his party and the approbation of the whole people. 

 Practically, there was no administration of Pres. Gar- 

 field, his official acts being almost entirely confined to 

 official appointments, in which it was alleged he was 

 unduly influenced liy .Mr. Hlaine, his Secretary of 

 State. His selection of William II. Robertson as 

 collector of the port of New York estranged Senator 

 Conkling and others, and when the nomination was 

 confirmed by the Senate. .May 17. 1881, Senators Conk- 

 ling and I'l.ut resigned their seats. This act caused a 

 serious rupture in the party, and the effect was visible 

 in the campaign of 1SS4. when Mr. J51aine lost New 

 York, and through that loss was defeated for the pres- 

 idency. 



During the administration of Pres. Arthur the civil 



power. That State decided the contest in favor ot 

 Cleveland by a plurality hardly exceeding lux.). Sev- 

 eral causes may be given for the Republican defeat, 

 but it is certain the Blaine-Conkling quarrel had suffi- 

 cient effect to elect Cleveland. The vote in the elec- 

 toral college stood 218 for Cleveland and JS-J for 

 1 Mai no. All the Southern States chose Democratic 

 electors. 



When Pros. Cleveland was inaugurated, March 4, 

 :ho Republicans resigned the control of the 

 government which they had held for twenty-four 

 years. The history of the Republican party during l'x - 

 Cleveland's administration mainly consists in its efforts 

 to prevent the passage of measures antagonistic to ita 

 creed through the interposition of a Republican Senate. 



The President stood pledged to enforce the civil 

 service policy, and for a time he endeavored to keep 

 it But his party demanded the fruits of their vic- 

 tory, and the pressure became so great that he was 

 compelled to depart from his own convictions. An 

 outward show of observance was maintained, but the 

 dismissal of Republican office-holders was the rule, 

 and their retention the exception. In fact, the pro- 

 visions of that law and the regulations under it have 

 not been effectually enforced by either party. It had 

 been predicted by politicians that its enforcement would 

 weaken and tend to divide the party in power, and 

 neither was willing to take the risk. 



During the administration of .Mr. Cleveland the 

 House W:LS I lemocratic, but the Senate remained Re- 

 publican, and hence no legislation could be had with- 

 out the consent of the representatives of both parties. 



service act was passed, and the tariff reduction act ofjOn the important question of the tariff the " pro- 

 1883; while the merchant marine act, which was tcctive" character of the Senate was a bar to the 

 passed, did much to relieve the business interests of I House, which favored a sweeping reduction of duties. 

 the nation. Legislation against polygamy dated back i On this question the President was pronounced in 

 to 1862, but it proved inoperative, and the Edmunds ! favor of tariff revision. The bill, presented by Col. 



bill, which was signed by Pres. Arthur, was intended 

 to effect what previous legislation had failed to do. 

 Though the administration of Pres. Arthur had won 

 fur him public esteem, yet the popularity of James (i. 

 Hlaine overshadowed that of all other competitor! 

 for the presidency in I MSI. When the National Re- 

 publican convention met at Chicago in June, he 

 received the nomination on the fourth ballot, 'Jen. 

 John A. Logan was nominated for Vice-l're.sident, 

 The Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland and 

 Thomas A. Hendricks. The issues were, in the 

 main, a repetition of those since the war. although 

 the tariff became a more prominent factor. The 

 Chinese exclusion question also entered into that 

 campaign. The Republican platform declared : " It 

 is the first duty of a good government to protect the 

 and promote the interests of its own people. 

 The largest diversity of industry is most productive of 

 general prosperity and of the comfort and indepcnd- 



\V. R. Morrison, known as the "horizontal bill, ..,. 

 opposed by the Republicans, and with the aid of some 

 Democratic members, led by Mr. S. J. Randall, it 

 failed to pass that body. The Republicans carried the 

 issue into the campaign of 1886. but failed to secure a 

 majority in the next Congress, although Col. Morrison 

 and Mr. llurd, two of the leaders in the tariff reform 

 movement, were defeated. 



Pres. Cleveland's message to the new Congress was 

 confined to the same issue, recommending a revision 

 of the tariff, and declaring the present tariff " viciou^, 

 illogical, and inequitable." It gave rise to an earnest 

 and prolonged party contest in Congress. Mr. Roger 

 Q. Mills. Chairman of the Ways and Means Coui- 

 mittee, reported a bill, making radical changes in 

 duties and placing certain articles, including lumber 

 and wool, on the free list. The Republicans opposed 

 it as a step towards dee trade. All the Democrats in 

 tin- House except a very few supported the bill as a 



party measure, and after a prolonged discussion it 

 passed the House. When it came In-fore the Senate, 

 a committee of that body snb.-iituicd another bill, 

 protective in its character, which lias not yet received 

 final action. This contest, which resulted in a drawn 

 battle in Congress, became the issue in the subsequent 



i-iice of the people. We. therefore, demand that 



the imposition of duties on foreign imports shall be 



made, not for revenue only, but that in raising the 



requisite revenues for the government such duties 



shall be so levied as to afford security to our diversified 



industries and protection to the radii.- and wages uf 



the laborer, to the end that active and intelligent presidential campaign. 



labor, as well as capital, may have its just reward, and 'I here was jet another prominent question which 



the laboring man his full share in the national pros- needs to be noted. Since the expiry of the reciprocity 



jierity." It pledged the party to correct admitted treaty with Canada, in ISXI , there have been frequent 



inequalities in the existing schedule of duties without serious disputes with regard to the rights of American 



injuring our industries. It advocated "retrenchment fishermen in Canadian waters. To settle these troubles 



and reform," and in the contest that followed they a treaty was negotiated at \Vasliington in 18S7. but 



became prominent issues. The Democrats demanded the Senate refused to rality it as prejudicial to Aim-ri- 



-111'.' i*.l*. 1 . FMI it 'i . i 1 f t 



the abolition of the internal revenue as a war- tax. 



can interests The Pit sidc.nl then called lor discrc- 



Thc charges made by the Democrats, that a long tional authority to retaliate on Canadians for injury 

 term of service had corrupted the Republican parly, inflicted on American vejycls, but received no response. 



