evaluation of 1883 Republican Party

 "The Republican Party, while it is wicked and corrupt, is not an assemblage of fools, and while there may be, and doubtlessly are, many foolish and stupid men who put themselves forward as leaders, the mass of voters in all sections of this country are tolerably sensible people." 

Dodge City Democrat 

December 23, 1883 

This sounds like things have not changed since then, although I do wonder about the "assemblage of fools"; I suspect times have really changed... dodge