The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-08
The Future,

From the N. = World.
The zeal with which the World has labored
in the canvass dispenses it from any necessity
of saying how deeply it is gratifed with the
auspioious result. 1t may therefore proceed
at once to state its views of the new situation.
1t is of the first consequence that the Demo
cratic party, in the position of influence it
now assumes, should neither misoonceive the
causes nor miscaloulate the consequences of
these great successes. 1t will not do to assume
that We have won by a simple exertion of our
own party strength. The fact is true,
whether we recognize it or not that we are
indebted for this magnificent and manifold
triumph to citizens who have not, for the last
few years, acted with the Democratic party.
In this city and in the neighboring towns
of New Jersey, to our knowledge, Republi-
cans have voted the Democratic tickets; and
we suppose we must have had more or less
assistance of this kind in all parts of the
country.
But larger proportion of Republicans have
staid away from the polls and lent us indirect
aid almost as valuable. Our success in the future
will depend upon the continuance of this CO.
operation; we shall be fatally blind if we do
not cultivate and keep it. 1t is our true policy
TO render it easy, or at least not difficult, for
liberal Republicans to act the same part in the
Presidential election which they have acted in
so many State elections this year; a result
which an attempt to revive the identical
politics of 1898, or 1882, or 1856, will have
no tendency to accomplish. Whatever was
good in the Democratic policy Of those save
raj eras and pertinent to the situation of the
country, can stand on its own reasons with
out opening any venerated cofins to fud pre-
cedents. 1t is not expedient to brandish
winding sheets in the eyes of living men who
may have a supeTstitiOus antipathy to the
habiliments of the grave, especially ii asked
to use them as ordinary wearing apparel. We
suspect that the living generation may object
to wearing not merely the grave-clothes, but
even the coats of the generation that is past.
Cur garments must be made to our measure;
fitted to our form; even though OF the same
material. Nor would il be disrespectful to
our predecessors to change the cut and the
fashion If ease of movement, or grace OF ap-
pearance may be thereby promoted. Our
political institutions, like our garments,
are worn our for comfort, and intrinsic fitness
needs explore no old wardrObes to keep itself
in oountenance. Our predecessors were
wise but we, with the advantage of both
their experience and ours, ought to be wiser.
We owe them manly appreciation, not super
stitioVs servility. II each living generation is
not wise enough to manage its own affairs
the Democratic theory is all wrong. 1t would
be better to accept OF hereditary rulers who
live with the generation they govern, and
thereby know something of its wants, than to
take for our governors even the wisest of the
dead They knew nothing of our times, how
ever well they understood their own. Sense
and selfreliance, not servility TO obsolete pre-
cedents, is the spirit of people truly demo
cratic. The great merit of our fathers CON
sisted In the self-rehant courage with which
they broke loose from inapplcable prOoedents;
and If we act in their spirit we shall make
some preoedents, break some, follow some;
and act equally upon our own judgment in
doing either,