The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-25

declarations, they need not expect to sup
plant the Republican party in the confidence
of the nation.
THE NEW POLITICAL POwER-THE
PARTIES OF THE FUTURE.
From the N. Y. Herald.
Change and progressive development in the
political world are as much the result of fixed
laws as changes in the material world All
really great statesmen recognize this fact aud
shape their policy accordingly The failure
to recognize it has proved more mischievous
to nations and more fatal to public men than
any other course. History is full of exam
pies to show the truth of this. One may be
mentioned as particularly striking to the
American people, because it comes home to
all of us. We refer to the dogged and foolish
conservatism of the old States rights and
pro-slavery party of the South. That party
lived always in the past, and clung to old
ideas, even to the point of rebellion, when
these ideas and the system founded on them
were undermined by the development and pro-
gress of the country and public opinion. We
have seen the consequence in great civil
war and in the destruction of both the ex-
treme States rights theory and African
slavery, which was the cornerstone of it.
So it is with similar great revolutions in other
parts of the world. 1t is this obstinate adhe-
sion to the pastsand resistance to progress
which are shaking the monarches and aristo-
cracies of Europe to their foundations, aud
which have beent he cause of many revolu-
tions there dnring the last century.
These mutations in the political world,
which result from a change in the condition
or growth of nations, give rise to new parties
or to a modification Of the policy of old ones
for, as we said, those which do not march
with the times become extinct or poweress.
In this age, too, we see greater and more
rapid changes than were seen in preceding
ages. The quickening influence of the modern
agents of civilization-of the telegraph, rail-
roads, the public press, and the surprising
discoveries in science and mechanical art
makes one year of the present equal to a CEN
tury of the past. We are bounding forward
with wonderful celebrity. The material pro-
gress of the age operates powerfully upon
political affairs. Hence we see political par
ties drifting into an alliance with these new
powers of material develop nent. This is
more apparent in the United States than else
where at present, because we keep up with
the times more than any other people,
although the same effect will be produced in
all civilized countries sooner or later.
The railroad interests of this country, for
example, begin to exercise a powerful in
t1uence with and through political parties,
and in both the National and State Legisla-
lures. In fact, they are nearly supreme. In
many cases they are irresistible. The capital
invested in our railroads approaches the
amount of the national debt, and the gross
income from them swels up to hundreds of
millions annually. The power this vast sum
gives, if concentrated, is greater than that
of the Federal Government itself. Talk of
the power of the old United States Bank,
or even of the existing national banks,
powerful as they are, that is small in COM
parison. Then look at the thousands upon
thousands of employees, contractors and
agents of these railroads, together with those
pecuniarily interested in them, and it will
be seen at once what an influence they
have in elections and over legislation. We
know. indeed, that nearly all the State Legis-
latures can be controlled by them; and that
they can do pretty much as they please with
Congress. Besides the power which their
enormous capital and control over the voters
give these railroads, there is perhaps, ma
iority of the members in both the National
and States Legislatures directly interested in
them. The telegraph system, too, though
welding less capital, and less powerful, is
fast becoming another great power in the
land. The magnates who control that, as
well as those more influential ones who con-
troll the railroads, begin to form an alliance
with political parties. The sagacious leaders
of these political parties see at the same time
the value of such a combination, and are
working to effect that.
Our Tammany leaders, with their usual
tact, are in advance in this new movement.
They have captured already the two great
lines of railroad which centre at this city
the Erie and New York Central Jay Gould,
Fisk, and Vanderbilt find it to their interest
to be in the same boat with Tweed, Sweeny,
Hall, and the other Tammany magnates, and
these latter gladly accept the powerful aid of
the railroad kings for political ends. While
the Republicans are houndering about in
uncertainty, having nothing to look to for
the future but the personal popularity of
General Grant, and while they are spending
their strength in abuse of Tammany, the
Democratic leaders are quietly grasping a
| power-the railroad power-which will secure
to them the State, with all its spoils, and lay
| the foundation for a more extended infu-
ence in the republic. Nor will such a combi-
nation of railroad chiefs and interests with
| political parties be limited to New York. It
| will extend throughout the country. But New
| York being the centre of railroad concentra-
| tion and wealth, and the two great trunk
| lines of Erie aud the Central being already in
alliance with the Tammany leaders here, the
| Democrats have the best prospect of securing
this new and mighty power throughout the
| greater part of the country for their ascend
ancy hereafter
We have the key here to the probable future
of political parties in this country. Old issues
are worn out. The Democrats, always more
vigorous than their opponents WHEN they
have platform to stand upon, had long
lease of power up to the split in 1860, and
! election of Lincoln The States rights doe
| thine which received its vitality from slavarv