Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-10-30
st,isfsiiaaeaas.
LESSONS OF THE ELEt n0NS
From the New York Tribune.

and learn it and profit by its moral
we have these lessons in politics ever,
year with the falling of the leaves, ant
the political organs moralize owe
them and instruct their readers abOu
them in such a way that we ought t
be very much wiser than we are. Blu
we forget them. o. ly the party IL
1 power seem to gather wisCjm from
them, and they only in a sort of tenn
porarp way, for they very shortly for
get them too. The same thing tina
/ has happened now has been huppenin:
enly in a larger degree, once in fOu
years ever since the Republicans cam'
into power. The Democrats have
achieved something like success. thu
Year following the Presidential cleo
ton ever since 1860. Every time they
have done it it has been through some
/ bIunder or fault uf the Republicans
and the consequences have in every in
stance been the same. The Democrats
inspired by tfeir momentary success
have lost their heads entirely, and in
stead of taking good fortune and sobri.
ETY. and prudence have gone drunk
over the spoils, forgotten their discre-
ton, talked loosely and wildly, and al
the very next election been sIapbed In
the face and remanded TO the back
seats which fate has assigned them.-
On the other hand, the Republicans
have invariably shown the censerya-
tism and wisdom of those who hold
power and appreciate its responsible
ties. In every instance they have first
fallen back a little-repulsed but not
defeated--and waited till the enemy,
like Jubal Early's army in the Valley,
had become demoraliZed with the
pIunder of the camps, and then, reof-
ganized and reassured, have pumped
down upon them in disastrous rout
from the field. sf5
The experience of the, past dozen
years has shown that n very little SUE
cess is sufficient to denoraliZe the
Democrats and sufficient as well to put
the Republicans on their mettie to re-
tFieve their biuuderS and more than
make good their defeat. One needs
but to look back over the political rec:
ord of the past twelve years to discover
the truth of this statement. Between
the Presidential elections Of the last
twelve years the Democrats have gain
some notable victories. In every case
they have been intoxicated and their
opponents have been sobered by them.
It may safely be said for the Republi-
can party that it does not fail to profit
by the lessons of defeat. 1t means to
keep in power, and for that purpose
means to reflect the popular will. 1t
is wise in its day and generation,
which its opponent is not.
History is after a fashion repeating
itself now The Bourbon element of
the Democratic party seems 10 have
had partial success in Ohio. Straight
way it loses its head. 1t talks about
the ''great reaction" and the "tidal
wave" and all that sort of irredeema-
BILE and unmitigated nonsense, rs
though there was something definite
and conclusive abouta political seriin-
mage in which tens of thousands of
voters felt no interest and took no part.
The meaning of the Ohio election is
plain enough. A great many thousand
Republicans, ,disgusted with their party
and ashamed of its record, have refused
to vote for its candidates. In conse-
quence the Democrats have secured
the Legislature, the United States
Senator, and possibly the Governor.
As an event in national politics it has
but the most trifling Significance. a
Democrat remains in the United States
Senate-that is all. The party is as
weak as ever in Congress; it has gained
nothing excepta pretext for prolong-
ing an enfeebled, useless life. In Penn
sylvania it has not strength enough to
make decent show in the face of all
the villainOus record of its opponents.
In Iowa it had no separate existence,
but was merged in the opposition with
the Liberals and Anti-Monopolists. In
California it is in the same weak and
fabby condition. 1t only lives any
where by. the recklessness and stupid
ity Of the opposition, and the opposi-
tion have never yet been SO reckless OF
so stupid as not to apprehend danger
whenever it came upon them, and tC
put their whole weight into grand eff.
fort to retrive themselves.
The party of the Administration has
been weakened by persistent blunder-
ing and criminal folly in the past
twelve months. Nothing but the
worse record of its opponents could
hinder its defeat in the October elec.
tions. But the peopleare not ready tC
repudiate it when the only alternative
is the success of the Democratic party
1t may be an unpleasant statement, but
it is fact. 1t is not in the range o1
possibilities for the Democratic party
to come again into power. That is tht
lesson it will not learn, and so it lag
superfluous on the stage, hoping fo
victory and bowling over whateve
gives it the slightest excuse for keep
ing ur its organization. The Demo
Gratis have no capacity for learning
That, in plain phrase, is what ails them
1t remains to be seen whether thei
opponents will take the lesson of thei
narrow escapes and profit by them.
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