New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-08
THE POLITICAL HUBBUB.

The chaotic condition Of parties and the
loose indifference of politics could have no
better illustration than in the proceedings re-
ported in yesterdays TRIBUNE of half-a dozen
conventions and other gatherings of a polih-
cal character in various parts of the country.
In Ohio large and respectable Convention call
ing itself Democratic was resolving q series
of propositions well enough in themselves,
but that a Democrat who died in the faith
any time before 1872 would rub his eyes over
and wonder at and say finally, Well, there's
some blunder about this. l must have mis-
taken the number and come in at the wrong
door" They were there to represent the
Simon-pure Democracy, to raise the old ban
ner, and perpetuate the old principles and
old name; and though they adopted q
mortal column of resolutions, there was not
one of them that Democrat of the period
from 1854 to 1872 would recognize. The reso-
lutiOns were in the main good enough, but
that they should be put forth as the distinc-
tive sign of the continued vitality of the
Democratic party is simply amusing
At the same time a Conservative COnven-
ton in Virginia was wrangling over the nomi-
nation of candidates who represented only one
side or the other of railroad ring rule, and
beyond that question seemed to have but one
positive principle, to wit, opposition to
negro rule. A convention of Labor Re-
formers in Lowell, Mass, was resolving
wildly against everybody and every
thing, and getting ready to help the
nomination of Mr.. Butler. A German Ma
tional Convention" at Milwaukee, Wis, was
resolving against sumptuary laws and lot of
things beside, and that they would not sup
port any candidate or party who did not assent
TO their platfarm. The Massachusetts, Demo-
cratic State Committee was having q stormy
session over discussion of prohibitory liquor
legislation; and nobody knows how many con-
yentions there were besides. Within short
time there has been New Party Convention
at Columbus, Ohio, with platform not strik-
ingly unlike all the rest, and mixed ticket;
a Republican Convention in Virginia has sat
and ragged and nominated and resolved
and gone away divided, and the President
and all the heads of departments have been
waited upon and solicited to help the party
out of its difficulties; in Minnesota there has
been convention and q Ring quarrel
with a Ring defeat; in all the West
ern States the Farmers are organi-
zing for political action, independently of
both parties; in Pennsylvania there is Re-
form movement, opposed by a corrupt Adj
ministration Ring and coddled by the Demo
Gratis whenever they can do it without injury
to themselves; and all over the country there
are political heavings and tossings and state
generally of unrest.
1t would be hard to find in the history of
the country any parallel for the present pOliti-
cal condition. If it Is not chaos now, it is
the beginning of it, Never sat party
allegiance SO lightly before; never
was the dictum of the caucus so
weak, or the sanctity of the regular
nomination so lightly regarded. The party in
power has, from all present appearances, the
best of it; but we are much mistaken if all
these signs do not portend mischief for it
az well as for the other organizations, and