The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-11-19
The Danger Of the Democracy.

- The Danger of the Democracy.
The democratic leaders will make a woeful
mistake if they construe their overwhelming
successes in the fall elections as due to the re-
cord, tho practice, or the professions of their
party. A woeful mistake from partisan point
Of view, as, If we may trust history, it would
| lead them into such recklessne.s aud e1cesses
as would destroy public confidence and prove
fatal to their hopes for the future; woeful for
the country, ,inasmuch: as it would go far to
prove the futility of all movements for politi-
cal reform. It has happened heretofore so IN
| variably as to become almost proverb, that
tire democratic party has been ruined by par
tial successes. It has shown no. capacity tor
self-possession or moderation. Engrossed in
the pettiness Of dividing the spoils or yielding
to the passion for revenge over the griefs and
hatreds which the years of its fierce, vain
/ struggles have engendered, it has not under
taken. in any broad sense to administer govern
ment, to grasp or even to look out upon the
future in manly fashion, and with clear,
honest vision. f
There are indications that it has learned
something from the experience Of disasters
which in past years have followed so close
upoE the heels Of temporary successes. The
character of the candidates presented is of
much higher average than heretofore, and there
is an apparently increased sense OF. response
bility on the part of those who are considered
leaders This fact has encouraged many to
vote with them who are not by any means
democrats, and who may never vote the demo
cratic ticket again. Thousands of republicans
in the States which have held elections this
autumn have voted for democrats as the only
fit expression Of their disgust for the sins and
.follies of the Grant administration. Demo
cratic leaders will be very unwise to count
these or any of them as new recruits. They
have signed no enlistment papers, have neither
abandoned the old party nor given up the old
name. They are Republicans, and so count
themselves, however much the custom house
patriots may call them traitors and denounce
them as renegades. These are the men who
have given to the democratic party in the re-
cent elections whatever of hope it has of con-
tinued successes. The judgment that leaves
out of the consideration this very important
factor, or treats it as of slight moment will
be e.fatally blind and stupid.
The democratic party has been, not restored
to public confidence, but used, by voters who
would not dare trust it utterly, as an instru-
ment for discipline. It is on trial, and will be
for the next two years. And its opportunity
is to show that it has learned something; that
Lit la, forgotten the things which may be wisely
forgotten, and that it is entitled to some larger
use in politics than merely that of check and
restraint upon the recklessness of the party in
power. Dangers beset it on every hand. Its
managing men are very hungry, and many of
them not over scrupulous The disposition to
90 into general debauch over the encouraging
prospects of the party will be quite general,
and it is an open question whether there is
wisdom enough or sober sense enough to resist
it. On the other hand, it will be we'll enough
to remember that the same causes which have
heretofore produced decentralization among the
democrats have often taught their opponents
wisdom and discretion, and that under the dis.
cipline of reverses they have corrected their
errors and regained the confidence of the peo-
pie. What has happened before may happen
again. The democratic party has been admit
ted little way into public confidence. 1t IS
not strange that those interested iii its success
should be jubilant over the results of the recent
elections. But it mist temper somewhat the
ioy of the thoughtful citizen to think that the
whole meaning of it is comprised in the state
ment that it was a choice of evils. We are
not of those who have full confidence in the
ultimate success of the democracy. The
strength of the party has been in its name and
traditions, and in the unquestioning allegiance
and hide-bound partisanship of its rank and
file. The day for all that has passed, at least
so far as present organizations are concerned.
The period of reafirming and pointing with
pride is very much over. The voter of to-day
looks further down than the top of his ticket,
and considers the record of the candidate as of
more Importance than the platform of the party.
The people have been voting lately without
much regard to party names, and we suggest to
our democratic friends that this is victory
which should rather steady them down with
sense of great responsibility than drive them
wild with exultation. 1t is worth their re-
membering that this is only the halfway post
to a presidential election and that both parties
are to be for two years certain on their very
best behavior. Well worth their while, too,
not to forget that the people looking on are in
the judicial mood, and not much biased by
partisanship.-M York Tribune.