The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-08-25
Politicians Who Hold Winning
Cards.

There are two of them. One is
nominally a Republican; the other is
nominally o Democrat, Their names
are Bristow and Tilden.
Ifthese two men "play their hands
with the mingled nerve and judgment
which game for such high stakes
calls for, nothing but the candidature
Of Charles Francis Adams can pre-.
vent one or the other Of them from
being the next President of the Uni
ted States. The reason is very sim.
nile. 1t is not because they are great
CT. or wiser, or even purer public
men than others who have been men
toned for the place. 1t is not be-
cause they are more skillful in laying
pipe, pulling wires, oiling the ma
chine. Mr.. Tilden has undoubted
capacities in that direction, but Mr..
Bristow is a mere baby. 1t is be-
cause they, out of all our politicians
in office, have made themselves the
conspicuous representatives and en-
bodiments of reform. They have
acted while the others have been
talking. They have given the pco-
nile results while the others have been
giving them promises. They have
something to show besides words and
good intentions. At time when it
seemed to cost courage of q high Or
der, when there was an appearance
Of serious political strife, when other
good men and reasonably brave men
held back, these two gentlemen, the
Democratic Governor and the Repub
lican secretary, went straight ahead.
They made themselves unpopular
with the rings and the corruption
lists. They trampled on old and ten
der corns. They hit out from the
shoulder, and as though they meant
it. In word they showed them
selves to be the sort of men whom
the people were looking for. Of
course the risk was rather apparent
than real. With the popular temper
in such condition, duty and policy
we're equivalent terms; the most
courageous reformer was the shrewd-
est politician. Mr.. Tilden probably
had clear perception of this, wheth-
er Mr.. Bristow had may be doubted.
If not, the instinct Of an honest man
made an excellent substitute in his
. case for the foresight of the astute
politician. The advantage which
these gentlemen have thus gained
is one of which they cannot be de-
priyed. They can throw it away by
sinking the reformer in the candi-
date. Buff they go on as they have
begun, ifthey meet the expectations
they have raised and justify the good
opinion the public has conceived Of
them, next summer will find them
masters of the political situation
The Democrats cannot pass over Til
den-except for still stronger man
without seeming to reject the re-
form idea and effort for which he
stands-that is, without affronting
the reform sentiment of the country;
that is, without inviting certain and
crushing defeat at the polls. Pre-
cisely the same is true Of the Repub-
Leans and Mr.. Bristow. And the
nomination of either of these gentle
men by the convention of his party
will compel the other convention to
nominate the other-or still stron-
ger man-against him. 70 find this
stronger candidate either party will
have to go outside of itself; since
there is but one public man in the
country who fills the bill, and he, in
the party sense, is neither Demo
crat nor a Republican, i. e., Charles
Francis Adams. - Springfield Re