, 1875-10-02
DiScOntent in Politics.

II seems not improbable that that vague
emotion known as distonteut viii materially
influence the result of the next Presidential
election. It has already fashioned the plat
forms in tive pivotal States, aad seems 10
gather force with It's advancing tide. 1t Is
discomfort and nothing else which led the
democrats TO construct a platform which,
loosely construed, may be regarded rs sane.
tioninS an initiation of the currency. Some
months after the Ohio platform was adopted,
Maine held an election and Pennsylvania
nominating convention. In the former
State, despite the hereSies of their brethren in
Ohio, the democrats made material gains
In the latter State, the democrats, disregard
ing the eounsels and braying the ridicuIe of
their most powerful organs, placed them
selves squarely by the side Of their brethren
in Ohio. Old politicians accept the Ohio
view of finance, in the belle. that the general
discomfort of the people will ensure success
1nder any platform which promises change.
Unless the democrats are routed in Ohio and
Pennsylvania, the financial plank of th,ir
platform viii I've incorporated into the nation
al democratic platform. OF the effect OF
adopting the Ohio platform in Pennsylvania,
the St Louis Rtpuj!icaH, Il hardmouey Jour
nal, is inclined to think it will strengthen
the party making It, and increase its chance
:
traction policy, the industries of the State of
Pennsylvania have gone TO ruin Hundreds
of furnaces are there idle, and hundreds o.
mills and mines are either entirely idle OF
working on short time. The people believe
this to be the effect Of contraction, and 10
combination of figures will make them be-
lieve to the contrary. The republicans IN
that State are as badly demOralized as the
democrats on finance questions, and just about
as ready to charge all their troubles to con-
traction Of the currency That Is a cause, at
least, and they do not know how 10 trace ont
any other. They reason that If their indus
tries have gone to ruin under contraction
policy, they would be likely to revive under
a policy hich at least forbids contraction if
it does not actually promise imitation. Hard
times always breed discOnient and distrust Of
the powers that be. 4 change is in order
whether or not there is any welI-dehned hope
Of benefit from the policy of the opposing
party Things cannot very well bc worse
."Uy say, when tneir mills are lG.e and hold
ont promise of employment, "and g
change Of administration may make them
better" The logic of this reasoning is not
deiensahle, but 1t Is of kind that comes
without much teaching. 1t is the kind,
also, which elects Presidents. - Grants
military skill saved the country" said the
same order OF logic, therefore Grant viii F!
make good President" The lo,se system
Of reasoning which helped the republicans in
1868 viii not hurt them in 1876. Il J. |
always possible 10 DO something that never
has been done before hence II is possible for |
the republicans TO succeed in the next Presi- !
Dental election, IN spite Of The combination |
of influences against them; but the very |
feeling OF discomfort which shapes democratic |
platforms will help TO make them popular. |
Sober reason may show that imitation is no |
panacea for the paralysis which atiiicts the
industries Of the country, but it Is the mis-
fortune of the contractionists that the psral !
ysis came on while physicians of that school !
had the patient in charge.