New-York tribune., 1876-02-05
.LIDGED BY 7NFIR WORkS.

The Democrats do hot like To be measured
by their deeds. No party does. 1t is so cheap
10 promise, 40 easy 10 make sweet-lipped pro-
fcssions, so delightful to critcise and find fault,
that party which il out of power and wholly
free from responsibility has very nice time
of it. The Democrats have been out Of power
for many years, and have become thoroughly
habituated to the position. They can promise
with infinite facility and versatility and have
been promising after that fashion for some
years In an unlucky moment FOR the Demo
cratic party, the people voted to put it upon
trial and at once Democratic leaders discover,
with much disgust, that 1t l. more easy To
promise than to perform. They beg to be
Judged. after the old, comfortable manner, by
what they say they mean to do and not by
what they do. This is quite natural. But,
unhappily for them, it is not tho rule which
,he people follow.
The Republican party has been in power for
many years, and has been Judged by what 1t has
done. At every election the worst faults that
its opponents could find in its performance.
the worst errors Of omission or commission, the
worst acts Of its leaders or representatives,
have been carefully held up to public view.
II has become used to that rigid scrutiny. a
Great many of its members have learned to
iudre it quite as mercilcssly as its foes. They
exact strict performance of its pledges. They
expect il to meet brayey and honorably every
emergency in public affairs. They insist that
it shall represent their best purposes and loft
lest aspirations. and if it does not they go and
vote against il. But the Democratic party,
when put TO the same test by the very same
men who have driven Republicans out OF
power for shortcomings, begins TO whimper and
complain 1t wants to be Judged by its
pledges, and not by its doings.
They are not fully in power yet, they plead,
and must not be judged by what they do or
fail to do in the House, when they know that
Republican Senate or President may arrest
whatever they undertake. The plea is not
good. he people have elected Democratic
majority Of representatives because that party
promised much, and the Republicans had prom
i,ed but had not performed. Voters expect
The Democratic House to keep its pledges
They want 70 see what Democratic leaders in
tend. and know that if the Democrats were in
earnest in any matter they would act upon it
in the House, and throw upon the Senate or
the President the responsibility. They have a
balance of power between parties, to demand
some proof that the Democrats are in earnest,
that they arc not as faithess to pledges,
as unwilling TO face tho opposition of
corrupt persons or interests, as some
Republican leaders have been. They
do not intend to so ono step further
in the direction of placing Democrats in power
until they have evidence iii actual deeds that
the Democrats deserve the power. Complaint
and whining will not alter the fact. The in
dependcnt voters arc not Democrats; they
yield no blind and scrvile allegiance to any
party; they demand practical reforms, and if
the Democrats have nothing of that sort to
offer, will turn them ont of power without the
slightest hesitation.
Now what are the Democrats doingf They
have been clam0rOus, for dozen years or
more, about the shameless partisanshp pre-
vailing in the public service, and yet, having
control in the House, they turn out men known
to lie The most competent IN the country. to
make room for persons whose sole recommends
tioD is Their paltisanship They have demanded
reform in tho civil service, and yet, when men
like Gen. Bristow and Gov. Jewell do some
thing really surprising in that line, these
Democrats have not word of approval,
lest it should help to strengthen possible
Republican candidate. They have been railing
at tho dishonesty of Republican politicians on
the money question, and yet, with at least
equal dishonesty, they attempt to repeal the