New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-26
UoULD 1T BRING CHAOSP

There is q theory regarding the present pO-
| litical campaign, gravely maintained by sew
eral prominent persons in the Democratic
party, that the success of the party and the
election of Mr.. Tiden will have tho effect to
dsintegrate the party and give us something
like political chaos This seems to be SIN
gular position for a Democrat to hold
rather remarkable view to take OF
the situation. And yet it is f~ that
some prominent gentlemen in the party,
who are working zealously in the press and on
the stump for the election of Mr.. Tilden,. do
not hesitate to express the confident hope and
expectation that his administration in the
event Of his election will dsintegrate and de-
stroy the political organization to which he
will owe his success. The processes by when
they reach this conclusion are not entirely
clear but if we undeTstandthe drift of them they
are based upon the superstition that Mr.. lllden
as President will take such course as VIII at
once strike a dividing line between the SIN
cere and honest men and the mere spolsmen
and self-seekers of the party. They believe
that Gov. Tiden viii pursue tho same line OF
policy in the position of Federal Executive
that he has adopted in the administration oil
State affairs, and that under the touch OF that
policy the party must of necessity 20 to pieces
The gentlemen who maintain this theory are
those who four years ago supported tho
Liberal Republican movement with great
zeal and energy, in the same conn
dence that its success would result III
the dissolution OF the Democratic party.
1t would be a very strange result to come out OF
political victory of this sort; and without
doubling the sincerity Of the gentlemen who
look so confidently for it, we must say that it
seems to us entirely visionary and absurd.
The confession that the disintegratIon and dis
solution of the Democratic party is consum-
nation to he desired, when made 10y persons
who are striving for its success, is worth some
thing; hut the method OF accomplishing 1t Il
very much like that adopted by the young
woman who married u persistent sutton Just
. to get rid OF him."
II NAV as well be understood first as last
that the Democratic organization cannot be so
disposed of. 1t has passed through disasters
and defeats during the past twenty years
which would have broken the back of any
other party. aIsl still has the cOmpactnssS,
force, and discipline of a great army 1t has
not survived 80 many successive rDuts ana de-
, feats TO be broken and destroyed by VIC
tory. That is not in the nature of things.
Whoever votes for Mr.. TIldcn, in the hope
that he will break the party over the diyi-
sion of spoiIs, will make the mistake
of his life. Honest men who have
not been in sympathy or accord with President
Grants administration, and vino have dlsap-
proved great many of the acts and policies
of the Republican party, viii vote against
Gov. Tilden simply and only because they see
the great army Of hungry fellows behind INN,
and consider with horror the possibility OF
their coming into power. And they know, TOO,
that so far from their being divided or do
moralizcd rs party by success, they Will be
more compact, solid, and formidable than
ever, and will use the plumber OF olbcc
to peIpetuate their power. The truth Is
that this great political organization known
ms the Democratic party has not principle OF
| conscience enough to raise an issue on. IL
! holds to no general truths upon the subject OF
| government or administration that 1t is not
willing at any time to abandon for the sake
of any httie success, however temporary. Ii
has no convictions nor any ideas, except rs to
the desirablencss of power. If it were rea-
! sonable theory that Mr.. Tilden's success
would have the effect to disintegrate
and destroy the Democratic party, as
! Mr. Henry Watterson and few
other conspicuous supporters Of the Demo
cratic ticket say and believe, great many
who arc supporting Hayes and Wheeler to-
! day would be willing to see Gov. Tilden
elected. But they would wait with great
anxiety TO see the explosion and the begin
ming of the political chaos so confidently pre-
dicted. Our own notion is that the best way
to disintpgrate the Democracy is to beat II
| at the polls, and destroy its hope of power
| and plumber.