The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-04

Disintegration is their destiny. Party
leaders are, quite naturally, the last to
surrender hope and faith in their par
lty's power. Instances are not wanting,
lwithin the present generation, to show
how parties may crumble away leaving
their leaders still standing on the aban-
/ doned platforms OF former days, and
going down with the wreck. And he is
the sagacious politician who perceiVes
the symptoms of the coming disintegra-
tion, and prudently shifts his flag to a
newer and stouter deck than the one
that is sinking Under him
However great may be the confidence
of the present party leaders in the power
and perpetuity OF theft respective party
organizations, we think that signs of
their disintegration are becoming more
and more obvious with every public de-
| velopment at this most critical era in
our history. The development OF new
issues must necessarily develop new
views concerning them by the constitu-
ent members of each party. The result
ing Interchange of sentiment among the
people is fatal to party lines. When
that occurs, party disintegration has al
ready begun. For, it is obviously i'm
possible that any entire party can at
once be carried over bodily to the i'm
mediate acceptance OF any new issues,
whatsoever they may be. With new
views, new issues, new measures, new
conditions of public affairs, must come
new party organizations, and with them
generally new leaders and eXpounders.
The disintegration of the old parties is
| therefore inevitable.
| We think that it requires no eXtraor-
binary sagacity to perceive the coming
on of these changes in public affairs that
will necessitate new party organizl-
tions. The new financial issues that are
rapidly shaping themselves for adjust
ment are silently working division of
views among the thinking men of both
the present political parties, that must
eYentuate in the disintegratIon of each.
| The development Of our domestic COM
merce in its relation to Interstate trans
portation is also causing diversity OF
views that can not fail to weaken party
ties and affiliations in marked degree.
The obvious changes going on in the pub
lie mind touching the future course
to be pursued for rehabilitating the
Southern States in their proper and nor
NAL condition OF prosperity is another
and most potential element of party
disintegration. Its effects are already
visible in the shaping of legislation and
of future executive administration. The
thoughtful statesmen Of the South are
evidently beginning to let go of the past,
and are sensibly directing their aGten-
tion TO the future of their States. In do
ing SO they naturally unfetter them
selves from the ligatures of party, and
are presenting practical Issues that old
party discipline can neither direct nor
control. Even the colored voters of the
South are manifesting less and less del
erence to party behests, and are ad-
dressing themselves to the new issues
that their material interests demand.
All these are most favorable indica-
cations of the growth and development
of healthful political sentiment that
will go far and do much to soothe the as
perilies begotten of war and prolonged
and emblttered by the unwise policy OF
unworthy politicians. And while it must
tend to work the Instrumentation of par
ties, it must equally tend to the promo.
tion of harmony and prosperity through
out the whole Nation. If 80, it may be
welcomed as boon that no mere party
organizations can ever confer.