The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-08-23
CHRONICALLY UNHAPPY.


forms adopted since March last warrants
the conclusion that the old distinction
between parties still prevails. It was
said years ago, with a great deal of truth
that the Democratic party differed from
others mainly in having eyes IN the
back of its head. Unable to see anything
in front of itself, going through the
world blindly, smashing itself against all
sorts of obstacles, denied prescience OF
the future or comprehension of the
present, the Democratic parry existed
as az iIl-tempered, unavailing, stubborn
amp stupid protest against the past.
Often its criticism of bygone events was
sensible, often senseless; occasionally 1t
was right, but more often wrong, in re-
gard to events of the present or future;
but its principal and distinguishing
function in life was to find fault because
the doings Of yesterday had not been to
its satisfaction. Chronic opposition to
everything new or useful or practical;
chronic unhappiness about every step
forward, and every effort for the I'M
provement of the country or the race;
these were the quality which made the
Democratic party well known as the
break on the car of human progress.
At present Democracy is wretched be-
cause the Presidential election was set
tied by legal and peaceful means, and
did not disgrace self government by
anarchy or deluge the land with blood.
According to the Democratic plat
forms, Mr. Hayes was not elected, and
his Inauguration was the monumental
fraud of the country, and every Demo
GRAFT ought to sit back on his launches
and houI about it for a century to come.
On the whole, the Americ IN people have
some practical common sense, and they
are not much inclined to waste time in
asking whether this howl is with or
without reason. During the presiden-
tiaI election, the Democratic managers
did what they could, by fair means OF
foul, to secure minority of Electoral
votes, and it is not matter of doubt
that they secured some by most brutal,
cruel, unlawful and revolutionary means.
Yet there was grave doubt as to the
result. Had the decision been left to
the competent authority, no one be-
lieves that it would have been favorable
to the Democratic pretentions, and the
Democrats therefore demanded an ex-
traordinary and extra-constitutional TIL
bunal for the settlement of the disputed
questions. SomeRepublicans thought it
wise to humor them; others objected
that there would be as loud and as long
howl raised by Democrats if the dispu-
ted questions should be settled
by any tribunal conceivable, as if
those questions should be settled
by the Vice-President of the Senate.
The spirit of compromise prevailed,
however. The tribunal demanded by
Democrats was created, and its DECISIONS
undisputed in law or in fact. But Dem
ocratic conventions solemly call upon
Democratic voters to lie back and howl
because the decision of the tribunal of
their own creating was not in their IA
yor.
Meanwhile the Republican party is
paying attention, sometimes wisely and
sometimes unwisely, to the living ques-
tions of the present and future. 1t is
not always wise, but it is never and
nowhere so incomparably stupid, so in
expressibly idiotic, so phenomenally con-
temptible and ridiculous, as to carry its
eyes in the back of its head. 1t wastes
no breath in growing about past defeats;
its better elements waste more in boast
ing about past victories. Especially,
it is nowhere so absurd as to whine OF
howl about the unsatisfactory decision
of a tribunal created at its own demand.
The Democratic party has a monopoly
of that extreme stupidity, and its place
in American history is fixed once more
by the contempt which practical men
feel for its behavior. Business prays
for feHet. Cap1tai anu iaDoi SUI uSSie.
Justice joins issue, foot to foot. with
reputation. The whole land cries for
measures of practical benefit to trade
and industry. But the Democratic pol
itician sits himself down and bowls be-
cause tribunal of his own creating did
not decide according to his wish.-N.
Y. Tribune.
IT would be quite amusing, if it were
not for their apparent sincerity, to wit
| ness the concern for the future of the