The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-21

is making IalSe TepIeSeHtdtioHS aHu 40
merely demagogue. The commonest
error into which the press have
fallen In speaking OF this move
ment is to hail it as the promise
OF a new era In politics. In which the
workingman is to take the control OF
parties and give them practical direc-
ton. There are to be no more cam
paigns over "barren idealities," party
divisions are not be perpetuated by
passion and prejudice, but political dis
cussions and agitation are to be directed
to the real and tangible issues which
affect the trade and finance and politi-
cal economy Of the nation, and the ma
terial interests Of the people. And all
this is to be accomplished by the work.
inRman, who is to Danish the theorist
and sentimentalist from all influence
and power.
We do not believe all this. There is
no doubt that just such direction Is
being given to politics, but 1t has not
been given by any class, nor will 1t be
brought about by anything less than a
necessity which comprehends every ele-
ment OF society.
But let us ask who are these theorists
and sentimentalists? Are they the men
who have recently come into influence,
who compose the present reforming ad-
ministration, and who, in the South,
have just attained the direction Of az
fairs Or, are they such men as Blaine,
Morton, Carpenter, who are striving to
perpetuate the old hatreds and resent
ments that the war left us as the sources
and inspiration of party controversy,
instead OF the live Issues of the living
and most urgent PRESENT. If only
this last order OF men are included,
then we entirely indorse the prophecy
OF their early and total elimination
from influence and power. Yet we are
not aware that these men have any
more theories or sentiments than those
who promise to rise to the direction OF
public affairs and who are now giving
the first impulse to the practical direc-
ton OF politics. There is nothing bad
or hurtful In theories or sentiments, II
they happen to be worthy and
true and beneficent. Government is It.
self theory, and there are but few OF it's
broader and larger policies that are not,
and when men talk about discarding
these intelligent and kindly purposes Of
experienced and thoughtful men for the
practical craftsmanship Of shopkeepers
and railroad hands, they are simply i'm
practicable.
There Is no doubt that the whole
theory Of party organization, the whole
source and inspiration of popular poll
tics, since the war. have been woefully.
sadly, insanely wrong and wicked.
Bloody shirt and Ku-Klux embody no
issues, and are not politics. Nothing
has been evolved out of them
but plumber and Office. while
those who made them party shi-
boleths merely used them to enrage
aud blind the two sections that they
might ride into power and plumber at
| will on the infatuation Of the masses.
AS necessary consequence no consid-
GRAFTON has been given to the real ques-
tions with which the country was con-
cerned--the questions OF finance, of
trade, of political economy, which affect
all the substantial and material inter-
ests Of the country, and which people
must always agiJats IL they would avoid
such troubles as now afflict us. 1t
is true that all this must be changed.
The animosities Of the war must be laid
away and buried out of sight, and the
great practical questions that have too
long been neglected must become the
staple of politics and party controversy.
We say must, because necessity at length
compels it. Longer delay means starv-
alton, anarchy and popular fury and re-
sentiment. But this change, which Is
already initiated, will not be brought
about by the working man, nor can
1t be attributed to his agency,
however remotely. His outbreak was a
result and not cause, nor will he him
self ever become an active agent in the
rehabilitation Of par ties. He can
not make party, nor assume control OF
| party movements, but will remain, as
he always has been. citizen endowed
with franchise which he can use only
as citizen and not as member OF a
trade, or In the interests Of class. We
have read several Of the platforms oil
this so-called New Party" and we
have failed to discover in them either a
LOGICAL and intelligent statement Of the
troubles of the country, or the sugges-
ton OF remedy, which are not capable
Of being incorporated among the tenets
and objects of one or the other OF the
two national parties, or which will not
be, in some form or other. We are
therefore, disposed to regard this com
motion as merely temporal. and one
that will soon die out for lack Of vitality
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