National Republican., 1877-09-22
THE FUTURE OF PARTIES.

1t Is q significant fact that the speech of
welcome TO President HAYES At Louisville
was made by Rev. SruARr ROBINSON, who
has been styled the High Priest of the
Confederate cause. II is a sign that the
reconciliation between the North and the
South is very complete when such an
earnest man as Mr.. ROBINSON could greet n
Northern President and former Union
General as tho victorious chief who had
conquered adversary hearts and won them
back to brotherly affection"
The editor Of the Wheeling InieliigsRcrr
In Il recent issue of that paper snys that
while in Louisville last week he heard the
effect of the Presidents visit to the South
discussed by u party OF gentlemen of whom
Mr.. WATTERsON, of the tOHri'r-.IOUrndi,
was one. The editor of the htcLligenccr
says:
one point ofthc discussion as To the effect this
tour Of the President would probably have upon
tho future OF the two partics-in other words,
Mhether i would invre to hc special benefit o. the
eRce Of opinion rs TO the exact party bearings Of
the visit, hut the weight Of opinion was that while
/. would naturally dissrm Southern prejudice
against the Republican party yet, rs a grand re.
sult. Il would rather initiate against partyiSm of
any f,nH Ts Judgment, MSs cSFrsc, ,G
matter was that while 1t might and probably
would, benefit the Republican party. Il would not
30 so wltnDut DthentlnK WnnIe country, anu "
the country was to be benefited he, for one had
no regrets over the incidental good that might
inure to the Republicans.
II does not require any great amount of
political saga city TO see that the reconcilia-
ton which has been effected between the
North and South by the wisdom and pa
triotism of President HAYES must result in
the dissolution of both the old parties
The only real issue upon which they were
i -, .l.r, Rl,.A
has now been finally and completely set
tied. There is now no other matter about
which tho old parties are at issue. Take
the currency question, for example, and it
cannot be said that resumption is either a
Republican or Democratic measure. A large
portion Of the members of the Republican
party are opposed 10 resumption, while
nearly all the Eastern Democrats are in
favor of IL. Both parties are Just as badly
split up on the tariff question.
The question of civil service reform illus
trutes the mixed condition Of our politics.
Both parties are, by their national plat
forms, solemnly pledged TO this measure.
The mass of the people who are not office
seekers, not in any way interested in the
distribution OF political patronage desire to
have the offices taken out of politics. They
understand that public affairs can only he
economically administered by putting their
management on business footing, by
retaining in the service experienced and
faithful servants as long as they be-
have themselves This system, however,
interieres with using the offices of the
National Government IA rewards for the
services of men who have been the sub
seryient tools OF politicians in election cam
paigns. Experience has rendered the organ
iz,tions Of these men so perfect that they
we'll deserve the name of machines. As
the spoils of Office are the motive-power Of
these machines, il is not surprising that
their owners should object TO the adoption
OF u system which renders them worthless
The machine politicians however, are by
no means confined to one party, while the
mnss of both parties sincerely desire Il pure
Government and reformed administration
of Il. One of the important questionswhich
now engages public attention is the rrln-
tions between labor and capital ls there
any issue between the old parties In regard
70 any of the subjects Of legislation which
Mis- question will demand3 II is quite
likely that the new parties of the future
8tu grow out Of some OF these questions,