Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-10-05
POLITICS IN THE NORTHEAST

The political intelligence OF last
week from the Northeastern States
was partly given in last weeks pa
Der. The whole, so far as we are
interested in it, may be summed up
a. follows. In New York the Tam
many organization has gained the
predominance in the Democratic !
party and the Conkling wing in the
Republican party. The machine
notifies in that State have entirely
carried out their purposes. What
is of much more importance to us Is
that both parties have pronounced
against the imitation policy. In
Massachusetts the regular Demo-
crafts have refused to sanction the
nomination of Gen. Butler and have
nominated a consistent Democrat,
and they too have declared against
a greenback currency irredeemabLe
| in coin.
What concerns us here is the now
manifest fact that the Ohio pro-
! gramme will not be sanctioned
either by Democrats or Republicans
in the Eastern cities, and that what
ever support it may get there Will
be from the Independent Greenback
partv. 1t is best not to shrink from
the recognition of these Unpalatable
facts. Ignoring facts is not wise
practice either for individuals or
parties. There may be differences
as to "what we are going to do
about it." but about the facts there
can be meme.
The fact, then, which is estab-
lished is that if this greenback
theory which is so popular in the
South and West is to be carried out,
it is the South aud West which will
!, have to do it unaided in the North
; and East. Can they do it? Ifthey
: can, they can do good many other
5 things better worth doing than
t that. They can break down the
. present oppressive tariff and naVl'
: cation laws; they can control the
A organization of both Houses of Con
e sress they can elect a Western
r Democrat President of the United
Y States. But suppOsing they can't
t then comes the alternative OF
+ change of base with flank marcf
+ in the presence of the enemy, O
t, quiet submission to Ulysses the IRE
d irresistible for an indefinite term o
/ wears. 1t is evident to us that TIT
e existing programme of the Western
e Democrats as regards the currenc!
;. cannot be now changed Withou
/ certain defeat; win or lose, sink 0
o swim, we have to fight i out OF
L that line. But if it cannot o
II changed can IL not be extended
It Cannot our position be better Gle
Is Tended by making it broader w
$ have long thought that 1t was
rs blunder in party strategics to con
it centrate the efforts of the Democrat
it so exclusively upon the currency
n upon the greenback question, i
2 fact. 1t is true that we still put TN
rs tariff into our platforms. \ Demo
Is cratic platform could not well ia
to to do that, but how gingerly w
it touch it. 1t is perfunctOrily meI
Is toned and then the subject change
n as quickly as possible; witness til
IN New York platform we give III al
: other column.
rs Now this timidity about pressin
st the repeal of our crushing burden
he upon foreign commerce has N
IL arisen from any failure of convictio
&c among our politicians of the halet'
i'll influence of our present tax tariff
ed it has been consideration of avail
,e- ability which has shut their mouth
re IT has been known that the Dem
ar Gratis of Pennsylvania and Ne
", England and probably New HoT
he would not unite with Us in deman'
IL Ing Il EGp6ttl VI lllC ObAAO-AAOu9 NaN'eiN
a and so the question has been Ike
he in the background for fear Of losir
Id those votes. But now it appea
on that these same States are as mu'
he. at variance with the Southern al
at Western Democracy on the curren'
de question as on that of the tariff-H
-es firmly believe more so. There
all scarcely Il journal in New Hor
M, Republican or Democrat, Whi'
av does not contend that some mOql
d. cation of the tariff is imperative
ev demanded by the commercial int
ed ests of the country, and while
for are convinced that the well-belng
ill the nation requires release fro
'en our prOhibiteFy imposts much mo
icy imperatively than any change In 0
ne currency, we believe that larger al
la more influential interests can be e
hSted in behalf of the former tn;