New-York tribune., 1879-10-25
49, 80. YORK GREENBlcEE S.

The Greenback party in New-York pollol q
considerable vote at the last election. 1t then
held, and It's leaders believed it would hold in
future, balance of power. With high hopes
"a ticket was nominated for the coming clcc-
ton. and men were invited from the Republi
can and the Democratic parties to Join this
organized protest against both. When Mr.
Lewis was nominated for Governor, and ac-
ccpted in the belief that he would obtain a
fair Republican support, il could not be said
that thc course of ills party was entirely with
ont reason from its point Of view. Ii might
show, ITS members believed, that it Was Il
great and growing power in the State, with
such support that either party might hope for
success in New-Yoik by consulting lis wishes,
and with u fair prospect that IL would also
hold the balance of power i'll the Presidential
election by carrying one or two States Ike
Maine with Democratic aid. The times had
been hard and there was vast number Of
dissatisfied voters. The peculiar views Of the
Greon6ack party as TO the money question
were shared by a great many Democrats, and
the antagOnism of the new party to the rail-
road corporations WAS supposed to appeal to a
powerful public sentiment. Calculations such
as these, a few months ago, were not so ab-
surd as some party managers supposed.
The situation has entirely changed. 1t is
certain now that GreenbaclI voter will throw
away his vote without the possibility of gain
ing ANYTHING, even in the distant future. The
Greenbacb party has been thoroughly beaten
i'll Maine. Its natural associates the Kearney-
ties of California, have been sound.y beaten
also. Its vote has dwinded to beggarly
5000 in Ohio, and a Republican ticket has
been elected 10y clear majority. Nor can it
be said that the Democratic party failed be-
cause IL did not consult the wishes of the
Greenback voters, for it nominated the very
man who was more widely known than any
other Democratic politician as an advocate Of
the opinions which the Greenback party holds.
Nevertheless the collapse of the Greenback
party in Ohio did not help the Democrats.
Voters who abandoned the mistaken IDEAS OF
that party went back to the parties from
which they came, and the sole result of the
Ohio campaign, in respect TO those ideas, was
10 Indicate that they had entirely lost their
power over the minds of men. The Green
back party went TO pieces, because the sue
cess uf resumption and the return of pro,-
pcrity made the position of that party pal
pably absurd and unreasonable.
l. il not evident that the Grcenback party
of Aew-YOrk is going to pieces in the
same way! 1t has no possibility of
future. Throughout the country voters
are taking position as Republicans or Demo-
Gratis. The magnificent Improvement in busi-
ness and industry, which has followed resump-
ton Of specie payments, has put an end TO
the discomfort upon which Greenback theories
were nourished. Men who were angry at the
Republican party when they were seeking
work IN vain. have now discovered that their
anger was unreasonable. Men who hoped TO
reconstruct the whole social fabric, by ap-
pealIng to popular discomfort in hard times.
have postponed tie task indefinitely, BECAUSE
the discomfort 10 longer exists Grave ISSUES
Of different character arouse the strongest
feelings; men quit empty theorizing about
fat money" not only because they are con-
tent to get gold dollars for their labor. but
because they do not mean to turn over the
control of the Government to the Solid
South.
Is it not certain that the Greenback voter
in NewYork this Fall will make "a foolish
waste of his franchisei If he hopes for wise
legislation in regard to transportation and
the conduct of corporations, he can get such
legisla ton only from one or the other of the