The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-09-09
THE POLITICAL PR0sPECr.

East aud West the outlook In the field Of
national politics Is as favorable for their party
- the Democrats could ask, and far more
favorable than they had any reason to expect.
Leaving aside States undoubtedly Democratic
or unqnestionably Republican, and taking
New York and California as representatives
Of the uncertain States, by whose vote the
Presidential election Of next year is to be de-
cided, our party has every reason for looking
forward confident of victory. Take the for
mer State. What Is meant by the Republican
nomination or Cornell ? II means the triumph
Of the machine; 1t means an unexpected mani
Hesitation Of vitality on the part of that COM
bination Of intrigue, corruption and favorit-
ism, which, In receiving the name Of Grant
ism, derived It's title from the personal source
whence most Of Republican corruption origi-
mated. Now, consider what Grantism has al
ready done for the Republican party, and see
u the unfolding once more of its banners, II
the sounding once more Of its stale and fam
illar battle cry 10 apt to impart any great
amount OF enthusiasm to ths vast body of
thoughtful men, the men who decide for them
selves, upon whose decision the verdict In the
approaching political trial depends. The ef-
feet Of Grantism on national politics was to
send . Democratic majority into the House
before the middle Of Grants second term, q
change expressing nothing short Of revolu-
tion In public sentiment, when we consider
the immense Republican majority In each
branch Of Congress At his first Inauguration.
The transfer Of power In the House was iol-
lowed BY q similar change in the Senate, and
this again by . still more openly pronounced
sentence Of condemnation by the people in a
large popular majority for Tilden, although
through the jugale ofthe Electoral Commits
sion the choice Of the people failed to reach
the Presidential chair.
The baleful influence Of GrantisM on Re-
p~ublicantortunes, in the field of national pol
itics, was Is above described, but In New
York State politics the effect was still more
pronounced. In that State when the Demo
Gratis elected Tilden for Governor we must
remember that the Democratic party was still
under q cloud from the operations OF the
Tweed ring. Only four years previously the
people had been outrageously plundered by a
baud of thieves. Those thieves had reached
power in the first place through the machin-
cry of the Democratic party, and it is only
natural that the party should be held respon-
sible for the behavior Of its prottges. In this
way the Democrats were handicapped by the
bad name bequeathcd them by the Boss and
his gang. But Notwithstanding this draw
back, and although the Republicans were I'M
der the leadership Of that honest old patriot,
General Dix, an easy Democratic victory was
scored. II personal considerations had been
alone regarded, Dix would certainly have
been the peoples choice ; but the voter felt
called upon TO give more than an expression
Of personal preferences. Grantism had to be
rebuked, and although the Democratic party,
in coming before the people and asking to be
trusted, resting as it was, under the Tweed
odium was like an employs returning after
being discharged for dishonesty and applying
for his old position, with promises to do bet