Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-14
Political Weather Signals.

Yesterday the New York Herald read the
democrats lesson upon the biunders OF the
present extra session. This session it says was
brought about By Northern democrats out of a
conviction that 1t was necessary to harmony
between the East and West to create new
issue for 1850 which should so occupy the pub
lie mind as to sink other and troublesome ques-
lions out Of sight These democrats saw very
plainly that the currency notions of the West
were tnsupportable to the Eastern democrats,
and that the currency question had as
sumed such Importance in the western
democratic party, by reason Of the
countenance given to 1t by such men as Thur
man, Pendleton and voorhees,, that unless
something was done to make 1t of secondary or
third-rate importance by next year there would
inevitably be an irreconcilable division between
the Eastern and western democrats. The pro-
Dlem was how to get the whole currency queS-
ton out Of politics, and the Herald declares
that to Mr.. Hewitt, Mr.. Clarkson Potter and one
or two other Eastern democrats, inspired, per-
haps, by the astute Tilden, belongs whatever
credit may be due to the inventors of the new
issues which the extra session was intended to
force upon the public attention.
But these new issues have been so blunder-
tngly handled In the opinion of the Herald that
the people have lost all interest upon them
The single object Of the extra session was to
make troops at the polls and election marshalS
the prominent and OverShadoWlng issues In the
popular mind; "but so entirely have the demo-
Gratis failed1n this that when the Ohio conven-
ton met In the midst Of the great contention
the party In that state deliberately turned its
back on these issues, placed the currency ques-
lions In the forefront, and to intensity Its dec
laration nominated General Ewing, the most
conspicuous and decided representative of the
western currency beliefs.
The Ohio convention In fact declared the de-
feat OF all that the extra session was called to
accomplish, and Mr.. Hewitt and Mr. Potter and
other Eastern democrats, who thought to save
their party's unity by shrewd and promising
piece OF strategy, have had the modification to
i, see that their plans have come to naught and
that the very thing they anxiously sought to
prevent Is that which has come about
And now the Herald wants to know what the
sound money democrats Of the East are going
to do about it?
To-Day the Herald reads the second les
son to the party, dwelling upon the mis-
take made especially by the southern
democracy In allying themselves with
the western democrats on the issue OF soft
money against the eastern democrats, and On
the theory that the solid south, with q few
western states, can elect the next President
without eastern aid. In the start the Herah
argues that it is great mistake for the South
70 act "solidly." That eleven states, 1t saws.
put lately engaged In a fierce war upon the
Union should continue, after all their griey-
ances nave been remed1ed, to act In q solid no
lltlcai BODY, making themselves confederacy
Nltnin the Union, Is, to say the least, tmpru-
dent. That they should do so, regardless of the
policy OF the party with which they choose to
ally themselves, and remain solidly democratic
whether the democratic party is for sound cur
rency or for Initiation, for free trade or for pro
lection, for internal Improvements or against
them, can only increase the northern suspicion
or Interior motives. But when we find the solid
South agreeing to the Ohio policy OF virtual
reputation, and by its votes promising that
poilcy It's only hope OF success, the mat.
ter becomes yet worse and more suspicious.
The scaling OF public debts has become q
familiar proceeding In the southern states:
can the South complain II its adhesion to the
Ohio policy gives rise to the suspicion that 1t is
q solid" only In the desire for reputation
OF national obligations? In the opinion of the
Herald the North win suspect and resent this
Z" solid " afnliation Of the South with the West,
and says that "n anything Is certain In the
future 1t Is that the support of the solid South
In 1850 win be fatal to the party which has it.n
In view OF the signs OF division uron the
financial issue between the eastern and
western democrats, one Of which ia the res
1gnation by Senator F.yard of the chairman
snip OF the Senst e finance committee, these
stoim warniDss of the Herald are attracting
-conslneIar ,e attention.