The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-12-18
Hunting for an Issne.

some sort of a political issue that
shall offer the party an excuse for
being, have our sympathy. We have
rarely seen them so earnest and
thoughtful. With all the machinery
and the organization of a great po-
litical party, absolute control in
many of the States, and powerful
mihorityin thefenainder, they Iack
cause and an aim upon which they
can agree among themselves or hops
to draw strength from their oppo>
nents. The late canvass was fatal to
the last surviving shams and shad-
oWs of principles upon which they
depended for conference. Nothing is
left them but the hunger for office,
and that is not enough to make a
party formidable, though it un.
doubtedly is very effective in holti-
ing desperate minority together.
They must have something to believe
in, or pretend to believe in, If they
would gain votes and achieve sue
cess, and this they are blindIy CROP
ing for. What shall be the next
shibnoleth Free Trade or Civil
Service Reform I? The Free Trade
issue seems impracticable, since they
put it in their platform at Cincinnati
and were first frightened into sur
render and then beaten ON it. Wheth-
er they were beaten on the platform
or the reputation of it is of no con-
sequ snce. 1t is obvious enough that
it is no doctrine to make hopeful
fight on. And as to Civil Service
Reform, the only proposition they
offer on that subject would weaken
instead Of Strengthening them, by
depriYing the party at once Of the
active support of the Office. seekers
upon whom it chiefly relies.
Here is splendid organization
bankrupt of a belief or cause, co.
herring only In its traditions, its
name and its appetite, with just votes
enough to be tantafized with its near.
ness to the public crib and a con.
seriousness that it can get no nearer
unless it can find something to hang
Out in the way of principle, doctrine
or creed that will attract reinforce
ments. In the Southern States they
have very definite principles but it
happens. unfortunately, that the
ayowal of them is source of strength
only where they do not need it,
while it weakens them where they
most need reinforcement. At the
North they have experimental in
all directions, and always without
success, for the reason that the party
here is a combination of men for sell
fish aims and not for a political pur-
pose. They act and work together,
not because they think and believe
alike upon any current question, but
because they have common interest
in securing spoils to be divided. BY
this we do not mean that every per
son who votes the Democratic ticket
does so from the hope of Office for
himself; for many voters are Demo.
Gratis by birth, training and habit,
and vote the ticket asking no ques.
tions I; many are misguided !; and
some honestly believe that change
would be beneficial. But the party
leaders and managers, almost with.
out exception, have selfish aims; ard
solely for tfeir furtherance, and not
for any political purpose, keep UP
the organisation. The fusion in
Maine illustrated perfectly this state
of things. We have constant illus
tration of it in this city, where 9
mans Democracy is never tested by
what he believes in, but simply By
what leader he follows. Here are
factions within the party almosr
without end, but they differ only as
to division of the offices not as tt
any doctrine or policy.
And now for National purposes
they are hunting ain issue more cor
rectly, looking for mask. 1t is &
strange spectacle. Ordinarily parties
grow out of some great emergency
or crystalize round some specific be
lief or definite purpose. Thus ths
Republican party sprang up and
came into power because the mer
who founded it had positive belle
upon the question Of the extension oi
slavery and a well defined purpose tC
resist it. The party grew up around
the idea ut did not organize and ge
hunting for something to believe ii
and try to accomplish. But here j.
the great Democratic party, boosting
its age and traditions, that for twen