New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-30
ulNLEn-1 VII POLLcY.


with great eanestncss. principally by journals
in strong bur distant Democratic states. They
say that it is a matter of life and death for the
party to get rid Of "the fraud issue aud to
shape for Itself positive, aggressive and def
mite National policy upon which it en- appeal 10
the people Easier aid than done!
THE fraud Issue" docs not profit the Demo
cratic party, Il is true. Long ago that party
ceased to be able 20 gain anything hy repeating
accusations which il has had every conceivable
opportunity to prove, which il has nevertheless
completely disproved by abundant and con
yincins testimony elected Ivy lis own inycsl-
cations and which, moreover, it has turned into
a deadly weapon against itself by ITS conduct IN
respect to cipher dispatches. tssue-hllIo's, tie
steal in Maine, and the attempted expulsion Of
duly elected Senators and Representatives from
their seats The Democrat who does not per
ceive that the fraud Issue" tends to make The
success OF lis party impossible, is lacking III
common sense. Yet il i, not easy to get nd OF
that business. Can leopard change hsspots !.
Easier than the Democratic party en- get nd OF
the logical consequences Of lis claim 80 loudly
and persistcntly made that it really elected a
President in 1876.
If that issue were out Of the way, the diff
culties of the Democratic party would not be
diminished It is at least as hard to find any
new policy, upon which that party can unite, a.
to carry the country upon the exploded ISLANDERS
which make up the fraud issue" Upon what
doctrine or declaration Of principles can that
| marty acrce7 Once It was Hard Money party.
| Now II has been so long seduced by disloya pre-
iudices into hostility to resumption, aud so com
pletey eaten through by the pestleut notions
| of Grcenback demagOgism, that there is hardly
q State fl the Union in which the party dtres
TO plant itself fairly and sQuarely upon is old
hard money doctrines. Once it was rigidIy op-
posed to internal improvements. Now its
! leaders and voters in all the States from which
Democrats majoritles can be confidently ex
pected, are almost crazy with hunger for large
expenditures of public money, in improvement
| of rivers and harbors building OF railways,
| canals and levees and Jobs innumerable. Once
| It was a Free Trade party. But now old Wings
by the thousand have taken places of influence
| In its councils, and new development Of indus
| tries has caused hosts of Democrats In Pennsyl-
yania, Louisiana and other States to become
passionate believers In Protection, and the party
might as well 90 into the Presidential election
with no candidate at all as with one known to
| be hearty and uncomprOmising in his devotion
to Free Trade ideas. Once the Democracy
boosted that it was the party of the COustitu
ton" and swOre by decisions Of the Supreme
| Court and demanded that the most strict and
absolute obedience should be paid to the Con-
sttntion so interpreted. But now q Democratic
| Congress bids defiance to DEGREES of that Court,
and shouts with appreciation when member
| declares that the supreme Law is not the COnst
tuition iudiclally interpreted, but the will Of
| majority in Congress.
| AS there is not a single old issue, 70 there is
not single new one, upon which the Demo
| cratic party can agree. Some OF It's members
were traitors TO the country; others taunt them
with the fact or the floor Of the House. Some
| Democrats still believe in riBc-club and shot
gun management Others insist that such con-
duet is defeating the party at the North, and
driving away needed laborers from the South.
| Very many. like General Malone. believe in re-
pudation, alias readjustment" of local debts
Others, like the regular Democrats of Virginia,
refuse to admit such persons to their cOnyen-
tons, or to recognize them as Democrats. Some
follow General Butler, Wright, of Pennsylvania,
Kearney, the incaIceIated, and other champions
of destructive cOmmunismj but there are Dem
ocrats, also, who believe i'll short shrlft md Il
ready halter for such enemies Of society.
What principle, doctrine or notion, dead or
alive, musty or modern, good or bal, can the
Democratic party of to-day possibly adopt as
its railying-p point and law of action?
Hunger for the spoils has served In place Of
principles for long time. But even hunger
Incomes centrifugal and not a centIipetal
force, when there are two ravenOus dogs for
one bone. The number of Democratic patriots
who want offices is greater than the'number of
Offices. The party has split into factions, over
the distribution OF spoils yet to be won, and the
faction which expects favors if one man is nom