New-York tribune., 1880-04-05
DEUOCP17IC INCAP4CITY.

| II ought to be enough, if party does not
mean to govern well. Still more, it ought to dc
enough, if party cannot govern Mt all. Dut
| the Democratic party seems bent upon demon
stratinc its unfitness in both respects. Its pur-
noses are bad, its methods vicious and dcmor-
alizine. and its aims subverSive of freedom III
self Government 1t ought to be beaten, there
fore because of what it means and tiles to do.
But it ought to be bPaten even more because 1t
SHOWS itself absolutely incapable of doing any
thing 1t does not mean to govern well, and it
cannot govern at ALL In practical life, King
StorlS is often preferable to King Log. But n
party which combines all the rIpacity of King
Stork with all the incapacity of King Log, has
no business to expect the support either of
friends or foes. Men who oppose its principles
ought to vote against il, because it means and
tries to do mischief. Men who approve those
principles ought to vote against it, because 1t
merely cumbcrs the ground, by getting in the
way of some other organization which might
have the capacity to do something. ii brings
additional disgrace, even upon bad cause, by
persistent blundclng and phenomenal incapa-
city.
If this criticism seems harsh to any Demo-
craft. let him reflect that ii cmbodics only what
is openly said of his party by its own organs.
Some of them condemn, III the strongest terms,
the aims and the controlling spirit OF the party.
Others hold it up to scorn because 1t cannot do
ANYTHING that it attempts to do. The more
sober and decent organs of Democratic opinion
declare that its revolutionary tcndcnclts, lis
disloyal spirit, its leaning toward reputation,
and its readiness TO wink at any fraud or crime
which promises some temporary parry advan-
tage, must he curbed and suppressed, or the
party will not deserve the support OF decent and
law-abiding men. At the same time, the other
Democratic organs point out the fact that the
party is continually tllwartcd i'll every effort,
defeated in every ann and forced 10 huiniiating
retreat from every ASSAULT, by the resistance of
q few conservative members to- the will of its
majority These say that the party is con-
stantly disgraced by its inability to get any
thing done, and that the blame lies with those
who exhaust all their influence III defeating
the desires and efforts Of its voters. Now, the
country knows that both OF these complaints
arc well-foundcd and just. The aims of the
party are m;schievons and rcv0luionaly.
Whatever disposition its members really mani
fest is bad disposition whenever the majority
of the party tries to do anything, it tres to do
something bad. Brt its few conservative and
prudent leaders do succeed in so curbing and
defeating lis majority that it gets nothing done,
good or bad. Their power Is exhausted in stop
ping mis schief. The force of the majority, as
long as the party still has part of the law
making power only, and can do little until it
has prevailed in n Presidential election, is cx-
pended in wanton and wicked attempts which
only serve to make its purpose known.
AS long as the Democratic party is curbcd by
O sensible minority, and by Republican Prcsi-
dent and Supreme Court, it is powcrlesS to do
the mischief it desires. But it is by 10 means
certain that the worst elements of the party
would be restrained any longer, if it should sue
ceed in Presidential election. rs most conser-
vative men have some influence, gwen now, only
because they persuade their associates that pro-
messed measures would tend to defeat the party
next Fall. They can prevent mschlet only go
| long as the.e is the fear Of impending defeat,
and loss of Offices ard spoils, to hold i'll terror
over the heads of revOlutioniss and repudiatOrs.
But what would serve to keep these creatures
| in check, IL President of their own making
should at length exercise executive power
Let men who have property interests make
terms said Mr.. Henry Watterson, "befOre the
"devll is loose" Would not the devil be loose
on the instant, if Democracy should ever elect
PIesidenti
These questions are asked very seriously, at
this time, by thousands who have supported the
! Democratic party. They cannot conceal their