Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-08-27
Short Of Capital.

taken as condemnation of the fraud.
Short Of Capital. %|f
Any one who takes the trouble to
recall the aggressive canvass which
the Democracy made four years ago
and compare it with the languid and
non-committal character of the pro-
ceedings of the party at the present
time will discover striking and sig
niticant contrast. Several State Con-
ventions have been held recently and
there are more to come, but thus far
they seem to have been pervaded by
a depressing consciousness of q lack
of working capital. They commend
the nominations of the National Con-
vention as matter of course, and
they accept and reafiirm'' its platform
without troubling themselves with
specifications. Beyond that it is ex-
tremely difficult for them to find any
thing to say. While not fully realiz-
ing that in their cH9ice of candidate
they have gone back to 1868, they are
depressed and embarrassed by the fact
that it represents no living question
and affords them no grounds on which
to make fight.
In 1876 the National and State plat
forms bristled with declarations about
reform in administration. They made
much of charges and scandals, real
and assumed, in regard to the conduct
of National affairs. There had been,
so they claimed, corruption and ex-
travagance in the public service, and
they demanded honesty and econ
omy in the loudest of tones. The
civil-service had become degrad-
ed, and they called for a re-
turn to what they preposterously termed
the Democratic test of fitness, capacity
and integrity in public office. They
charged that the officers of the Govern
ment were employed to promote the
interests of a political party, and de-
clared that civil-service reform was the
imperative need of the hour. We were
then in the midst of financial depres-
sion, and they fairly reveled in the mis-
cry of the country, which they attrib-
uted to maladministration, extravaganza
and financial mismanagement. The
condition of the country was painted in
the gloomiest colors and explained as a
consequence of what the Republican
party had done and failed to do. 1t is
quite refreshing to go over these old
platforms and note their vigorous de-
nunciations, their positive declarations,
and their glowing promises. They
were, indeed, somewhat vague and va
rious in their utterances regarding the
currency, but there was a substantial
agreement that the Republican party
had produced disaster by abandoning
the specie basis and intensified it by
endeavOring to get back. Resumption
must be effected, but the Resumption
act was an obstruction and must be re-
pealed.
The Democracy then had a surplus OF
political capital. Abuses and corrup-
tions, real and alleged, were excellent
stock to work upon. Industrial de-
preston was good for thousands of
votes, and general dissatisfaction and
discomfort afforded basis for promis-
ing calculations, not without plausibil-
ity. Reform and retrenchment was
the cry, and a return to the statesman
ship of the better days of the Republic.
The cry was borrowed from dissatisfied
Republicans and avowed Independents,
but it was none the less effective.
Then, too, the Democracy had
candidate whose name meant something
in connection with reform and old-time
craftsmanship. There was the further
advantage of no record or responsible
ity for the party in the immediate past,
which was fresh in the public mind, and
its promises were entertained with
hope, if not with confidence. Now all
this is changed. The present Admins
tration has furnished no scandals for the
Democrats to make capital of. If it
has not been altogether vigorous, it
has been on the whole clean and re-
spectacle. The bold predictions of
the effects of the Resumption act have
been belied, and the revival of pros
perity under Republican rule has
shown the absurdity of the charges
against its financial management. The
capital afforded by the period of de-
preston is gone beyond recovery. Civil
service reform has lost its interest for
the Democratic mind, retrenchment and
economy are no longer words to con-
jure with, and to pirate of restoration
of craftsmanship with General Han
cock for a candidate would be ludi-
crous. Worse than all, the party has
been making a record. For two years
it has had control of Congress, and q
very bad use it has made of its opportu-
mites. Its promises no longer excite
hope, to say nothing of confidence, and,
moreover, the country does not feel the
need of them.
1t is sad plight for great political
party just entering upon important
National campaign. 1t has no po-
litical capital to work with; no
scandal to deplore, no abuses to de-
nounce, no popular discomfort to work
upon, no reform to promise, no reason to
plead for change, and no way of
making people believe that it should be
trusted with the responsibility of gov
ernment. How can it make an aggres-
sive canvassP 1t has a Major General
to offer for which the country has no
use in the highest civil position, where
statesman's peaceful work is to be
done. 1t goes back to 1868 for a soli-
tary issue, which had more or less sig
niticance in connection with the recon-
struction of the rebel States. But re-
construction was done with long ago,
and this poor little issue, on the wrong
side of which it stood in its brief life
time, is now dead beyond the power of
galvanism to give it a semblance of vi
tality. The subordination of the mill
tary to the civil power is not a question
now. The Democratic party comes into
court without case, and all that it can
find to say for itself consists of indis-
criminate abuse of the other side.-M
Y. Times.
B9-It is announced by the Demo-
Gratis that the Republicans have re-