The Portland daily press., 1880-08-21
IN. Y. Tribune.l
IN, I. IrIDuht.J
Hard Times for the Democrats

ddrQ IlmeS Tor the Democrats.
For several years in succession the hard
times furnished Democr attic operators with the
bulk of their capital. The stagnation of busi-
ness and the hardships of labor were all
charged directly upon Republican administra-
tion, and it was urged that the distress would
remain and increase in severity until the
country was rescued from ultimate ruin by the
elevation of q Democratic Executive. This
was not only the burden of harangues uttered
by irresponsible orators on the stump, but it
was the leading argument of the conductors of
the last Presidential campaign. Mr. Tilden him.
self took pains to tune his organs up to this pitch
and when he was serenaded by the "Jackso-
mans" after the nomination at st. Louis, he
sounded this as the keynote of the canvass.
THE earnings of labor" said the great Cipher
er in his speech on that OCCASION 'and the in
come of capital are consumed or wasted in
Governmental expenses" And as result of
Republican rule, i've see.' added he, 'every
industry languishing, labor without employ
ment, and the wolf at the door of nearly ever
home In the land. saant and hungry" Tho
particular wolf before Mr. Tilden's door IN
Gramercy Park was never q dangerous animal
nor could Mr.. Tilden personally complain of
the ravages of the revenue assessor. But, af-
ter all the hard times was a bitter and dis
couraging fact, and the party in power was
compelled to show that under its steady policy
the country would pull through with untarn-
ished honor. No doubt the party lost some
votes ON this account. For in their trouble
and disheartenment 1t was natural that some
Of the less courageous and thoughtful would be
willing to make the experiment Of change,
on the ground that the new condition could
hardly be more trying. But Mr. Tilden failed
to cipher himself in, and the country did not
rush to financial ruin.
And now, In spite of gloomy Democratic
forebodiDgs, the conditions are completely
changed, and the foundations on which the
Democrats based their hopes of success in the
last canvass have been swept from under them.
The country's distress was their opportunity,
but now there is no distress. Prosperity was
never so general, and the future OF business
enterprise was never so bright 1t surely is a
limping logic which charges financial depres-
sion upon an administration and then refuses
to allow the same administration any credit
for the prosperity which comes in at full tide
under the same policy. II Mr.. Tilden de-
because the wolf is at the door, to what con-
clusion does his argument drive him when the
wolf has taken to the woods? If the country
needed change four years ago because "every
industry languished and labor was without
employment" with what semblance of consis-
tency can it now be urged that the country
needs change when every industry Is flour
ishing and labor is working with both its
hands?
The fact is that the revival of material pros
perity is tho crowning misfortune of the DEM
ocracy, but the country can endure it without
complaint And it win be difficult to persuade
the ward-looking people, who plan and
work and save, that it would be prudent to
place their business interests in the keeping of
party which has tried to debase the currency
and weaken the National credit, and which is
pledged to unseStle the foundations of COM
merce and manufactures by revolutionizing
our tariff system. There never was a more
unpropitious time for the advocates of
change" than now, when there can be no
change for the better.