Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-06
THE OLD TACTICS.

dence II POLITICAL methods which have been
for several years becoming more and more
distasteful to the majority Of the Republi-
can party. The contest between the sew
eral candidates for tie Speakership would
be OF little moment outside their iIn.nedi-
ate political circles but for this consider
alton. The country is compelled to lock
behind the actual struggle, and to recog.
nize the temperance of that kind Of poll
tics which has been termed machine"
because it does not represent the popular
will, but is a means too often of defeating
the expression of that will. Quarrels be-
tween Conkling and Blaine and Arthur and
Cameron, and other politicians, are not
specially interesting or important in them
selves but it is perceived that they stand
Tor much mora extensive combinations,
which combinations at bottom IN
volye the vital question whether the
Republican party is to exist merely as the
convenience of few scheming politicians, or
whether it is to represent the views and
wishes of the millions who cast its votes.
Nor is this all. The men who stood round
Grant at Chicago last year, and who have
chung together ever since, and have been
working, openly or under concealment,
against the interests represented by the
combinations which defeated him. have in
I troduced into American politics an entirely
new and decidedly dangerous line OF action
and thought. The feature of their organi-
cation which has always been the most con-
I.spicuous, is the personal element in it.
Hitherto all parties have made principles
land measures their foundation, and men
Ehave only acquired Importance as they
Iseemed to represent these principles and
measures. But the faction which has
Egrown up about Grant has taken an indi-
Evidual for its center and basis, and in doing
this it has not only introduced Imperialism
Ito our politics, but has quite naturally
adopted Imperialist ways Of thinking and
speaking.
| Nothing could be more surprising to the
1 American thoroughly imbued with the
democratic idea than the constant implica-
zion of the Grant faction that their
champion in some mysterious way pos
sessei a right to the Presidency. These
men had so accustomed themselves to this
idea that they strongly resented the
entrance of any other candidates to the
arena, and Grant himself has evidently
never forgiven Blaine for what he regards
as his presumption in checkmating the
Grant g BOOM Ever since that time
indeed it has been clear that the Grant
leaders ard managers have FELT very much
as the French Bonapartists did when they
found that the Republic was Too strong for
them. And this kind OF feeling is insep-
arabic from the undemocratic line of action
which &C Grantism has brought forward,
for the moment an individual becomes of
more consequence than principles, the
democratic idea is lost sight Of, and Impe-
rialism is substituted for it. The country
had sufficient opportunity to observe the
tendencies of Grantism during his second
administration. It was then that the
political Satrapies came into existence !;
when half dozen shrewd politicians con-.
ceived the daring idea of governing the
whole country through the Republican
party, and of controlling the Republican
party by the machine" What the peo-
pie thought OF that project they showed in
the autumn elections preceding the Hayes
and Tilden Presidential campaign. The
Republican managers were then in danger
of finding themselves deserted by the
masses of the party, and but for the nomi-
nation of Hayes, who was thought to be
conservative and safe, there would have
been political revolution.
Last year the Grant faction came for
ward again with more confidence and au-
dacity than ever, and at Chicago its lead
ers scarcely attempted to conceal their
belief that they were about rather to i'm
pose a ruler upon the country than to sub
nit candidate to the suffrages Of the
people. The overthrow of all their plans,
and the nomination of General Garfield,
secured the votes of the Republican masses
to the Republican ticket. Had Grant
been nominated we have never had any
doubt that he would have been beaten.
But his friends have never forgiven those
who brought about his defeat, and there
is too much reason to fear that they have
not abandoned the schemes which they
then entertained. They have certainly
learned nothing by experience. They
certainly rely as implicitly as ever upon
the power of "machine" politics. And
in the Speakership contest the public have
significant indication of their future pur-
poses. Had General Garfield lived to
serve out his term it may be permitted us
to hope that this infatuation would have
died away. But events have unfortunately
appeared to give encouragement to its
dupes just when their prospects seemed
darkest, and they have returned to their
old devices with renewed energy. There
is little ground Tor expectation that those
who have failed to profit by the plain
teaching of political events during the past
five years will listen to reason now. 1t is
far more probable that they will abuse
their supposititious opportunities until the
Republican masses once more lose patience,
and administer final chastisement TO them.
TIE one great lesson to which they are
aud have remained blind and deaf is the
fact that no machine can control Re-
publican votes when the final test of opin.
ion is reached. Shrewd politicians can
manipulate delegations, cap conspire sue
cessfully TO defeat popular candidates, can
often nominate their own fayorites; but
what they cannot do is to secure their
election after they have been nominated
And it is also clear that the people cannot
be deceived. Even if they themaelves
were dull .witted, the press would enlighten
them. But they see and appreciate the
L.