The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-14


The Springfield Mass Republican, in the
course OF a review Of the political situation
in New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, mot
forgetting the Wolfe bolt against Cameron
in the lust named State), says that these
three States hold one-iourth Of the popula-
ton OF the country, aad are now, rs in the
past, the pivotal political States. With any
one OF them Democratic, the 100000
Democratic voters of the Union can elect
President, What, therefore, are the chances
of the Democracy in the coming elections
in any one Of these States this fall?
To the critical and impartial eyes of the
ReouJlican the chances do not favor the
Democracy, Why not? Because when
the Democracy had u chance they failed to
meet the expectations OF the people. The
history Of the case is us follows, accord
ing to the Republican:
Seven years ago, and seven years Is hall
n generation In American politics, the Con-
pressional elections showed that the Demo
cratic party had an overwhelming major
ity OF the voters OF the country, From y
small minority in the House, mere squad
in the Senate, and next to no control over
any State governments, the Democratic
party pissed along from victory to victory,
until il Ind It's term OF power, brief or long,
In both branches Of the Federal Legislature
and the chief executive OF most Of the
important States OF the Union What
was Of even more Importance
than passing success, the dem
OCratiC party began, for the hrstt time IN
twenty years to attract young and growing
men. Tilden was the tist Democratic
Presidential candidatein n generation with
numerous sympathi2ers in the colleges
Independent newspapers, like the New
York Tribune Of It's saner days, gave Dem
ocratic leaders Il warm support. For
while the active, growing, reforming agen
cies OF politics graVitated To the Democratic
party. SO did the masses, with instincts
sounder than reason. Tilden received Z
popular majority OF quarter OF u million
The Democratic party had nothing to dt
toprolong ind expand this blooming pros
poet, but to right open wrongs. Instead, !
did nothing or did the wrong thing. Mil
lions were sQuandered on pensions, but tn
tariff was loft unrevised, Patents, lant
regulations and navigation laws were lef
unchanged while false issues were raiset
by medding with the election laws Il
legislation, no civil service reform was ut
tempted and in practice Democratic mp
pOintments became II laughing stock. Thu
prrty was expected to improve the currency
and instead il preClpitated pant
last winter by false contraction
II preached economy and, after sAOr
and salutary reductions, praCticed extraya
gance. Its record in State government
WIS ls hopelCssly incompetent Us It's worI
ut Washington was wrOng.headed. TIT
OneseriOus DemoCratiCa achievement in Stat
administration during the past seven year
hus been TildGn's canal reform, and In loCa
government the reorganization Of the Dem
Ocratic party in New York city -
scheme still on trial and not to be com
pared with the work Of the Citizens Re
publican Committee in Philadelphia. The
result, the inevitable result, Of all this HUI
been that enthusiasm cooled, converts
dropped off and went buck to thei
first love, tho Republican party. Til,
dead weight OF numbers remain
ed Democratic; but when the vott
was counted year ago 1t was found thai
the active, thinking fraction, whose votes
are fired ut mark, hNd gone over to thu
Republican side. They Nro there now
They will remain there unless the Repub
lican purity again falls and goes down il
another panic. Meanwhile the Democrat
ic party may win elections here ind there
but II has behind it no growing public sen
timent, no rising tide Of popular feeling
Fallacious signs may point to It's success
but they will fail aS they did last yeat
The very accidents are against the unsrtC
cessful, and there is in politics no insur
ance against loss Of confidence save il
well.dong and on that policy the Demo
critic party refused to make good It's prom
iso in the brief days of its power.