New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-19
POLITICAL DIVISIONS,


made. AT present, there seems to the Demo-
cratic party melancholy dearth of available
points of controversy Hence that party is
trying to manufacture some, and, by its Pc
culiar behavior, helps to enlighten mankind rs
to its spirit and character In one State it is
Temperance party, and in another Anthem
perancc. In State it believes in robblng
public creditors without limit; in another it
Processes holy horror because Independents
have proposed adjustment of the debt. In
Maine, the Democratic party swallows itself,
and gives as many votes "a il can to the Green
back faction. In Ohio, it tries to forget that
in 1879 it supported regulators.
The Democratic party has neither principles
nor ideas. We could resist it better if it had
either It's open and notorious alliance with
political vagabonds and rehegadcs of any and
every sort in either of the States, is a confess
sion that the party has ceased to have any
fixed political principles of its own | hoists
the black flag and fights the Republican party
with no higher aim than to get what plundcr
it can. At the same time the Republican party
is compelled by the character of its supporters
to adhere faithfully TO certain principles.
Tie two parties will never contend seriously
about reform of the Civil Service The Repub-
licans are III favor of such reform. and
though their steps III that direction are re-
tardcd by personal interests and practical diff
cuties. they make steady progress. The Demo-
Gratis on the other hand, make loud profess
sions and unlimited promises, but there is not
the least reason thus far for the belief
that they would go rs far, if in charge of the
Government, "A the Republicans have gone.
The Democratic party does not dare u pre-
tend TO be hostile to protective tariff. This
W in If
the majority of the members of that
party are perhaps more in earnest, and
more fully agreed, in opposition to the pro-
tective system than upon any other question
OF public policy. Even if this il true, the
party can make fight on that question
Governor Hendricks asks, in a recent maya
zine article, with some show of earnrstneSs
whether Pennsylvania and Massachusetts shall
rule the country. But he forgctS that it would
be as easy to get vote against protection
in Ohio as in Pennsyl vania, and more easy to
defeat an anti-protective party in New York
than in Massachusetts.
The financial ISSUES have been nearly worked
out. The widest advocates of lat money have
been obliged to seek quiet The country il
not going to turn back upon it's present fnan-
cial policy "a long IA that policy works well.
and the opponents Of the Republican party see
that it works we'll that they have no room
and no excuse for present resistance. They
look forward with some hope to time when
the Government may be embarrassed by silver
coinage. But they know that the game is lost
for them at the present.
There is but one question upon which polit-
zeal parties can yet divide with earnest pur-
pose on either side. The Democrats do not
mean to make fight about the Civil Service.
or the Tariff, or the Currency But they do
mean, II they can, to retain the Electoral and
Congressional votes of the Solid South This
they Will do. as events have proved at almost
any expense of public odium. They virtually
admit that they have no chance of success
except by stealing the votes Of Southern
States. Hence, they propose to steal these
votes, and they are ready to fight, even at
the risk OF disorganzing the Government. for
the repeal or notification of any laws which
tend to restrain them in their stealing. What
ever pretences they make on other subjects.
the Democrats will not permit an honest vote
and count if they can help it, They are
obliged to keep the votes of Southern States
by force or frand, or to cease to be party.