Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-01-26
Nd!lsastcr E::tei.:genccsr:.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, JAN. 20. 1881.
4 DeiDhic Oracle.

DeiDhic Oracle.
Col. Mcclure does not seem to be quite
so sure as he lately WAS that the Republi-
can machine is going to finally snatch
the senatorial chestnut ont of the fire.
It does not lock very promising fer
them, certainly: Notwithstanding their
professed confidence and their rashness
even in fixing the day when their fruit is
to be plucked. To-day has been set, but
vainly; and it looks rs though many
another one would follow it. Neither
the rebel Republicans nor the Democrats
are showing any visible indication of an
ardent desire to burn their fingers to
help THE FAMILY to wha: ii wants. 1t
may be strange: but it seems to be true
that the situation is entirely without
hope for them. We do not see a gleam
of it about.
The Times is one of the journals that
is anxious that the Democrats of the
Legislature should do something to help
along the Republican machine in its
trouble. 1t declares that "they can't
elect Democrat or any man whose Re-
publicanism is at all doubtful, but they
could adopt public policy in regard to
the senatorshiii." and choose a senator
accordingly. That is advice worthy of
the Delphic oracle. To make it duly i'm
pressve, il would be well for the Times
to define the "policS that it recon-
mends. To our mind a policy which re-
quires Democrats to select, for the politi-
Cal Offi :e of Unitel States senator, Re-
publican whose RepubIcanism is not at
all doubtful, nee,is to be defended. for it
does not obviously defend itself. The
prime duty of Democratic legislator
clearly is to elect a Democratic SEN
ator; and when reverse ':policy"
becomes his duty, it must be
compelled 10y very exceptional
facts. If cur representatives in the
Legislature were compelled to choose
be- tween two Republican candidates, one
of whom WAS cer;ainiy To be chosen.
then it woald perhaps be their duty to
select the best. Bat tilat situation is not
yet presented, nor vii. i. be if the Re-
publican managers, who proclaim their
resolution 10 defend to the last ditch
their respective positions, are telling the
trlth. They ought to fall into an alliance,
and compromise their difference. That
will be the final result if they consider
the bes, good OF their whole party. That
l. ri,nt Hl-ar rI,..11 !,,,o ~,
d.. If they seek our alliance, certainly
t,ey must show us the advantage of Civ
ing it to them. That advantage will
Mt be Obvious il We are called upon to
eject !; stalwart Republican, All such
jobs as that wehaturally incline to remit
to the Republican party. We cannot be
reasonably expected to have a stomach
for them.
But if either Of the Republican fac
tions is inclined to propose the election
Of a senator, solely Oh the issue of his
capacity to honorably represent the state,
and ole WHO silal! not be expected by
either party to be Il partisan in his sena-
tOrial conduct, then We do not doubt that
the Democratic representatives iii the
Legislature will be ready to consider tie
proposition and to confer with the Re-
publicans making il. us to who that man
may be. Tia: is The only .'policy''
which we CAN Sce t:!". il may lie thadutv
of the minority party in the Legislature
to proclaim in r,-gar'l 10 he senatnrshiD
and When either Of the minority Repub-
lican factions can Sea the same policy
something may result from it. At present
they donot seen, to be comprehendng it
very rapidly. The Times would dc we'll
to preach j: 10 them rather than to the
Democrats. who are how doing what
they were elected Ia do aud what they
are expected to do namely, to vote for a
Democrat for United States senator u.i-
til they can produce good rcasons salts
factory TO their cons, iturDcy for doing
anything else. II any OF them can find
Democratic constituency that will
look with favor upon their vote for
stalwart Republican, they may safely so
vote; otherwise, we think, not safely.