New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-01
TILE rnrnRE OF TIE DEMOCRACY


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THE FUTURE or THE DEMOCRACY.
The harmless deusion that the Democratic
party has n future seems to have broken out
suddenly in Syracuse in this State. Syracuse
is town which has harbOred more or less
Democratic Conventions in its time, and has
been especially favored for the last year or
two in conventions of q marsUpial character
which carried brOods Of little conventions in
their pouches. These have served to make
the place uncommonly lively during
the period of their sessions, and contributed
largely to the profits Of saloon-kccpcrs and
landlords. AS understood in Syracuse. the
mission of the Democratic party is to come
ND there once year. and sometimes twice
lean gracefully against the hotel bars and
crook its elbow, or stand on the sidewalk with
its cigar at an upward angle of forty-iye de-
grees hire one hall at the start to begin
"cussin" IN, and then break into sections and
hire all the halls in town to promote harmony.
This performance always amuscs Syracuse
Since last November, however, the party has
seemed lust n trihe cOmatOse its only sign of
life being the organization OF two or three
debating societies in this city, which
meet once n week or so to discuss IN Ian
culd way the question whether 1t Is better to
try restoratives or disinfectants. Doubtless
this state of affairs occasioned anxiety in Syria
cuse. where the perpetuity of the party and
the continuance of conventions more or less
dOube-headed was looked upon by landlords
and saloon keepers as n business necessity. 1t
is commonly believed there, of course, that
the marty will survive and the conventions be
kept up else the shutters would go up ona great
many bar-rOoms.
In Difference TO the great public interest in
this subject, The Syracuse COHrier, with true
journalistic instinct, sent out Its reporters day
or two ago with instructions to find out all
about the future of the party, and relieve the
public mind. From the manner in which
these inquiries were conducted, we judge that
what the Syracuse people want to know about
definitely is: First, what policy the Demo
cratic party should pursue to achieve success;
second whether n business man should be
nominated for President next time in view of
the failure to elect politicians or soldiers;
third, whether it would not be well to seek
tho cooperation and aid of the young men
of tho country who will cast their first
vote in 1884; fourth, whether General
of an alliance between Democrats and Repub-
Leans and fifth, whether the divisions among
the Republicans promise to become so deep
and wide that through them the Democrats
will be able to return to power. 1t will be
seen that this was a search for n great lot OF
quaint and curious political information. The
emissaries sailed out, pumped three statesmen
on all these points and published the results
in Tile Syracuse Courier of Monday. The
matter was considered important enough
to he sent by telegraph in advance
to several Democratic newspapers in
this city, to be published simultaneously. The
three statesmen were HoratiO Seymour, LII
cius Robinson and Gilbert c. Walker, repre-
senting respectively Utica, Binghamton and
| Elmira, each of which towns is eligible for
| Democratic conventions, and may be supposed
| to sympathize in some measure with the
peculiar desire of Syracuse for the prOlonga-
| ton of the days of party that has conven-
| tons by the litter.
Ex-Governor Seymour opened With his usual
essay on Capitalization, and expressed the
opinion that the tendency in that d.
recton under President Garfield would
"arouse the public mind to the
"policy." Tho good old man has been talking
that way for twenty years and evidently be-
lieves it. AS to nominating q business man
| for President he does not object indeed he is
in favor of nominating anybody "who can
draw votes from the Republican party and
"pol the Democratic vote" That's what they
| all say and are always trying to do He is in
| favor of seeking the cooperation and aid Of
the young men. as why shouldn't he bel
"Wad duck swim :" He likes Grant person
ally, but thinks his nomination by an alliance
of Democrats and Republicans is entirely out of
the question. He thinks the divisions in
the Republican ranks in this State are too wide
| and deep to be healed over, and that GarAeld's
disposition to favor Capitalization and the
| usurpations of the General Government will
| drive many Republicans out Of the party. .Ex-
Governor Robinson said he was out of public lite,
but thought that "when the Democracy Of the
State and of the Nation have had enough of
"adversty, they will make up their minds that
u the time has arrived for success" He thinks
| the idea of an alliance of Democrats and Re-
| Dublicans to elect Grant is absurd. Ex1GOv-