New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-05
MR.. WArTERsoN's REPRESENTATIONS

Ii the Democratic party would only take
Mr. Henry Watterson's advice, as offered in
MS address to the Democratic editors of In
diana, it might not improve its prospects, but
1t certainly would elevate its character The
chief difficulty about Mr. Watterson's counsel.
and the counsel given the Democracy at various
times by other theorists, is that in following
it the party ceases to be the Democratic marty
1t involves change of heart a new birth.
revolution, reorganization a complete shaking
out, in fact, of all the old machinery and the
old men, and an entirely new start, with Moth
ing but the ancient name preserved His adj
mission that the party has for the past twenty
years blundered constantly and persistently
as to make its name a byword for political
Jolly, includes the confession that such a party
is too far gone for redemption. No change Of
heart viii effect the purpose it has pretended
too many already; and even if an affectation
of new birth could be credited, the public is
convinced that 1T needs new brains rather than
a new heart
MIR. Watterson, who always between cam
paigns talks like philosopher and saint, pro-
poses platform of five planks for the party;
and with the adoption Of the same the abandon
ment of all the old rubbish and lumber. His
five planks are Political assessments n felony.
revenue tariff; navigation law reform a cor
poration, politico-economic taxation commission.
and single-term Presidency Some of those arc
a rehash, and some very vague and practically
meaningless. Nothing is more natural than
That the party ont of power shoad be in favor
OF making political assessments a felony, and
OF limiting the Presidency TO a single term. It
IL quite as natural az the spiking of an enemv's
guns in war. The navigation law reform and
corporation commission features are vague and
embryonic, leading chiefly tc talk and not ex
pected to accomplish anything The tariff
plank is the only one that means business.
Mr.. Watterson IS always in earnest when no
strikes the tariff question: which he actually
believes has in il such possibilities that the
Democracy taking it up may take with it a
new lease of life
But the difficulty with the Democratic PARTY
lies as we have often had occasion to remark.
much deeper than any of the theoretical re-
organizers think. The persons composing it
40 not and cannot agree upon any one princi-
pie or policy except in prevalent hunger for
Office; and there are rot Offices enough TO 60
round Mr.. Watterson's beautiful dream of a
Democratic victory at some day in the near
future will never be realized. No revamping
of principles or invention of new platforms
will be of any avail. The only thing that can
be done with it is TO wipe il out, abolish the
name and memory of it. But if Mr. Waiter
son cannot hope for Democratic success il
might be q comfort to contribute to a Repub-
lican defeat and in that view we commend
again TO him the advice of the late Samuel
Bowles which he may perhaps remember.
"Sam," said Watterson, how can we ever
"kil this infamous Republican partyY ~ 81
{" don't know, Henry, any better way,r said
Bowles, " than for you to join it," We sug-
gest again to Mr.. Watterson that he should
try the late Mr.. Bowles's prescription.