Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-15
DEMOCRATS SHOWING THEIR HAND.

are really weil.founded, and that the
Democrats in Congress have in fact nearly
made up their minds to prevent the pas
sage of any relief measure. The position OF
Willis that he wants fifteen year provision
because he does not think ten years long
enough, will deceive no one. 1t is too
obvious that those who insist upon tif-
teen-year bill do SO because they believe
the President will not sign such bill.
The Democrats cannot be supposed to be
acting upon conviction in this matter.
They do not care whether the Chinese are
restrained or not. Ali they care for is to
obtain as many votes as possible. They
voted for the vetoed bill because they be.
ieved that by so doing they could capture
this coast. They are now disposed to
prevent the passage of the ten-year bill
because they think they have already
secured this coast, and because they are
too stupid to perceive that by obstruction
they will not only show their hand prema-
turely, but lose whatever they may have
gained before. 1t has been said of the
Democratic party that it could always be
trusted to blunder at critical junctures,
and it looks now as though it was deter
mined to vindicate the wisdom of this
remark. There is no doubt at all that
ffteen-year bill would fail to receive the
signature of the President, and therefore
the Democrats desire to combine on that
proposition. Evidently they give the peo-
pie of this coast credit for very little intelli-
gence, for they must calculate on our ina
bility to perceive the true motive of their
action.
1t would, however, have been indeed
surprising had the Democrats on this &C.
casion exhibited anything like real con-
viction, or had they not adopted the line
of policy which seemed to them the most
advantageous, without the least regard to
the interests of the Pacific coast. Instead of
being anxious to exclude the Chinese, and
thus to protect and relieve the Pacific
States, they care nothing about Chinese
immigration otherwise than as it may be
availed of to obtain votes. They are just
as ready to filibuster against the ten-year
bill az they were to vote for the twenty
year bill. Their convictions in fact are
whatever they think will do them the most
good for the moment. We recommend
prayerful consideration of the pres
ent Democratic attitude to the public of
California, and especially to those impul-
sive Republicans who have been vowing
that they would hereafter vote the Demo
cratic ticket. For this state of things
illustrates very clearly one of the essential
distinctions between the two parties. The
Republican party has strong beliefs and
sacred principles. 1t will cling to these
even to its own hurt, because it pays more
regard to the moral questions at issue
than to the results of its course. But once
convince it that it has made a mistake,
and that what it took for immutable
truths were really only specious fallacies,
and it will embrace the new light willing
ly and earnestly. Thenceforward it can
be relied upon to defend its new belief as
theoretically as its old ones.
But the Democrats have ceased to possess
any convictions or principles save such as
are dead and buried, and have no longer
any relation to the things of this life. It
will adopt any principles which it thinks
may be profitable, but it can never be
trusted, because it is always liable to aban-
don the ideas it has just espoused, if it
believes that by SO doing it can secure
greater advantages than by adhering to
them. This is precisely what it is doing
at the present moment. 1t never wanted
to stop Chinese immigration because it was
convinced of the evil of the thing. 1t
merely consented to pretend to desire this
restriction, because it was told that this
was the way to carry the Pacific States.
Its utter insincerity is demonstrated by its
prompt Reputation of the anti-Chinese
restraint the instant it thinks there is
more party capital to be made by prevent
ing all legislation than by joining the Re-
publicans in voting for the ten-year bill.
And this action is in entire accord with
the history of the party ever since The re-
bellion. 1t has all that time been trying
on principles which belonged to other peo-
pie, to see if they would fit, and discarding
them directly they appeared unsuitable.
1t took up the Chinese bill in Just this way,
and now that it thinks it can fasten the
responsibility for the failure of restrictive
legislation upon the Republican Admins
tration, it does not want to relieve the
Pacific Coast at all.
But what kind of figure will it cut in
the case when the fact is made clear that
while the Republicans labored to pass
ten. year bill, the Democrats combined to
maintain the existing situation? If the
Democrats think that will be good atti,
tude to go to the country on, let them try
~ Dub eiSI VIII SdIi ~ otdtS Oh any
such proposition. And once more we say
to the Republicans You have no cause
for encouragement. The Democrats will
have no advantage over you in the coming
campaign, unless you yourselves let them
have it. The Democratic party at Wash
ington may be trusted to blunder at the
most critical juncture. It has in fact
Numbered already, and it is already ap-
parent that if the ten-year bill does not
pass Congress it will fail through Demo-
cratic trickery alone. What is wanted,
therefore, is mainly bold front and timely
organization for the Republicans of Cali.
fornia. Thus far nothing has been lost,
while much that seemed discouraging at
one time is being cleared up. At present
the prospect is that the President will sign
a ten-year bill if the Democrats are not
afraid to give him the opportunity. If
they should reconsider their present incli-
nation, and should vote for the bill, the
Chinese question will be taken out Of poll.