Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-04-20
THE DEMOCRATIC ISSUE.

The leaders and oracles of the Demo
cratic party are castin.. around for an
issue that win--ae-t and ena-
BILE it to make long and hard fight
for the coming Congress and then for
the next Administration. Many men,
many minds" says the old copy-book
proyerb, and there are as many sugges-
tions made with the positiveness of set
tied conviction as in council of doctors
at acritical stage of puzzling case.
The Louisville Courier-Journal insists
that the great and only live issue is Free
Trade. All others are but shadows,
mere ghosts of issues long since dead
and never to be revived. 1t demands
that "Free Trade" be painted on the
riag. the bunting nailed to the mast, "the
soreheads sent below and the fools pitch
ed into the sea-" and the fight made
with vigor and dispatch.
The New York Sun objects. 1t con-
siders the Louisville programme to be
but folly: 1t sees no hope of success
upon Free Trade issue. but is confident
of triumph if the banner of Admins
tratipe Reform is raised high, and borne
to the front.
A'host of Democratic self-appointed
leaders and minor newspaper organs are
furiously beating gongs and clashing
pot-lids on the Chinese Question. They
carry the Presidential Veto Message.
strapped with Celestial pig-tail, as
scarecrow with which to frighten Re-
publican workmen into the Democratic
ranks. They expect to rush into the fat
offites whilst the people are confused
with the clamorous cries that "The Chi
nese must go!'
There is no trouble in Ohio about an
Issue for present use. That offered it
self without putting the Democrats to
the trouble of searching for it, and it
was the one of all others the party would
be the least likely to refuse Free
Traffic in intoxicating Liquors" is the
Democratic watchword in this State,and
it is slogan of power.
The New York World has taken a
Gal Ci III outN VI tilO hCpuDlICebu uCiQ
and does not see the present necessity
of any Democratic declaration of princi-
pies. There are offices to be filled. They
will be the prize of the party that can
poll The heaviest vote. The Republicans
are kopelessly divided on the questions
of principle and policy and are pulling
ia dozen different directions. Why
should the Democrats initiate their fol-
ly. Why not remain banded together by
the cohesive power of the hope of public
plunder, leaving differences of opinion
until they can be INDUCED with compa-
rative safety? That appears to be the
philosophical position of the World, so
far as we have been able to judge it.
The Chicago Times looks at the mat
ter from totally different standpoint,
and its counsels have no chance of being
adopted. The Democratic party, it
heltss. i hopelessly moribund and stinks
before it Is thoroughly dead. 1t should
crawl into its grave and pull the earth in
upon itself, that a new party may spring
from the soil. What is the use, it wants
to know, of live issue to dead party :?
But, faint and low through the hub
bub of conference, contest, and recrimi-
nation comes regularly recurring
sound, curiously suggestive of a
woodpecker tapping on tree trunk. 1t
grows louder and a slight jingling is
mingled with the tapping. There is a
sudden hush and every Democratic ear
is pricked up in anxious eagerness. A
smile of satisfaction illumes every Dem
Ocratic countenance. The sound has
been recognized. 1t is the Old Man tap
ping on his universally known and WELL
beloved 3arI. The true issue, on which
all staunch Democrats can enthusiast
cally rally. has been found.-Cleveland
Herald.