New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-16
TILE DEMOcRATLC PROBLEM

Obviously the essential thing to Democratic
success in 1884, to which the eyes OF all the
homeless and hungry in that party are at this
moment turned is to retain the Republican
votes cast for their candidates last week, which
gave then their victory. They may not need
them all they would gladly consent to com
promise on one-half or even quarter OF them
in this State for instance; but they must keep
a cOpsideIab portion of them absolutely 10
make themselves solid for 1894. For once
in their lives they comprehend the situatlon-2t
least some of them do-and are fully aware
both of the necessity of retaining and the danger
of losing these votes. How can they retain them
That is the question of the hour for them. In a
general way-they make answer to their own IN
ouiry that the party must be on its good be-
havior that it must indulge in no antics, must
scrutinize the appropriations, urge retrench-
ment and compel economy in expenditures,
Must please everybody on the questions OF Free
Trade and Protection-in short must for the next
two years be uncommonly careful to maintain
sitting position and to sit all the time with its
hoofs under it and out of sight.
But they have actually much more than this
to do to retain the confidence and support OF
those whom they are just now calling IN pat
ronizing way. not always agreeable TO those TO
whom the name is appled-their Republican
allies" 1t is all comprised, however, in the OBJ
servaton which has been made already, that
the party is on its good behavior. 1t must
"behaye itself" Small thing to say, to be sure,
and easily said but for the Democratic party,
constituted as it is, with It's traditional tenden-
cies, its instincts, its habits and its character,
the most difficult thing in the wOrld-lndeed,
we may go further and say, an Impossible
thing to do For the Democratic party to " be-
have itself" is to tell the truth, act up to its
professions, do what it has promised. That is,
in short to do away with the assessment OF its
own offlcehOlders, make no removals from Office
except for Gauss, and no appointments nPOn any
other ground than fitness and capacity. That
is the only way i'll which it can behave ITSELF"
the only way in which it can hope to retain any
portion of the Republican support to which 1t
owes its triumph. The problem being to hold
these voters, that is its sole solution. 1t cannot
be done by declaring in favor Of Free Trade,
by pretending to favor Protection, by reducing
appropriations or by any political dodge.
1t must show itself as a true and honest party
to hold the votes necessary to its future success.
suppose il should do this and hold permanently
what are called its Republican allies. Does
that solve the problem finally viii that
insure success in 19847 Hardly. For with the
adoption of the policy indicated above, the
original party dissolves. 1t abandOns its sole
reason for being. Let it once be believed that
the Democratic party coming into power would
make no removals from Office except for cause
and 10 appointments Oh the grounds Of party
service and there's an end of it. The Repubh
can accretons would go but little way toward
making up for the falling away of hundreds of
thousands OF Democrats who have been cling
ing to the party through all these years of fam
inc and of hope deferred, in the confident eI-
pectation that the triumph of the party would
mean the sweeping removal of all Republican
officehOlders aud the installation of Democrats
lie their places. The dilemma of the Democrats
is this they must have Republican votes if
they would succeed, and they must fulfil their
promises If they would secure the Republican
votes; but so soon as they begin to fulfill their
promises they drive away Democrats enough to
leave them still in hopeless minority. 1t
seems to be their fate always to be between the
devil and the deep sea.