Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-24
TIE amAcH1sE AuD TIE DEMOCRACY.
The Democracy evidently understands

and similar judicious resolution on the
part of the California Democrats. But 1t
is extremely questionable whether the sa-
gacious counsels of those who look farthest
ahead can guard the party against the
| operation of its own methods. 1t must be
borne in mind that the Democratic party
has never shown any disposition to do
away with the spoils system. It has been
SO long out of power that whenever it gets
in it is at the mercy of its hungry elements,
and they haze no other policy than to
make hay while the sun shines. Democrats
look forward at this moment with eager
anticipation to the next Presidential cam.
paign, fully expecting to capture the ad.
ministIation az that time. Bat they
would find it hard to demonstrate the
grounds upon which they expect once more
to obtain that formerly Republican vote
which this year has given them seven
States all of which wers supposed to be
strongly Republican. This year the Re.
publicans voted the Democratic ticket in
order to put down "Bossism in their own
party. Bu. the very fact that they did SO
shows that they are not at all likely to
! support the Democrats unless the latter
prove themselves to be in earnest as re-
formers.
Reform of the Civil Service is now very
generally understood to be the key to all
other political reforms, and we may rest
assured that when the parties are mar.
shalled in 1854 the independent vote which
this year has thrown the country into the
hands of the Democrats will refuse to vote
for any ticket which does not represent a
real determination to abolish the spoils sys.
tenn. 1t is therefore necessary to see how
! the Democrats stand on this issue. In the
first place it must be perceived that their
"Bosses have not yet been repudiated,
and that all the elements in their organiza.
ton which correspond to those just
sloughed off by the Republicans, are still
vigorous and at the political front. And
this is very important consideration, for
it must handicap the party heavily during
the next two years, and so render it less
fit than it should be to enter the Presider.
tial race. The Democrats in Congress will
probably not try TO change any of the po-
litical methods they find in vogue Tney
will naturally follow the example of their
opponents in making the most capital pos.
| al b1a Of hi, J
sire reelection, and to secure it they
will freely employ the Federal patronage
whenever they are able to do so. They
will in short prefer what is called "prac.
q" teal politics " to the theories of Civil
| Service reform.
The result will be that the Democrats
will have committed themselves thoroughly
to the spoils system long before 1884, and
that no matter what professions they may
make then they will be discredited before
the country. Now under ordinary circum.
stances perhaps this would not hurt them
much, because under ordinary circum.
stances there would be 10 room for IN.
| favorable comparison with the methods of
their opponents. Bat if the Republican
" Bosses " are really and finally sup
pressed, it is TO be expected that a better
element will come to the front in the Re-
publican party-an element which the in.
dependent vote can repose confidence 10,
and which it may be induced to support.
OF course we do not lose sight of the pos
sibi!ity that the Republican leaders may,
notwithstanding the defeat of this year,
continue to blunder. We fully under.
stand that it is within the power of these
leaders TO adopt policy which will make
a Democratic victory in 1884 certain, IN.
less third party superior to both the old
ones should meantime come into existence.
But we are justified in assuming that SO
suicidal course will not be followed ::
that the Republican leaders will recognize
the true significance of the revolution
which has occurred, and that they will do
nothing to make the position of their party
worse than it is.
Ii TIE Republicans do not help the Dem
ocrats, as they helped them this year, the
question is whether the Democrats can so
| guide their course as to inspire confidence
IN the independent vote. In order to do
this they must declare themselves opposed
to the spoils system, and they must do
more than make promises. It is true that
they have another opportunity that by
judicious tariff reform policy they can
strengthen themselves greatly but it is
not at all certain tina. they can harmonic
upon that subject, and judging from their
past action they are more likely to tenn
porize upon it than to take decided
ground. Even with judicious tariff re.
form policy, nevertheless, they will be
expected to declare for Civil Service re-
form. And we do not believe that they
can make this sacrifice. For the Democ.
racy is suffering from all the diseases which
aflict the Republican party. 1t has no
vantage ground in any respect. 1t has as
corrupt elements as foolish leaders, it is
as much under machine " rule, it is as
destitute OF principles and convictions. In
fact it needs regeneration fully as nuch as
it's rival, and it is about to be exposed to
temptations which no corrupt old party
can be expected to Withstand successfully.
We have seen how, time and again,
partial Democratic successes have been
nullifed by swiftly succeeding blunders
OF the most serious character. It has
been made manifest on every similar occa.
sion that the proper leaders of the party
were completely overcome by the worse
elements. Is there any ground fer ex.
pecting a different outcome this time !?
We are unable to perceive any. On the
contrary, we think it probable that the
| present situation is calculated to bring all
the worse elements to the front more con.
spicuously than ever, and that the proper
leaders OF the party are likely to be more