News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-04-20
Tho Political Calm,


The political situation battles specu.
lation. Everybody is conscious that
the issues upon which parties divided
twenty-five years ago are settled. Not
cry of the campaign Of 1860 could
be uttered in that of 1884. Every
body is also conscious that there are
questions of vital Importance, and of
wholly different kind from those of
the last quarter of a century, upon
which there is as yet no party divis-
ion. Such are the true principle and
policy of taxation in its various forms
the question of monopoly; of capital
and labor; of administrative reform.
These are all issues of the future.
They are not whimseys. They will
not elbow over" and they must be
met by the organized cooperation of
those who agree in opinion. The
present situation, therefore, is one of
suspense and expectation. 1t is con-
sequentlys also, one of great indepen-
dence, and one in which the ordinary
machine politician is entirely at sea.
Its most positive aspect is the in
ternal dissensien of the great parties.
In New York, for instance, Demo GRAFT
ic Tammany allies itself with Repub-
licans, and the alliance is denounced
by other Democrats and other Repub-
licans, and with a disgust and fervor
which can easily affect the election.
AT the West the Democratic editor of
the Louisville COurier-JourndI ar
raigns his party for folly and its press
for stupidity, and is sharply brought
to book by journals of his own faith.
In Pennsylvania the independent Re-
publicans organize, and announce
their purpose to be Irregular" only up
on condition that regularity" does
not mean "boss rule" and they COM
mand 10000 or $4,000 votes. In
Washington the most savage assault
is made upon the character of the late
President, in the interest of the wing
of the Republican party which favored
q third term, while the patronage OF
the Government falls largely to the
same wing. The consequent feeling
within the party is one of extreme bit
terness. Thus neither party is united
upon any policy or person, but each
on the contrary, is furiously distract
ed. and it is questionable whether the
hostility Of the factions is not mucl
fiercer than that between the parties
The more intelligent Democrats pro
pose that their party should betak(
itself to what are called Jeffersoniar
principles, forgetting that parties de
not go backward, and blind to tn,
fact that nowhere is national aid 81
constantly invoked and anticipated a:
in the section of the Union which i:
most Democratic. The more intelli
gent Republicans, on their side, poin
out that to check patronageis to raist
politics from mere personality. Blu
meanwhile patronage is in the hands
of those who believe in its partisa;
use.
1t is in this condition that we are
drifting toward the election Of a new
Congress, and it is plain that it viii
be an exceedingly interesting election
Mere regularity will hardly suffice fol
Il candidates platform. There will be
great and general catechIsing. Can
didates will be closely questioned up,
On their views regarding the new is
sues. Do they favor restrictive legis
lation upon corporations, railway com
missions, free trade in ships, a reform
ed method of minor civil appoint
ments? The same inquisitive and in
dependent spirit will hardly accep
vague a1d evasiye answers, and it i
obviously probable that unsatisfactory,
nominations will lead to a system o
scrub-races. If nominations SHOULD
be carried by bosses, machines ant
bargains, stump and independent can
slidates will appear. Under such cir
cumstances, there is no doub; that sucl
might be the situation in New York
What was done SO successfully in tn
Erie district last autumn could readil
be repeated in the State should coca
sion arise. The political atmosPher
is calm, but it is in highly electrical
condition.--HaTper's Weekly.