Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-30
Zlnrlslr. tntelllQenrr:
SATURDAY EVENING, SEPT. so. 1882
Unnecessarily Disturbed.

SATURDAY EVENING, SEPT. so. 1882
Unnecessarily Disturbed.
The editor of the Philadelphia Times
il very much disturbed over the action
o. the Philadelphia Democratic conver.
tions in nominating Democrats for the
county Offices. /" The folly of the Demo
Gratis yesterday was monumental" says
the veteran Mcclure " it was the sub
Unity OF stupidity" Anybody unac.
4uainted with the colonel's disposition
to " go off in this way would naturally
think that he was in bad way and in
serious danger of apoplexy. But the
trouble with the editor of the Times is u
trouble that assails good many states.
men namely, a supreme degree of salts
faction with his own judgment and a
superlative impatience with those dis.
senting from it. The Times is often
amusing in this way, but it never has
been more so than on this occasion
when its denunciatlon of Democratic
folly is laughable because it is SO entirely
unmerited.
The Democratic city conventions
in nominating Democrats, in our
judgment, and that of all other
Democrats we presume, did just what
they should have done and what they
could not avoid doing; it was what
they we're appointed to do what their
party was formed to do {; and what :,
when it can't do, it will he ready to dis
band. Doubtless the Democracy may
be all wrong and the editor of the Times
all right in their respective judgments,
but the chances are decidedly the other
way. The Times man has the fortune
not to be Democrat which is mis-
fortune when he undertakes to recon-
mend Democratic action and to
crlticise it. If he could get his
focus right he might see all
right; but it is quite impossible
for Colonel Mcclure, with the political
education he has had, to comprehend
Democratic principles and policy, so ut
least as to Ike a teacher of them.
The Democratic judgment is easily
satisfied that a Democratic con-
vention has done its duty when
it has placed ft Democrats in
nomination for Office. The public
Offices are regarded by the party as places
to be filled by the party, if it can COM
mand a majority; if some other party
can command a majority than that patty
should fill the Offices. 1t may surprise
the Times to hear it, but nevertheless it
is a fact that the Democracy does not
lay claim to the offices unless it can get
them with a majority vote. If, as the
Times declares, the Republicans are in
majority in Philadelphia. then the Re.
publicans are entitled to fill the Offices
and should do it. Theirs is the respon-
sibility. The true policy of the Demo-
cracy is to mind its own business and to
take care of its own people. 1t has in
general no business to he nominating
Republicans for Office. 1t does its whole
duty when it selects good men from its
own party. If it has done so in Philadel
phia, it will deserve to poll for them the
full Democratic vote which is all they
are entitled to if the Republican candi.
dates are also good men. If its vote is
too short tIat is its misfortune. If its
vote is not too short that is its good for
tune with it will come it's responsible
ity and that responsibility it will as
same for Democrat, for whom alone
it should be responsible.
Some queer people-and there are
a good many of them-are never
satisfied unless they are getting
coalitions. They coalesce just for
the fun of coaIescing. The Times editor
is one of them. He holds the Republi
can candidates to be fairly good men
and the Democratic candidates also
none of them bad and some of them very
good except as to the Republican
Judge Briggs and the Democratic can
didate Arnold; and here Arnold is very
good and Briggs very bad SO that the
good people of Philadelphia cannot fail
to know what judge to vote for; and as
to the other candidates, if they are fairly
good all around, they cannot he in doubt
either, for they will all naturally vote
with their party. Where. then, is the in
ducement to a coalition ? There is 60
occasion for any good soul to be trou-
bled either about the public good or
that of the Democratic party, which is