New-York tribune., 1882-02-28
DO4HE PEOPLE WANT 4 CHANGEl

The Democratic newspapers and stump
speakers in the Presidential campaign of lSSO
filed the air with the cry that what the country
needed was a change. But at the November
baIlot-box the country replied that it did not
want change, that on the whole 1t was well
satisfied with the Republican party, that be-
tween the two standard bearers 1t much pre-
ferred James A. Garfield Nevertheless, the
plain lesson of that canvass seems to be thrown
away upon as intelligent paper as me BHVGtO
Courier. That Jealous organ OF Democracy,
warming over, as it were, one OF It's Hancock
and English articles, gravely informs It's
readers that what the Republican party has
most to fear is an irresistible demand for
change
We cannot but wonder where our contempO-
rarv finds this "irresistible demand" Ger
tainly it is not made by the people Of our own
State as they contemplate current State affairs.
The dsgraceful course pursued by the Demo-
cratic party since it was restored to power III
the Legislature furnishes an unansweraDle
argument against change which would IN
crease that power in New-YOr or in the coun-
try at large. The people are always willing to
make a change of parties when they have good
reason to believe that they are going to gain by
it, But thOughtless change for the sake OF
change they will not consent to. Sull less
will they consent to change from good to
bad and yet in the light of events we are just-
fled in saying that that is precisely the sort OF
change to which The Courier invites them.
We ask our contemporary calmly to consider
one propositions Suppose the Democratic reSto-
ration which is accomplished in the legislative
department of our State Government could at
once spread until it embraced all the depart
mcnts of all the State Governments, would the
people be any better of than they are now
In order to solve this proposition we must cX-
anime the quality and quantity of the work
which this Democratic Legislature of ours has
accomplished, and the result of such an inquiry
is fatal to the proposed change. vulgar
deadlock resulting from disagreement in re-
gard to the division of Spoils-is that the sort
of feast that The Courier believes the rest of
the United States are longing and would be the
better lor2 If not in what does this ire
sistible demand for change" cousiSt} Upon
what is it prcdicatcdl
If we turn from our own State to National
affairs we are equally at loss to find grounds
upon which to base demand" irresistible y
or otherwse--for a change. For in the first
place tie Republicans are doing well 10y the
Government, in Congress and in the great EX-
ccutive Departments; and in the second place
the Democrats, who only lately lost the control
of Congress, made "A record at Washington
from 1876 to 1881 which the least said about
the better for them and their future prospects.
Let us institute one typical comparison. De-
mocracy in Congress was charged with the duty
Of framing refunding measure. 1t pottcrcd
and procrastinatcd, and finally passed bill so
faulty that the President vetoed it, and the
people said amen. Then came Secretary Win
dom, who promptly prepared a scheme for re-
funding which gave general satisfaction and
which saved the people millions of dollars.
One of Wikie COllinSs characters explains
that the true way to breed bull is to form in
ones mind perfect idea of a bull and then
proceed to evolve HIM from the inner con-
sciousness. We mistrust that The Courier
discovered "an irresistible demand for
change" in that mastery way.