New-York tribune., 1882-04-08
ro0D rOP REFLECTION.


Dean Swift once had a servant who, he used
to boast, was "gOOd at drawing lnierenccs''
Assuming that the Republican leaders at WASH
ington and elsewhere throughout the country
are also good at that kind OF drawing, we de-
sire 10 direct their attention to the result OF the
elections just held at sundry leading points In
the West The Democrats have carried Clnch-
natl. The Democrats have carried Cleveland.
The Democrats have carried Columbus. The
Democrats have carried Toledo. The Demo-
Gratis have carried Dayton. The Democrats
have carried Chicago. The Democrats have
carried Milwaukee. The Democrats have car
ried Indianapolis The Democrats have car
ried Dubuque. The Democrats have carried
Minneapolis. Cincinnati and Columbus figure,
in ordinary political calculations as Republican
strongbolds. Cleveland elected Republican
Mayor last spring, and gave him 5000
majority. The present Council in Chicago is
Republican, but the Democratic majority III
the city this spring is about $500. In Du-
buquc, for the first time in twenty years, the
Democrats elected every Alderman that was
voted for. In Milwaukee. as strong and popn-
lar Republican as ex- Governor Ludington was
defeated i'll his canvass for Mayor.
This is not an agreeable showing. We would
much prefer not to print it or to submit the
facts without comment. But faithful are the
wounds of a friend. Because we so strenu-
ously desire Republican success, West, East
and all over. we have chosen to present this
bad news thus prominently to the end that the
lesson of defeat, whatever it may be, may be
improved by those who are called upon 10
shape the destiny of the party. We are well
aware that the success OF the Democrats i'll ONO
is due in a degree, to the introduction INTO the
canvass of the Pond liquor bill issue. We also
realize that purely local and sporadic canHes
turned the scales at some other points. But
after giving full force to all such explanations,
the fact remains that the Republicans at the
West, usually SD energetic, have shown that
they have become listless, apathetic, dSincllned
to do their best to win. How is this lukewarm
ness, this half-heartcdncsS, to be accounted
fOrY We put the question TO President Arthur
as the official head of our party, and to his chief
counsellors. and to our Republican Senators
and REPRESENTATIVES at the National Capital,
and to all other leading Republicans Gentle
men, if yOu are good at drawing nierences,
what is the inference you draw iron these
spring elections at the West Do they not
suggest that the present party leadership lacks
wisdom Do they not hint at disapproval OF
the current Republican policy DO they not
invite all those occupying positions of influence
in our political organization to inquire whether
the Government is being administered to-day
as those who elected Garfield and Arthur i'll
tended and expected that it would be admins
tered
The Congressional contests are just ahead.
1t is not so very long to 1884. If the rule of
the Republican party is to be continued i'll Con-
gress and i'll the White House, the Republican
masses must be fired with the old enthusiasm,
filed with the old devotion. When they are
all in earnest and all united, they are inyln-
chile To-day they are not III earnest, are not
united To discover the causes of this unto
ward state of things and when found resOlutely
to apply the remedy, are duties which we COM
mend to those upon whom they devolve-to the
men to whose keeping the honor and we'll
being of the party have been specially com
mitted.