The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-10-24

own, an | it necessarily results that the
defeat of Cameron in Pennsylvania or
the loss OF the republican ticket here
will be accounted the defeat of Mr.. Ar
thur and the victory of that faction of
his party which desires nothing 80 much
as to embarrass him ani cripple his sd-
ministration.
1t is to be regretted that the Presi-
dent allowed himself. against his earlier
and better judgment, to be made the CO
partner of one faction of his party
Until he consented to this he had the
esteem and confidence OF the general
public and OF the rank and file of his
party. The voters care but little for the
qusrrels OF the political leaders; they
want their party 10 succeed; and they
know that if it satisfies the country bv
'ss administration of public affairs and
Interests that is what insures success
Hence President who attends to the
public business and leaves party politics
to manage themselves is sure not only
to make his party strong but even in
case of disaster to remain its favorite.
BY consenting to become the leader of
faction Mr.. Arthur sacrificed this sd-
vantageous position, and now sees that
party defeat in November, which will
be caused really by the gross corrup
tion and mismanagement OF the repub.
licans in Congress for which he was not
properly responsible, will be so used as
to ipjure him more than it will the very
men whose misconduct brings defeat
and disgrace on the party
The republican defeat in Ohio came
about for very simple reason. The
people OF Ohio can read, and they have
read the newspapers. They have real
about Mr.. Robeson's malo 1orous career
in the House, and have read also that
Mr. Robson has been triumphantly re
nominated and is likely to be reelected.
They have read about Mr. Jay Hubbell's
assessments, and they have seen Mr.
fiuohell supported bv such men as Sen.
ators Hale and Allison, aud observe that
he is even now expecting promotion to
tine Senate as the reward Of his dirty
work They have read about the river
and harbor j,b. passed over the Presi-
dents veto amid shouts of contempt for
economy and for the President; and
they see the most defiant leaders in this
shameless job renominated in al most ev-
ery State They know that the repub-
licans, in the face of surplus revenue
which means legaized robbery-of
over one hundred and fifty millions, and
in the face of the wsrnin ys OF the Presi-
dent, refused to reduce the burden OF
taxation, as they olght to have done, to
its just limits of the necessities Of the
government.
Seeing all this large part of the re-
publican voters in Ohio, who prefer good
government to party success, have either
voted the democratic ticket or stayed at
home. 1t looks just now as though the
same class would pursue the same course
here, while in Pennsylvania an organiz-
ed mutiny against the Camsro1 rule al
most insures the defeat of the party
Now il the President had kept his
hands away from party politics, if he
had refused 10 favor or countensnce
either faction of party, all this woul |
not affect him. In point Of fact most
of the men whose gross misconduct is
getting punished are not Arthur men,
Mr. Robson is Blaine man; Mr.. His
cock, who was his too willing and ohe
dient tool in the Committee of ADpro.
priations, Is Blaine man; Mr.. Page,
the father and author of the river and
harbor job is Blaine man, we suppose.
for his State went solidly for Mr.. Blaine
At Chicago. Mr. jaw Hubbell in like
manner represents State whose dele
CATION at Chicago was, with one excep-
ton, unanimou, for Mr. Blaine, and We
take it for granted that Mr. Hubbell,
who was not delegate only because he
was in attendance on Congress, was for
Mr.. Blaine. In Ohio the heads of the
defeated State ticket were Sherman men ;
so at least we judge from the current re
ports that Governor Foster intended to
have them defeated. In any case they
were not administration men and of the
defeated Congressman no:e were pro-
nounced administration men, and only
one, Mr.. Butterworth, had ever favored
the administration, and he did more
harm than good.
The defeat Of the republicans in Ohic
has therefore no bearing against the ad-
miuistration, and the general defeat OF
the republicans in November, il it hap
pens, could not be regarded as defea,
of the administration il the President
had not made the bunder of interfering
here and else where in the party strife for
one and against the other faction. On
the contrary had he preserved his prop
er attitude of in'iepen tence of both and
all factions and strict non interference,
the republican defeat which now seems
probable would have been clearly seen
to be the defeat of ,bbers aud wasters
of public money and men belonging to
a faction hostile to him; and as the dust
of the November battle cleared off Pres
ident Arthur would have been, more
than before, the head of his party, with
the general good will of the country on
his side. For there is no doubt in any
ones mind that, aside from his fatal in
terposition in party politics. his admin
istl alton OF the government has been
upright and able.
Moral: A President should not 'stoop
to conquer