New-York tribune., 1882-03-10
believe that the railroads will profit very
largely by the new arrangement.
RETURyING TO THEIR TRADITIONS.

RETURNING TO THEIR TRADITIONS,
A corresponding member" 80 called, OF
"The Jefferson Association of York, Penn.'"
has lust made discovery which he has con-
sidered of sufficient importance to communi-
cate to The World newspaper, of this city, and
that journal has deemed of sufficient interest
to print for the information of its readers.
We call it discovery, but perhaps our con-
temporary is more exact in saying that he has
"made a point" And the "pOmt" is thisi
"That, now that the slavery question Is out
of tho way, there remains no reason what
"eyer why the men who believed in De-
"mocracy and left the Democratic party
con anti-slavery grounds should not now
return to it. provided the Democratic party
"prove true to its traditions and to the prin-
"ciples of its founder" The consideration of
this point is commended by our contemporary
70 those Democrats who are seeking for an
tissue" on which their party can carry the
country. That issue, it is confident, will be
found when the party returns to its traditions
and to the principles of its founder in the
question of free trade. Now party In MI
nority, without consistency or conference, anx-
ious to carry the country, yet unable to give
any good reason why it shOnld be trusted
with power beating the air wildly for an
issue and finding none, is really an object OF
commiseratiOn. 1t has our profound pity. Our
partisanship is not so extreme but that we can
extend to it our coincidence and SYM
pathy We may even express the hope that
it will presently lay its hands upon the
tissue" for which it gropes, and find CLEAN
of comfort in actually having reason for
being. Nay, more, even: we can sincerely
unite in the hope that they will find it in
" free trade"
Nor is this any new position or change OF
attitude on our part. 1t is not the first nor
the twentieth time that THE TRIBUNE has
expressed its sympathy with the Democrats in
their search for an "issue," and its ardent
desire that they should return to the tradi-
tons of the party and the principles of its
founder, and make fair and honest fight for
free trade. This because, in the first
place, of the moral and intellectual refresh
ment which the spectacle of the Democratic
party making n square and honest hight on
any question would furnish and second, be-
cause we have such confidence in the principle
of protection and its popularity with the pub
lie that we would gladly sec the country
polled once honestly and fairly upon that di-
rect issue. So we say by all means let the
Democrats return to their traditions and the
principles of their founder and throw down to
their opponents the gage OF battle upon the
issue of free trade. But let there be no SUBJ
terfuges, no trickery, no evasion or dodginS
about it, Don't let us have it smuggled into
the platform in ambiguous phrases, or offered
as O tag to candidate who Is neither
one thing nor the other, or who considers the
tariff local question Of minor Importance. And
when Mr.. Randall takes the stump for the
ticket in Pennsylvania, or Mr.. VOORHEES, In
Indiana, let them both talk as openly and un-
reservedly for free trade as Mr. Cox does in
New-York, or Mr.. Beck and Mr.. Watterson
do in Kentucky.
The idea of returning to the traditions, "now
Z" that the slavery question is out of the way"
seems an excellent one. 1t is so simple and
easy thing for those who left the Democratic
party Oh anti-slavery grounds to return to 1t
so soon as it begins to prove true to its tradi-
tions. Let us see Who were the more prom
inent Democrats who left their party on anti
slavery grounds7 There were Salmon 7.
Chase, Of Ohio, John p. Hale, of New-Hamp-
shire Gideon Welles, of Connecticut, Pres
ton King, Of New-York, Oliver 7. Morton,
of Indiana, and thousands who accom-
panied or followed them. The recital Of
these prominent names, the catalogue of which
might he prolonged indefinitely, suggests one
difficulty, even If there were no other, III the
way of the return to the party of those who
left it on anti-slavery grounds. Most Of them
are dead. The generation that saw the great
hesira from the old pro-slavery Democratic to
the new Republican party has almost passed
away. OF those still living, who in 1856 be-
Iieved in the Democratic dogma of free
trade, but held that belief in allegiance
until the pressing question of slavery could
be settled there is nothing to prevent the
return, unless possibly it be a somewhat seri-
oas doubt of the sincerity of the modern
Democracy engendered by their course during
the past twenty-five years, and particularly by
their double-deaing on the tariff question in
the last Presidential campaign. 1t occurs to
us that this may keep back some OF those
whom the PENNSYLVANIA jefferson hopes to win
by returning to the traditions. Still, the
scheme seems to us a good one 1t might not
as we have intimated, win back all the old
anti-slavery Democrats who are still living
and We do not know where it would leave
Randall and Voorhees, and Hendricks and sew
cral thousand Democratic prOtectiOnists i'll
PENNSYLVANIA, Indiana and other States; but
there is this at least to be said for 1t that 1t
would give poor old childless party an "is-
suen and a reason for being which now 1t has
not BY all means let them return to their
traditions.