New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-04
THE NATIONAL RUBBISH-HE1P.

1t has come to this that some Democratic
journals deny that there is Democratic party.
Not in half-jesting contempt, as The Chicago
Times used to call the concern " that purid
"reminiscences" Not in fiery zeal for an inn
possible hobby, as the Crusader-ke Watterson
shouted forth his batte-cry, "What the Demo-
cratic party needs is to become Democratic.
These utterances had the flavor of critical
travagance. But in calm and cold philosophy,
The Democrat of Sherman, Texas, announces
that there is no Democratic party. 1t is di
"vided upon questions of living and vital i'm
"portance to the country" The statement
might have been made still stronger with
absolute truth. There is not single living
question upon which the so-called party is not
divided.
Naturalists claim that every creature how
ever insi gnificant, has its use But no man
can name the use to which the sO-callcd Dem
ocratic party can be put. 1t cannot be used
to uphold the system of protection, and yet
its most influential leaders render it mpOssi-
bic for the party to be used to assail that sys
tenn. 1t hates National banks. and yet en-
braces hosts of men who would quit it at once
if it should make war on the National bank
ing system with effect Its traditions and many
of its strongest men favor a sound currency,
and yet the Democratic masses are
so infected with soft-money notions that, if it
ever takes any side on that question, it newt
ably takes the wrong side. All its theories
are hostile to internal improvements The
party, therefore, can never be used to plan or
carry out great works for the material deyel
Opment Of the country. Yet the temper Of its
local politicians and voters, especially at the
South, is so strongly in favor of works in
which they have a direct interest that the
party could not be held together for an hour
on policy of rigid opposition to such works.
1t seems to be the mission of this Congress
to teach the country that the sO-called Demo-
cratic party has not even one bond of union
1t has been supposed that Democrats, if united
in nothing else, were at least united in sup
pressing free speech and honest elections at the
South But here we have Senator Malone,
and after him come others, who declare
that it is time to put an end to the
methods by which tie South has been made
solid. Again, il was very significant that the
Tariff Commission bill passed the Senate by
the votes of twelve Senators who were elected
as Democrats, and ten of them came from the
South. With them was Mr.. voorhees,, whose
speech recognizing the movement Of public
opinion toward the protective system was
generally accepted as evidence of Democratic
disintogration lii due time there will be votes
on measures of internal Improvement. 1t is
probable that these will make manifest the
radical disagreement of Democrats on this
question also. Does anybody want PROOF that
there is no Democratic party? If so, this Con-
g1ess will furnish it.
A Democratic jeremiah at Buffalo upiGts his
voice in lamentation, because the sO-callcd
party has 10 leader. But, before there can be
a leader, there must be somebody to be ED.
This mass of voters does not lack able men.
Not a few of these able men would be glad 10
lead, if they could. But the sO-called party
has long ago lost the faculty of being led by
anybody to any end whatever. Mr.. Tilden
was in no sense Il leader. He bought the
party, tiled TO Use it as n burglar uses his
tools in cilecting feloniOus entrance, and
failed because there were Democrats who did
not want him in the White House. Mr..
Douglas was IA leader, and the sO-called party
killed him. Since that time, it has been the
sort of heterogeneous mob that nobody can