The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-07
Republican Recruiting Ground.


! ioyed by the Republican party in the
United States is in striking contrast
with the rauid fluctuations of politi-
cal opinion in other countries. In
| Great Britain the historical parties
succeed each other after regular in
| tervals. AS soon as the Liberals have
set up some great landmark Ofpro-
gress, such as Reform Act, a Poor
Law, or a National system of educa
tion, the constituencies recede from
| the advanced positions and there is "A
temporary reaction in public senti-
ment which enables the COnserva.
tives to return to power. In Ger
many the Conservatives, who had
steadily lost ground during the eight
years which followed the estahlish-
ment of the Empire, suddenly im-
| snrqvsd. their posilian siters lheI4ife
tion of the Aati-.Socialist Act. but
have been again defeated during the
present year. In Belgium the Lib
| erals and CleritalS are alternately
| victorious and unsuccessful. The
Hungarian Liberals are firmly in
trenched in Office but in Austria the
C0nstituti0nalists, after retaining pO-
litical ascendency for twelve years.
were demora'ized by success and
mil llxyn |, i'm m
United States, on the other hand, a
single party organization has con-
trCl He'd the National Administration,
and with the exception of brief
transition period the Houses of Con-
greSS as well, for tWenty-one years,
and, Notwithstanding its prolonged
official term AND continuous success,
is to day ) rong. yirile and thorough
ly equipped for another quarter CEN
tury Of political power.
Cu!oneI John Hay finds no difficult
ty in accounting for tn uninterrup-
ted success of the Republican party.
In the course of his admirable adj
dress delivered before the Young
Mems Republican League of Cleve
land on Saturday last he explained
why it is that every year finds the
party increasing in numbers and
reinvig0rated in political influence.
1t is because thousands of young men
become voters fiom year TO year. and
the vast majority Of their. vote the
Republican ticket. Take a bright,
Intelligent, cleA -minded Young fell
low of twenty one. without any
special reasoli, irr joining either paf--
ty, and he is almost sure to become
Republican, Colonel HaV easily
proves that everything must lead the
new voter in that direction. No
matter how superficial his reading
may have been. or how scanty his
store OF political information, he has
learned that one party has always
been on the right side j. every recent
conflict of American opiuion-that it
has fought and won one great battle
after another for the preservation of
the Union against treason and scces-
sion. for specie resumption against
reputation, and for the diversified
tion Of Industries, the establishment
of a system of National banking, the
completion of internal improvements
of enormous magnitude, and many
other measures OF enlightened policy
against which the ignorance, preju-
dice and shortsighledness of the
country were massed. He knows,
moreover, that the leaders of tie
heroic period of the civil war and the
men of genuine force and established
reputation in the world of letters,
science, education progress and phil
anthropy have been, with surpri,-
ingly few exceptions. unequivocal
Republicans. "Our young man."
says Colonel Hay, "must stop reading
if he wants To avoid the utterance of
Republican sentiment, Why should
he not feel that it is privilege to be-
long to that great historic party,
whose past is brilliant with the record
of glorious achievements. and whose
future is as clear and auspicious as
a fair morning in spring 2"
In England there is no evidence
that the new generation is moving
with united front in the direction of
Liberalism and progress. Indeed, it
has heen the bUsst of Conservative
essayists that the strength of their
party lies in the old and the young,
whose political convictions were
formed either before or after Liber-
alism was al its best. This explana-
ton makes the election OF 1880 a
movement, in the main, of middle
aged Wings and old youngsRadicals
against the old Tories and the young
lnperialists or "Jingoes." In the
United States, on the other hand,
tile best elemeuisof merican society
are constantly massed against the
..f, s.,. f!...