Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-02-07
Political Changes.

Political Ch0nKes.
Political changes, one after the other,
appear to be the order of the times
Hardly has new party struggled and
risen to the surface before another party
arises and knocks it down. In the
midst of this great wreck OF parties the
two old parties by the names Of Demo
cratic and Republican stand reasonably
firm and secure. They carry with
them patronage if successful and after
all patronage is the great cord, more
than any other, that binds parties to-
pether. But it cannot be denied that
party fealties are 80 binding now as
formerly. AS great issues are settled
and pass out of existence, other and
more varied issues take their places,
each change loosening the hold upon
party and taking in more liberal fore
cast of political action. Still the two
leading parties of the times hold on to
the old names. There is charm in
names that cannot easily be thrown off,
The Republican PARTY may have passed
on and accepted other dogmas entirely
foreign to its first existence, and still
those who gloried in the Republican
party in the days of Fremont glory in
the name still, though thr objects and
aims of the party are different. The
Democratic party of the days of Pierce
progressive Democracy Of the present
day. The latter stands where the Re.
publican party stood during and after
the war, and still it is called the Demo.
cratic party. Old issues are passing
away, new ones are continually arising.
Each party grapples with them in such
way as still to preserve party organi-
Zation and still the old names are adj.
hered to. A glance over the field shows
that parties are becoming weaker. The
Republicans of Pennsylvania will no
bear dictation as they did when there
were vital principles at stake, and the
Democrats of Virginia at one time
thought to be invlncibIe have been con.
guered by those of its own household.
Political agitation and changes are IN
Dictated in several of the States. IL
South Carolina and Georgia, indepcnd
emit action of an uncertain degree OF
merit, has been simmering and some
times approaches boiling heat. Ia
Tennessee the debt question is still hot
ly debated. Congressman Houk of that
State, says the liberal movement there
has so much vitality that unless all the
offices are filled with Democrats the
State is more sure to 60 Republican
than either New York or Indiana. Tn
California the disquiet of the people
under what mary regard as railroad
domination, and monopoly creeps out
afresh and General Stoneman, the old
cavalry commander, now one of the
State Railroad Commissioners, is sug.
gested as a strong can't. Monopoly
candidate for Governor, probably by
Democratic nomination, In Virginia
some curious new complications are
arising, notwithstanding the receu,
overthrow of the Bourbon Democracy
by the Readjusers. Mr.. John f. Mas
sey, TIL: present Auditor of the State
made so by the new party. was to b,
succeeded according to the Readjuste
programme by another, although h
had been hiYself strong adherent 0
that party. he has therefore clicked
Dfhe traces" and having the follow
ing of some members Of the I.egisla
ture, has so far prevented the election
of a successor
This, of itself, would be unimportan
except as showing that all is not har
monious and lovely in the camp of tn
new party; but it is added that MI
Massey is inclined to lead new pOliti
cal movement by the organization {
the, at present, wonderfully great ten
perance feeling in the State, which
demanding the passage Of "local ol
ton" law. Massey, il seems, las bee
q minister, and has always strongl
advocated the temperance effort, Will
he is besides, a very skllful political
and so strong a man in the new part
that even Malone fears his powe
Massey may yet be the rocking stor
in the Readjuster party that may tun
BILE the whole fabric into ruins. Thu
political changes are continually takil
place, new issues are arising, new pa
ties are het1e organ lied, OF old parti
are confirming to new ideas The
are ali unavoidable in Republica
government, and that they are met AZ
settled by the arbiter of intelligent
and common sense is une of the stron
est indications Of a Republican form
Government.