The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-04-14
The Great Battle of 1884.

field and concludes that the outlook
for Democratic victory in 1884 at
present appears very gloomy. lie
says:
"The Democratic party of the ma
ton seems to be in absolute want OF
a general political RCceivership. just
when the country has broken the
backbone of the old Republican ma
chine, and when the Democracy held
its own destiny and the destiny OF the
country in its hands, it is exhibiting
startling imbeciity in administering
the power given it in experimental
States, and wrangling in mean fac
tious warfare when it rules by the
right of its natural majorities. Shat
tered as the old Republican machine
is for the great battle of 1884, the
Democratic machine is tearing itself
to pieces. and promises to sacrifice
all its once bright prospects for the
next Presidency on the altar of its
hereditary inc0mpetency.
"The Democrats were given the
Governors of Pennsylvania, New
York, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Colorado, California, Kansas and
Michigan at the elections. They had
not legitimate majority OF the votes
in either of these States, but the peo-
pie were aware of debauched Repub-
lican domination, and they accepted
the profuse promises of Democracy
in favor of elevated and honest gov
eminent. How have these pledges
been fulfilled? In New York where
the Democratic Governor was elected
by 1914, 900 majority, any average Re-
publican would defeat Governor
Cleveland by an overwhelming vote;
and in Pennsylvania where a Demo-
cratic Governor was chosen by 10000
plurality there is not county in the
State that would instruct for the re-
nomination Of Governor Pattison to-
day if a new choice was to be made
by the party and he were eligible,
and not dozen of the forty counties
which gave him maiorities last fall
would vote for him against any even
tolerable reputable Republican.
"Such are the facts as felt and adj
mitted by all, and why is it so? 1t is
not alleged that Governors Cleveland
and Pattison are venal. On the con-
trary, they are regarded as person.
ally free from the stain ofcorruption;
but they have dashed Democratic
hopes to the earth and reunited and
reinspired the apparently hopelessIy
defeated Republican machine of last
fall. The explanation is easily CIV
en-. They were elected, not as DEM
ocrats, but as representative of hon.
est government. men who 81 10
DeileVed would accept public integri-
ty and faithful administration as par
amount to party as men who in Or
ganizing Reform authority would
emphasize their respect for the reyo-
lutionary action of the people. by
calling the most trusted and able
leaders in Reform to their aid, and
making the State the highest exam
pie in rewards OF merit.
Governors Cleveland and Pattison
were expected to be Democrats, but
they had taught that Democracy, as
they voiced it meant the return of
the State governments to severe in
tegrity, economy and simplicity, and
they were elected, partly because
they were believed, and largely be-
cause the Republicans could not be
believed in repeating the pledges they
had so recklessly violated. The DEM
ocrats were accept ed on faith, not be-
cause Democratic faith was regarded
with any special sanctity. but because
the men chosen as the standard bear
ers were regarded as better than their
party and therefore worthy of conf
dence. They have been in power
less than three months, and Cleye-
lands Reform proves to be the lions
skin that covered GouIdism, and Pat
tison Reform proves to be the jump
ingjack of Cassidyism: Gould and
Cassidy are simply the ligaments
which bind the confederated jobbers
of both parties in New York and
pennsylvania, and the people awake
to the fact that they have overthrown
the Republican machine only to re.
place it by more reckless and equal
~ corrupt Democratic machine
"'Fhe entire list of Democratic Gift
Governors chosen last fall, furnishes
only one whose administration is bet
ter than was expected, while all the
others range from Indifferent to dis
graceful. Ben Butler has proved
wiser than his party and bids fair to
give an administration that will be a
landmark for Massachusetts, in indie
pendent, Straightforward government;
hut fhnra Tho f.,,;E ~