Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-06-02
THE PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY.

AOhS NClSET0Q nope OF the
democratic party of succeeding TO
the presidency never had brighter
promise of fulfillment than now.
Ihere has been nothing to indicate
change in political sentiment since
the victories of last fall, but to the
contrary the wind still blows i'm
Democratic favor. The destiny OF
the Republican party was accom-
plished with the abolition of sIa-
very, and since that time it has
been supported by Northern animos-
lily to the South and the glory that
1t has arrogated to itself for its great
accomplishments. There are many
evidences now that the bloody
chasm has been forever closed and
with renewed friendship between
the two sections the triumph of the
Democracy must come as a natural
consequence. The Republican party
has lost much of its former follow
ing because time has proven false
the many stories told about South
ern outrages and the marked prog
reSs in Southern industries has
given the lie to the misrepresenta-
tons of Southern people. We state
these things as evidences of Repub-
lican decay because the only real
issue between the two parties since
the war has been the state of the
South. The Democratic party has
favored peace and reconciliation,
while the very life of Republican
ism has been maintained by fam
ming the flames of discord. This
was easy to do while the antipathies
that grew out of the war were fresh
and fervent, but it required no great
sagacity to know that the task
must grow more difficult as the
lapse of time grew greater.
The impartial historian of the flu
ture will not fail to record that it
would have been much better for
the country il the Democratic party
had come into power Immediately
after the war. The work of recon-
Citation would have then been
rapid. The South would haye been
spared the devastation of Carpet
bag rule and the relation of the
races could not have been even
matter for discussion. The later
amendments TO the constitution
would not have been made at the
time they were, and the freedmen
would have applied to more profita-
BILE work the time they have mis-
spent in politics. The enfranchise-
ment of the negroes was an assured
event in the course of time, but
should have been deferred until
they were more fit to receive it. 1t
is not possible TO reflect on what
might have been the effect of Dem
Ocratic success Immediately after
the war without concluding that
the progress of the South and of the
whole nation would have been ma
terially enhanced thereby.
Since the animOsities that grew
out of the war have cooled down
this fact has dawned on the North
ern mind. 1t was recognized when
the tidal wave of 1874 swept the
country and was again asserted
when Tilden was elected President.
The many stories told about the
South to support the great fraud OF
1876, together with the disgust at
the weak backbone the Democracy
displayed in that noted contest, lost
the party some of the strength it
had gained. But what lost the
Democracy the presidency in the
last election was the foolish blunder
made by inserting that senseleSs
phraze "a tariff for revenue only"
in the party platform. Instead of
following up the advantages gained
on the old issues, the Democrats in
trOduced a new issue and took a
most absurd stand on the question
they presented.
All the great industries of the
land thought their existence was
endangered; thousands of laborers
were afraid of losing their daily
bread; the Democracy ceased to be
thought of as the party of peace and
restored good feeling, but came to
be regarded as a horde of political
fanatics who would destroy the bus
mess interests of the country and
bring famine on the working classes.
Millions of miners and factory
hands who had always voted the
Democratic ticket marched in bod
les to the polls with flying banners
inscribed "DOwn With Free Trade"
and east their ballots for Garfield.
Rich capitalists and corporations
that would have otherwise cared
little for politics went down in their
pockets and contributed literally to
defeat the party of "tariff for reve-
nue. only"
The tariff issue had no bearing on
the State elections of last Fall and
the Democrats were again signally
triumphant. 1t follows as a matter
of course that in order to succeed in
the next national election the Dem
Ocrats must change front on the
tariff issue and with a sensible
stand on that much discussed and
very little understood question the
prospects of the party are indeed
bright.
Ben Butler has written to Ham
Carter, a colored politician of Mis-
Sissippi. in which he advises him to