National Republican., 1883-08-25
Wanted-An Issue.

Wanted-An Issue.
Never intended for American reading and
criticism were the recent comments of the
London Graphic upon the great free trade
meeting of the Golden club. That highly
aristocratc and thoroughly British journal
has spoken more truth concerning the hobby
Of England than the enemies of this country
yclept democrats, would dore to uttor. Re-
ferring to the tenets of tho great club which
so influences American politics. the Graphic
says: Richard Golden confidently believed
that before long free trade would be the
economic creed of the civilized world As a
point Of fact, free trade has nowhere taken
root kindly except in Great Britain, and it
has been popular here because tho corn laws
were regarded as class privilege, beneficial
to landlords only. Free trade suits the inter-
much food as we want and because, keep
ing as we do n big workshop, we
want all our raw materials cheap"
Tho same paper adds that the self
governing colonies of England are as sternly
protectionist as ever" and that the Cobden
panacea is unpopular in all countries except
England. 1t is further asserted that free
trade will never be accepted on its merits
alone" by any other people. That is practi-
cally giving up the battle in advance. 1t
would seem that the principal free trade or
gan of the south, the Louisville Courier
Journal, has caught glimmer of the same
ultimate reason. judging from its recent SOM
ersault and double back-action flop to the
side of discreet protection" 1t begins to
look as though oven a democrat can learn
something-after it is too late. The party Of
opposition and retrogression has made for
itself recalcitrant history. 1t has stood
astride tho highway of progress for many
years demanding that the tide of human
prosperity and advancement should halt, only
to hasten at every turn in the road, and
while indorsing the success of republican
doctrine erect new impediments to its onward
march. Therefore, it is not matter of sur
prise to find the same retrograde movement
afoot concerning the tariff Hedge, broth
ers, hedge" is the battle song of democracy
Endeavors are now being made to get out Of
the free trade dilemma, and the probabilities
are that the next national democratic plat
form will have an ugly and dangerous gap IL
that portion of it whence the tariff-for-rev
enue-only plank shall be withdrawn, unles:
| some new issue can be found from which tt
construct substitute for the rotten timbe
to ba laid aside 1t shall be tho imperativ,
duty of every democratic congressman mex
winter to discover OF invent an issue. II
will not much matter what shall be the na
ture of the proposition. An effort has beer
made to make an issue Of very feeble and
decrept man, but that scheme has proved
abortive
From tho same peculiarly able and erratic
brain whence emanated the sensational dis
patch concerning the physical and mental
vigor of Mr.. Tilden, now comes the shrewdes
praise of Mr.. Mcdonald, of Indiana, Evi
IDENTIFY the brilliant Kentuckian was merel!
feeling the public pulse concerning the I" OLE
ticket" when he penned the brag and bluste
concerning the cipher hero. Finding the eli
thusing process for the Gramercy sage rather
feeble and dilatory, the astute political editol
turns with agility to the more lively presi
Dental possibility in order to be on the righ
side in time for good official "pickings" il
the event of bourbon success. Mention
made of these significant facts in order /
call attention to the signs of the time
as they relate to the democrati
party in its vague and aimless groupings for
man and an issue for 1884. Ono thing seem
pretty we'll settled, and that is that Mr.. Tilde
their candidate he cannot be, for the reaso
that the requisite amount Of enthusiasm can
not be awakened by the woes of "the grea
defrauded." A better man with better issu
must therefore be found. Mr.. Watterson dc
cides upon Mr.. Mcdonald but then there al
other democrats of equal ability and influ
ence who think that Gen. Hancock is til
more available man. The "claims" Of me
who represent absolute free trade, modific
protection, high tariff and score of othC
sentiments equally diverse are paraded
tho various sections of tho country by demC
cratic editors. The democratic party Is grOl
ing, and Its most able leaders cannot imagir
where it will drift or upon what platform
will stand in the next national contest I'll
only certainty in their minds is that "the r
publlcans must CO." They sadly need q no
man and a new issue.
The VirginIn zobras aud the State Dell
> Tho Washington Post takes exception to o.
statement that the Virginia bourbons ha