Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-04
PREPARING For THE CAMPAIGN.

1t may be said that the campaign Of 1854
begins to take on the forms Of life this
week. Several important conventions are
20 be held, to be followed by sharp cam
paigns and elections in several States the
coming fall. That these will have an i'm
portant bearing upon the national cam
paign will not be questioned. Local issues
to a considerable extent will control the
State elections, yet there viii be general
expression which will signify, though not
with certainty. the preference of voters for
party, and which element has the public
confidence. While, therefore, the State
campaigns will not be certain index of
the public temper upon national questions,
they will be of value in estimating the
strength of parties for the succeeding year,
for as Presidential elections draw near
they exert q direct influence upon local
campaigns, and tend to lessen the signif-
canoe Of purely local issues. As, for in
stance, the liquor question, which, when
standing alone, is, in several States, an
absorbing one, viii lose Importance in pro-
portion as it draws near to Presidential
sampaigu. in which party alignments are
so sharply defined. Men realize that the
local issue can be safely laid aside. to be
taken up when greater ones are disposed
of, and hence purely party rallies become
more easy as the national campaign draws
near.
Already. therefore, the people are be-
ginning to look about them and watch the
party preparations. They cannot fail to
observe thst the more agitated of the two
great forces is the Democracy. It must
formulate new platform, for its leaders
are divided in opinion IS 10 the proper
policy to be pursued. Indeed, as between
those of the West and East, the disa.
greement is SO great as to appear almost
irreooncilable. Nor can it be merely
bridged over. One or the other must
absolutely yield. submit and consent to
forego cherished beliefs and hopes. Thus
the element fairly represented by Mr..
Wasterson, to whom tariff for revenue
only is more obnoxious than protection,
because it viii postpone indefinitely the
free trade issue. cannot be brought to
stand upon compromise platform With
Mr.. Randall. There is one common
ground Of agreement. She desire for the
Offices, bat there must be put forward the
semblRnce Of policy besides. The party
must give the people some sufficient cause
for restoring It TO power. or course it will
make much of the faults and mistakes of
the Republicans, but this viii not alone
answer. Affirmative positions must be
taken. Il will not do TO plead that the
Republicans are corrupt: it must be shown
that the Democrats can give assurances of
more stable virtues. To its past history,
its mssquerading With all sorts Of figure
heads, it win not be agreeable 10 refer.
Whenever the past Is brought forward for
discussion the Democracy viii be forced
Into defensive attitude, one of the Encss !
dangerous political organization car tzks. !
Then. too, the party is certain TO be han
dicapPed by the unreosnstructsd portion |
OF it. represntsd, for instance. BY the
Aohils Register, which is persistent IN de-
clariBg thss smong the general prizci.
pies" the DeEeHaSy mast advance 10
1884 are "that ttis Is white mans gov
the restraint Of The Federal /