The Portland daily press., 1883-11-09
The Lesson of the Election.
Some Considerations that Politician. Ev
erywhere should Make Note of.

from the N. Y. Times, Nov. II
The election yesterday shows mainly that
the independent Republicans have regained
substantial confidence in their party, that
they were satisfied with the character of
their candidates and with the way in which
they were chosen, that they recognized in
the Republican organization again an instru-
ment useful for good government and eff
Gent to carry out the purpose and convic-
tions of the great body of the party. With
such sentiment we have always held that
the party was reasonably secure of power in
this State With like sentiment, implant-
ed and sustained by proper policy, it is
perfectly secure of the possession of the ma
tional government. The overthrow of the
Democratic party in New York this year,
after 1t had been intrenched behind the
amazing majority of 1882, shows the vitality
OF the Republican idea and the enduring Wig
or winch 1t commands when there's an hon.
oraDle opportunity for its fair exercise. The
victory opens up brilliant possibilities for
next year; it also imposes serious response
bllities, but only such as can be met If frank
~ recognized. The case is in nutshell
We were crushingly defeated last year be-
cause the party was weighed down by ma
chine rule; we have won this year because
1t was allowed to act for itself. Those two
facts kept in mind will give us International
government next year. An ignoring of
them will make a victory next year innpos-
slble. The tendency of public opinion is
strongly in the direction of reform, and I'M
der the influence of this tendency great
things have been achieved. The establish
ment of civil service reform in the national
government and in the Government of this
State, the damaging and probably fatal blow
struck at the use of the public offices as pat
ronage, and, the revolt against political as
sessments, the long strides toward the ban
lshmens OF politics entirely from the admin
istratiye departments, national, State, and
munlclpal-all these are things which seemed
simply impossible three wears since. They
are the fruit of deeply rooted public senti-
ment and new evidence OF the soundness
and strength of popular institutions. When
the managers of the Republican party re-
sisted this sentiment they were oyerthrown
When the party found that its machinery
was an obstacle in the realization of this
sentiment, it smashed the machinery. When
the Democratic party failed to use the pow
er given to it to serve this sentiment, it in
its turn was relentlessly overturned. The
reform idea certainly is not weaker for such
series of remarkable achievements. It is
more powerful to make and to unmaKe than
it has at any time been. 1t is the controll-
ing force in American politics 1t is to-day
what the sentiment of opposition to slavery
was a quarter of century ago. Leaders
who have studied in the purely partisan
school may not understand it, They may
think that the result of yesterday is re-
newed commission to them to abuse politi-
cal trusts for personal ends, but if they try
to put that notion in practice they will be
swept out of political existence. Sagacious
leaders will take in the situation. They will
see that they can lead the party only in the
direction that the party points. That at
present is toward honest party management
and complete divorce Of the civil service
from partisan politics.