New-York tribune., 1883-06-04
TROUBLED IN MIND.


leaders of late and particularly to those who
think Presidential lightning may strike them
TO make public profession OF their beliefs ID
brief cpisrles or talks. Mr.. Bayard and Mr..
Mcdonald, Mr.. Morrison, Mr.. Carlisle and Mr..
Black, General Butler and sundry others have
thus contributed to the general fund OF lniorma-
finn in one way or another In fact, there has
been going on a sort of Democratic experience
meeting, in which the brethren have been
moved quite generally to make known the state
of their minds and hearts.
The fact that so many are moved to speak
about the same time, on the general policy oil
their party and their own attitude, has some
significance. At once it occurs to the unpreju-
diced observer that great many Of these gen
tlemen have cause to shift their ground. They
seq new state of facts, or have new view OF
:, state OF facts not seen before, and make haste
IN correct their tactics. This impression, too,
is confirmed by the tenor of the utterances
made. Each of these gentlemen takes pains TO
nut into the background some thing or things
about which lie had before seemed most stren-
uous. A few months ago, when it was the fixed
belief of every Democrat that nothing could
n-event the election of a Democratic President
in 1884, the brethren were less i'll haste to speak
Rut they seem to have new ideas as to the ten
dency Of public opinion.
IT is to be noticed especially that there is "a
oueer anxiety on the part of these gentlemen to
get into safe position regarding the tariff.
| That question evidently causes more worry
| tlan anv other Some men who have been
called out and out free traders are dra wing it
mild quito surprisingly. Others perceive a
world of difference between {" a tariff for rev.
enue only" and "a tariff only for revenue"
| and conceive that Presidential caDCiddt" with
a whole party behind him can crawl Trough
| that narrow hole into position of safe am
| bieuity. 1t is not the shifting views of shifty
| noliticiaps that here attract attention so much
| "a the prOof given that DemooI atic leaders see
nublic opinion as they have never seen it be-
fore. The lesson of the campaign of 1880 has
not been wholly lost upon them. Heretofore
tbey have looked upon the question as one upon
which it was entirely safe to say anything.
Assuming that the people knew nothing aDout
il. and could be easily plea ed or hoodwinked
during the campaign, Democratic leaders have
not been very careful to define themselves, OF
even to avoid defining themselves. But the
outburst of public feeling which swept General
| Hancock out OF sight In lSSU mas impressed
| Democrats with the idea that the tariff question
needs very careful handling.
AS usual, these gentlemen are too late They
and their party have handled the question, not
carefully at all, but rudely and roughly
They have made such record for themselves
that all the nice phrases ever devised cannot
hide the main facts. The world has moved, al
thew now discover too late Growth and di
versifcation of industries at the South and
West and the wonderful prosperity of th'
country during the past twenty years, have
changed the minds of men, so that 1t is M
longer possible, even In the regions once ex
clusively agricultural, to count upon success
with unequivocal free traders for candidates
Hence, after spending years in unmeasured de
punciaton Of the tariff under which we hav'
been living, these gentlemen think it needfu
TO make new and more dexterous statements o
their beliefs and aims.
The country has moro intelligence, as usual
than Democratic leaders suppose. 1t will judg
the two great parties less by what they may sa.
ut the last moment than by their conduct 10
, years past. What the Democratic party ha
, again and again tried to do the country viii
expect it to do If it gets chance. That part
has tried to break down the protective system
ON the ground that it was utterly foolish, bur