Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-05-07

proprietor of the hotel last Tuesday.
Thompson has been indicted by
the grand jury for murder.
SETTING THE TUNE.
For year or two before every
Presidential election the Democratic
managers engage in an animated
controversy to decide what the party
shall profess for the purposes of the
election. But for more than twenty
years it has uniformly taken the
wrong position. In 1860, in ODE
dience to it's tradition and practice
of many years, it presented itself as
the friend of slavery. In 1864 it
proclaimed an ignominious surrender
to the rebellion, and nominated a
Union soldier who had lost the con-
fidence of Union men. In 1868 it
asserted the unconstitutionality of
reconstruction, and nominated an
| opponent of the war. In 1872 it
shouted for shaking hands and for
getfulness, and nominated Repub-
lican protectionist. In 1876 it pro-
fessed reform in general, and nomi-
mated Copperhead. In 1880 it
pronounced for a revenue tariff, and
nominated a brave soldier, who
knocked over the revenue plank with
one hand and gave the other to the
paper-money charlatans. 1t has left
no "cry' or "dodge' untried. But
with every fresh effort it has only
shown that as a party it represented
nothing whatever but desperate de-
sire for place and patronage. Even
in the midst of the extraordinary re-
suit of the election last autumn, when
the Republicans were everywhere
defeated, nobody acknowledged more
fully and frankly than leading Dem
ocrats that it was not Democratic
triumph, but merely Republican dis
content.
The contest over the profession
which the party should make in 1884
has already begun, and is already
very warm. 1t will be practically
decided, before the Convention meets
by the election of Speaker next De
cember. If Mr.. Randall should bt
elected Speaker, the Democratic Con.
vention would evade the question o.
protection, and it would probabl,
select Mr.. Randall as the candidat,
for the Presidency. Should he b,
defeated as Speaker, the Convention
would pronounce strongly for some
thing which would be generally in
terpreted as free trade, and the par
ty would lose the active and eflicien
support of the Randall element, Will
the Republican platform would be s.
drawn as not to exclude men of MI
RandalPs views. The defeat of MI
Randall as Speaker, after the contes
? which is now raging solely upon hi
tariff views, and which will be yer
thorough by the time that Congress
meets, would be fairly interpreted a
conclusive evidence that the Demo
cratic party does not hold the view
for which he stands; and as he
but moderate protectionist, his dt
Y feat would be held to foreshow
free-trade policy in the event of Den
ocratic success in 1884.
). This view is rejected by many {
the free-trade Democrats upon tt
! ground that the phrase free trade
improperly applied to their position
?. which is that of tariff revision in IL
interest of revenue instead of pr
T. lection. Nobody, they allege, i'll Il
actual situation is for free trade, b
cause vested interests and establisnt
industries must be considered. Her
however, is the weakness of the ami
Randall Democratic view. An op,
declaration for free trade, if cor
bined with an honest demand f
civil service reform, would dissol
the Democratic party, and probab
lead to party reorganization. B
the present Democratic party, viii
is hostile to civil service reform, al
which is profoundly distrusted f
y. many reasons, and could not renoun
:, the free trade cry, and demand mel
- ly tariff revision in the interest
:" revenue and with careful regard
90 established interests, without provo
IL ing the immediate reioinder of
- independent free-traders that for SUI
results, in view of the character a
" career of the Democratic party, th
- preferred to trust the Republic
party. A new party might emit
~ such voters. But, after the cont
. which is now proceeding within I
." Democratic party, they would
~ more expect wise revenue poll
:. from it than they would expect {
ministrative reform. There VOL
~ be profound conviction that 'sson
~ body was to be cheated" Polio
~ make parties, not parties policies
" Hd7per's Weekly.