The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-07-28
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alent Republican opinion. Not only
the politicians and oiIiceholders Of
that political faith, but the Republic
can masses throughout the countr,
appear to have made up their miEds
almost irreyocably that their party
after an uninterrupted rule-first by
election, then by theft, and finally
by purchases doomed to go into
retirement at the close of the present
executive term.
The manifestations ofthis opinion
are numerous and unmistakable
They come to the surface on every
hand, not in ftful spasms of fear,
not as momentary doubts, but as
abiding evidences of settled convic-
ton. The Democratic mind Of the
country is far less confident of Dem
ocratic success in 1884 than the Re
publican mind is of a Republican de-
feat in that struggle. 1t is curious
feature of the present political situa
ton that while the Democrats feel
that no possible advantage must be
lost in order to give them the victory,
the Republicans are preparing to go
through the motions of a campaign
as matter of form, with no heart in
the work and only such faint and
tremulous hope as the sick man feels
when the silent grave-faced doctor
slowly shakes his head and takes his
leave, despairing of chance of earn
ing fee by calling there on the NOR
row.
But the doubt which peryades the
Democratic mind is SO strange, after
all, when one recalls the political his
tory of the last eight years. The
Democrats know, as all the world
knows, that they elected their Presi
Dental ticket in 1875 only to have
victory wrenched from their hands
by conspirators. They remember,
too, that in 1880, when they had vir-
tually won the field, when the tide of
public opinion was overwhelmingly
on their side, the money of the mil
lionaires who had gained their mil
lions by Republican legislation
against labor, bought narrow mar
gin in single State in October and
thereby checked the tide so far that
the Republicans were able to buy a
few thousand votes in another State
in November, thus snatching victory
from the very jaws of defeat. 1t
would be strange if experiences like
these had not planted the roots Of
doubt in the Democratic soul. And
it is not strange nor unnatural that
while all the signs Of the times point
to Democratic triumph in 1884, and
while the Republicans virtually con
cede such triumph, the Democratic
party moves quietly on, hoping for
success and fully approaching all its
advantages, but firmly determined
not to discount victory-to count
nothing that is not assured beyond
any possible mischance.
One of the most significant signs
of the times is the deep interest uni
versally shown in the matter of Dem
ocratic candidates. Nobody seems
to care who gets the Republican nom
ination. Four years ago at this time
the Republican party was profoundly
agitated by rival beoms. Despite
the Republican failure to elect in 1876,
there was most active competition
for that party's nomination in 1880.
The canvass began in earnest in the
spring of 1879, and had become al
most war by mid summer of that
year.
Now there are no rival Republican
beoms, nor is there any statesman
of that party who appears to think
the nomination prize worth contend
ing for. After the November cleo
ton of 1882, Editor Gorham predict
ed that there would be "a worry" to
get anybody to take the Presidential
race. Events are proving that this
prophetic soul was right.
But any intimation touching the
matter of the Democratic nomina-
ton is eagerly canvassed by the press
and all the people. The Republicans
show even greater interest than the
Democrats in this subject. Leaving
their own party concerns shrouded
in gloom, the Republicans discuss
the Democratic nomination with an
interest born Of the conviction that
the Democratic nominee in 1884 will
be President in 1885.
Another suggestive sign is the pc
culiar and unexampled tone Of the
Republican press. No leading paper
of that party predicts its success
without appending to such predic-
tion conditions that completely neu-
tralize it. The "ifs" put in are as
important as the fine print in a life
insurance policy. The editors name