New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-04
REPERLICAN ADFANTAGES.

II will probably be admitted by the most
sagacious Democrats, about this time. that the
Republican party is neither dead nor rent
asunder. 1t still exists, and its manifestation
of power is such that its opponents lose hope
as the electirns approach. Once Inore they
have been trying to hold funeral services Tor
the party when it WAS not even SOUND asleep,
and they as much amazed to lind 1t awe
and vigorously WELDING its weapons AS Ii they
had not deluded themselves many times before
in the same way. The phenomena are strange
and incomprehensible. to men who conceive OF
party only as an unprincipled conspiracy To
get the offices. To such men it naturally seemed
certain that the Republican party must 20 to
pieres when it's different elements failed 10
agree about the spoils. Its swift recovery
from distracting divisions ana disheart-
sning defeat can be cOmprehended only by
those who understand how dear Republican
principles are to Republican voters. The party
is not only in great part composed but Is actu-
ally controlled by voters who care nothing for
the Offices, but everything for its IDEAS He
who pleases can call these voters fanatcal, OF
blinded by prejudice. They embrace large
proportion of the intelligent men of the
country, and the. fruits of their fanaticism are
seen in twenty years of unprecedented pros
perty.
These voters make the Republican party
what it is-progressive in its aims, generally
| faithful to Its convictions, and united and IT.
resistible in every emergency. For they firmly
| believe that the prosperity and the honor OF the
| country would be sacrificed by transfer of the
| Government to Democratic control. That
| there are many yirtuous and patriotic Dem
e,,lO tvisa
| and capable. But experience has proved that
| such men arc never able to direct that party or
to govern its action. when it gets within smell
| ing distance Of power and plumber The great
| body OF its adherents insist upon steps which
| would be fatal to. the public welfare. When 1t
comes to pinch, the Democratic politicians
and demagogues invariably court the favor and
| do the will Of this large majority, because they
are 1emagogues So Democratic success, ac-
cording to the firm belief of Republican voters,
| would bring disasters to industry through an
overthrow Of the protective tariff, just as it
| did in 1896 dishonor to the Nation through
| disregard Of its obligations; disorder to COM
| merce through ignorant and prejudiccd med
| ding with the banks and the currency, and
danger to free Institutions through the triumph
| of force and fraud in elections. SO believing,
| these Republican voters stand ready to sacrifice
| all personal preferences or Interests and every
thing tx ept their principles, in order to pre-
vent Democratic success.
| Hence it is that, whenever there seems to be
| danger of Democratic victory in Presiden-
| tal election, these Republican voters come to-
| gether, and take the direction of affairs them
| selves. Then it's death to any leader to stand
| in the way Of their union, or to eEdanger their
| success. With small private grievances or
personal ambitions these voters have 10 sym
patty and no patience. If a leader likes the
| shape of the campaign, very well; II he does
| not like it, so much the worse for him; he must
march on or be trOdden under foot OF course
they err sometimes, these voters they are not
| infallibIe. But they have clear idea that it is
better to put Democracy out of the way first
| and to rectity blunders afterward.
| This party has some enormous advantages
which its opponents try to ignore. 1t does not
have to quarrel with itself, before every cleo
ton, to find out what it shall pretend to be-
leve or profess to want. Definite convictions
bring its voters together, and hold them to-
gether. They have only to express those con-
victions in their platform, and the work is
done. 1t Is natural that such party should
select candidates who really share and repre-
sent Its convictions. 1t has not failed once in
that respect, since Abraham Lincoln was nom
mated twenty three years ago. For President
Grant, though In many things faulty. thor
oughly represented the will of his party in
respect to reconstruction, honest. money, ard the
protection of home industry. President
Hayes, against the will of a large minority,
faithfully acted out the convictions of most
Republicans in his change of methods toward
the Soufh So IL comes Tn pase that thu Ran m IA