Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-02-08
Republican Solicitude.

(
Not long ago Mr. Sullivan and Mr..
Ryan had an animated discussion with
| fists in the neighborhood of New Or
leans. Mr.. Sullivan's arguments were
| SO much the stronger that Mr.. Ryan
was convinced against his will, being
knocked out of t1me,n and SO banged
and battered that his own mother would
| not have known him. Ii, while MIR.
Ryan was applying raw beef to his
eyes, plasters to his broken nose and
ointment to his bruised ribs, he had sat
up in bed to discuss the health of his
jublant and sprightly adversary
was scarcely scratched-and expressed
| fears lest Mr.. Sullivan might not be in
condition to fight him again six months
later, even MIR. Ryan's warmest friends
would have been more than likely to
call him a fool; certainly would have
told him to heal his own wounds before
worrying about the man who inflicted
them. ! t~ aE2 s' @aa = H Sea
Yet Mr.. Ryan would not have acted
more foolishly in this supposed case
than the Republican party is now act
ing in regard to the Democratic. Re-
publicans have been as thoroughly
whipped by Democrats as Ryan was by
Sullivan. but instead of attending to
their own aches and pains and getting
eyes. nose and ribs into presentable
shape, they are wasting breath in
discussing the present position and
future prospects of the victors
and prophesying that Democratic
success in 1882 will, in all prob
ability. prepare the way for Demo
cratic failure in 1884. This solicitude is,
under the circumstances, delightfully."-
ridiculous. Democrats laugh at it as
the richest joke of the season. They
have come out OF the battle with clear
and clean cuticle, far more lively and
vigorous than when they went in. They
are aware that accidents and blunders
may occur in the next two years which
may damage their chances in the
Presidential campaign; but they know
that the enemy may be damaged in q
similar way, and that at any rate the
Republicans must pull themselves to-
gether very considerably to be able to
enter the ring at all in 1884, while the
Democracy are as completely unit as
was Sullivan after he had thumped
Ryan into bloody pulp. To be seri-
ious-criticism and warnings. like
charity. ''should begin at home" The
highest authority has declared that
they that are whole neel no physician,
but they that are sick" Now at this
time the Democrats are very whole in
deed, while the Republicans are unde-
niably very sick. Let the latter call
consultation Of political physicians
with least possible delay, leav-
ing Democrats to be doctored
whenever the require (which
is not Immediately. The Republican
party is suffering from complication of
diseases. the most serious o. which are
Stalwartism on the brain and Half
Breedism in the bowels. Unless these
can be cured; unless brain, bowels and
the entire body are restored to health,
the party will soon discharge the doctors
and apply to the undertaken. No argrl-
ment is required to prove that until the
rival factions whose struggles have
torn the party asunder, are cordially
reconciled and heartily united, Republic
can strength is weakness. If a National
Republican Convention were to meet
to-day it would either break up in a
general row, or nominate q candidate
of whom Democrats would make mince-
meat at the polls. viii National Re-
publican Convention in 1884 do any
better? Certainly not, unless the bitter
feud between Stalwarts and Half-Breeds
is e!Iectually healed by that time. What
prospect is there of such healing? None
visible to the naked eye. Stalwarts are
damning Iialf-Breeds and Half-Breeds
profanely haunting Stalwarts. Olive
branches are at discount and clubs
command a premium, and when the
tools of war will be thrown away and
the emblem OF peace brought to the
front, the w sest prophet cannot pre-
dict. Meanwhile the Democracy are
enjoying that peace and happiness
which comes fir m Il consciousness or
virtue, a full appreciation of the magni-
tude and meaning of the victory, aud a
determination TO deserve the new vote
of confidence given them by the people
They not only expect 10 profit by the
defeat of Their opponents, but to avoid
similar defeat themselves by refusing to
commit the sins, the penalty of which
Republicans are now enduring. They
may not. will not. be faultless in the
future; but if, with tt e experiences OF
the past. they do not earnestly strive
to reduce faults and follies to mini
mum, the next popular verdict is not
likely to be in their favor.-.St. Louis
Re3,nIIjcNn