Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-10-30

The Democratic party has been beat
en- in six consecutive Presidential cleo
lions. During the canvass preceding
each of these elections the Democratic
newspapers constantly predicted the
success of their candidates, stOutly
maintaining that there could be nc
doubt of it. This they did even in that
terrible year of Democratic humiliation
when the ardOr for SpOilS which inspired
the leaders induced them to make terms
with their lifelong enemy, Horace
Greeley, and accept him as their nomi-
nee. This year they are at il again,
unblushingly as ever, claiming 3 victory
for Cleveland and Hendricks many
weeks IN advance OF the rug9le, and
with less reason for confidence than on
any previous occasion. when in every
city, village, ward and town Democrat
iC discomfort is rampant to a degree
never before known, and in the face OF
passionate demands coming from the
ranks OF their own party that the Presi-
Dental candidate be withdrawn. So
strong have the manifestations of re-
volt become that MIR. Hendricks himself
has deemed it proper to write a letter
appealing almost piteously Tor a con-
donation of Cieveland's offensess and in
timatiDg that it is now too late to think
Of making a change.
Such developments are unexampled
ia the history of political contests in
this country. Go where one will, evil
dences of Democratic dependency are
found, sometimes manifested bY eX-
pressiOns Of Indifference to the fate OF
the ticket, but more often emphasized
by sharp denunciatiOn of the Stih-necked
folly which characterized the machine
managers who forced it upon the party.
Democratic journals can not be unac-
Quainted with this condition Of affairs,
for il perVades the whole country and Is
patent to all intelligent observers. 1t
has developed into the form Of organ
lied hostility to the ticket on the part
OF a very large body of voters VINO have
always been relied upon heretofore as
the chief stay and strength Of DemOC-
racY, under the lead of General Butler.
Some effort is made occasionally by
Democratic papers to belittle this move
ment, but with no effect. 1t is evident
to the feeblest understanding that But
Ter has powerful hold upon the mag
nations of a certain element in almost
every community, especially in the
larger towns and cities in which manu-
featuring operations are extensively
conducted. The tendency toward But
Ter in such localities is, indeed, illogical,
for the theories he represents are hard
" less adverse to labor interests than
those of the Democrats, but it exists
nevertheless to an extent that would be
surprising if those to whom he mainly
looks for support were not In the habit
of frequently going astray under dema-
gOgic counsel, and impulsively doing
things opposed to their own material
and moral welfare.
Butter viii unquestiOnably poll a
heavy vote, drawn principally from the
Democratic ranks In some quarters
he is likely to secure a majority of the
Democratic strength. And yet most Of
our Democratic contemporaries persist
IN the drearily mOnOtOnOus pretense Of
entire confidence in the triumphant
election Of Cleveland and Hendricks
They profess to believe that 1t. John,
the Prohibition candidate, viii get the
votes Of enough Republicans to cOun-
terbalance all defections from DemOe-
racy caused by Buffers appearance in
the canvass They know better, to be
sure, for there are no indications that
1 the Prohibition ticket viii be much. If
1 any, stronger this year than it has been
/ in former Presidential contests People
I OF thoughtful habits of mind know that
\ even were St John elected he could do
/ nothing whatever to further the end
/ which he and his followers talk of ac-
+ comprising. The Federal Government
has no constitutional power to forbid
/ the manufacture and sale of intOkicants,
and in order to give it such authority
the organic law itself must be amended
through concurrence of tWo-thirds OF
/ both houses of Congress aad popular
aalorIties IN three-f0urths 0f the thirEs-