The Red Cloud chief., 1884-04-18
A Suggestive Spectacle.

The pending conflict in the Demo
cratic party Over the tariff issue is Eo'
only Amusing. but instructive. Il
shows, in a direct and glazing way. the
utter want of fixed principle or weil-de
fined purpose OF the part of that organ.
ization which is accustomed to boast OF
che fact that, amid all the mutations
and adversi;'es of our politics, it has
preserved its identity and gone on vot.
ing the straight ticket with %uuwaverins
regularity and confidence. The ques.
ton with which it is now wrestling is
not a new me-. There has not been q
time in the last fifty years when the
tariff was entirely outside the line OF
current political discussion. 1t has been
debated more abundantly in this coun-
try than any other one topic excepting,
perhaps. the immortality of the human
soul. If there is anything upon which
the Democratic mind might be sup
posed to have reached a definite and
interchangeable conclusion. it is this mat
ter of the tariff; and vet the truth is
that it is as thoroughly ut sea in that
connection Is if the subject had arisen
only yesterday.
"IS IL tllLC WItu tnt DtNlO-
cratic party had a tariff policy of a
coherent, harmonious and aggressive
character. 1t was then in favor of pro-
lection to m extent never since advo-
Gated by any party, AMI levied the high
est duties ever imposed since the fOun-
dation of the Government. Its lea ling
men. like Martin Van Buren,, Silas
Wright. James Buchanan and Andrew
Jackson, were open and vigilant OPP
ponents Of free trade. and contended
Tor the mos stringent measures to pro-
mote American manufactures by smut
ting out foreign competition. So
of the party in this respect that when
John &. Calhoun and his friends in
South Carolina raised the banner OF
"a tariff for evenu only and claimed
that 4 state had n right TO disobey law
designed to protect home industry,
Jackson came down uDon them i'm Il
swift and positive way and crushed
them out. and the party honored him
for this courageous and effective vindi-
cation of the highest tariifknown to II
history. notw thstanding the fact that
the mischievoIS .'refOrmers' in the
case were otherwise Democrats in good
standing.
That was a good while ago. however.
a great many things have happened
since then. and the Democratic party
has been through a variety OF disturb
ing and confusing experiences. The
Van Burens and Wrights and Jacksons
have been succeeded by leaders of Il
very different order; numerous expert
ments at subterfuge and double dealing
have been tried with Improbable re-
suits: and the general process OF Demo-
cratic thinking has come to be loose,
variable and distracting. During the
last twenty-five years the platforms of
the party have been constructed to meet
temporary emergencies. to catch pass
ing breezes. to take advantage OF tran
sient fluctuations of public sentiment.
Every former declared principle and
profession has been in turn antagonized
or abandoned. and it is impossible for
a Democrat to furnish a reasonable or
salts actory statement of his political
belief. The moment that any question
of prevailing interest comes up for
treatment, and the party undertakes to
assume a position upon it. there is dis
agreement, uncertainty and violent
clashing of preferences and prejudices.
How such Il party contrives to avoid
falling to pieces from sheer lack of eX-
cuse tor holding together is one of the
mysteries of American politics; bv all
the rules of logic and philosophy it
should have ceased long ago to veX the
course of affairs with its superfluous
and unsavory presence.
The condition of the Republican
party. on the other hand. is that of an
organization with its mind made up.
and its objects plainly formulated and
announced. Its course has been con-
and its plat ormS do not reverse
and mock m another. A Republican
can tell You what his polit cal faith is.
why he votes as he does. and what end !
e'pects to be accomplished by a
given policy. Nobody needs to be told