Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-04-25
LET Us HAVE VICTORY

Common sense is as necessary in the
management of political affairs as in the
business affairs of men. The same
principles govern both. The same laws
OF trade that apply to one apply equally
to the other, and it may not be inappro-
priately added that the moral code was
made as much for one as the other.
Applying then these measures and
asking ourselves what ought the democ-
racy to do to heal the issues which have
arisen at Washington, and threaten its
integrity, the answer should neither be
obscure or uncertain.
Politics and policy are terms so near
ly related that their statement in juAta-
position is their best comparison. To
determine the politics the policy must
first be ascertained and agreed upon.
There need be no evasion or conceal
ment about it. If enough men north.
south, east and west agree as touching
certain fundamental principles of gov
eminent and desire to unite in their ad-
vocacy, all they have to do is to formu-
late them and announce their platform
TO the country. 1t makes no difference
how diverse may be their views on other
questions it is for them to decide
whether they will subordinate them to
the more general purposes, relegate
them to another time and other circum-
stances for issue.
The practical policy of the democratic
party in the pending campaign may be
found along the line of reasoning sue-
gested. The discussions since congress
assembled have developed an obstacle
To democratic unity which must be re-
moved if the party would promote tue
long line of purposes which have given
1t vitality for half a century. An i'm
practicable attempt to reduce the tariff
at the present session of congress.
should not be permitted to stand in the
way of democratic success. The doubt
ful states are as necessary to the democ-
racy as to the republicans. If they can
be carried for the principles of democra-
cy upon the concessions of the Morrison
bill. modified by an extended free list.
and If they must be lost and democratic
triumph postponed four years, if the ul-
ira demands Of Mr.. Watterson and Mr..
Hurd are conceded, common sense
would indicate the choice of alterna-
tives. The people can stand the con-
stantly diminishing tariff taxes a while
longer to get rid of the party that i'm
posed them for other purposes than rev.
enue.
1t is not surprising that sharp sntago-
nisms and unreasonable resentnents
should have been engendered by the
course taken by the minority of the de-
mocracy of the house of representatives
on the Morrison bill. But investigation
and analysis show that the minority
and majority are equally sincere in their |
convictions and that the states repre-
sented by the minority are as necessary |
to democratic succrss as the states rep
by the majority. 1t is also as
certained that the minority understand 1
their constituents and represent them
as faithfully as the majority represent |
theirs, and that whatever may be the
minority concessions to the will of the
majority in congress, they would not
bind the constituency which
holds the balance of power.
The democratic party cannot afford to
draw a line of exclusion between it and
the rank and file of New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut and Ohio, which
secured democratic victories in those
states. 1t can afford to keep its army
intact for the battle. 1t can afford to
win for those principles which have
formed its creed in the long past and
are the beacon lights of American insti-
The democratic party can afford to
subordinate temporarily theory rend-
red imPracticatle by republican sem