New-York tribune., 1884-01-24

| any real modification Of its position rs whoie.
This Is not because oil Republicans think theh
party faultless On the contrary, It's reai lau''S
have been moro unsparingly crlticlseu Wy
Republicans than by Democrats, and IL mas
been cautiously censured by Republicans IL
almost countless instances where Hs acIioh' II
not the best conceivable, has been OH the Whoie
the best that was practicable. This remarkaoie
freedom of criticism has never been discouraged
bv intelliceut members of the rarty they nave
seen that il helped to avoid mistakes and to
correct errors. But Republicans feel that, on
the whole, they have right to be proud of their
Marty as the bravest the most patriotic, the
wisest and the most successful party ever seen
among men, They look in vain for its parallel
in the history of any other sclf-governng
country, for in other lands, when lofty motives
have inspired action, there has never been
enough of practical craftsmanship to secure
public support for long period. They rejoice
to contrast it with any other party ever seen In
this country, both as TO the progressive ten
dency of its acts and the general excellence
of its administration, and as to the wisdom
shown in moving fast enough and yet not TOO
fast to take the people with it. On every great
oucstion of the past, its course has been vlndi-
Gated by the results and by the confession OF ITS
opponents. On every disputed question of the
present, il has taken position which it believes
the people will sustain. Best OF all, 1t has
shown that it can correct its own errors, purge
itself when there is need, and move forward is
the needs of the country change.
Ii is not possible to say these things OF any
other party, Democrats do not say for them
selves that they have successfully consulted the
popular will. They do not say for themselves
that they have found the right course III great
emergencies, or that they have been wisely led,
or that their policy, il adopted, would have
made the Nation more honOred or prosperous or
that they have been able to cast out corruption
or To- correct errors among themselves. On the
contrary. they continually admit that their
leaders have shown almost inconceiyabc folly {;
they confess that, whore they have had unre-
strained power, Us in New York city, they have
failed to provide good government, or to clear
away corruption, or even to repTcss the influence
of the worst men among them; they sadly
acknowledge that at the South supposed
necessity has pushed them into courses OF
violence and injustice which they do not justify
and they dcnounce each other with great heat
for criminal or stupid conduct on great qncs-
tions now pending. The whole party Is boiling
over at Washington, in its half-crazed anxiety
to get its record Strengthened out so that it may
have a chance Of success.
Nothing can add to the force of this contrast.
The marvel is that any Democrat can imi < ne
the people do not see it, Among all the proofs
of Democratic stupidity and incompetence,
perhaps not one is more convincing than this,
that the party while presenting such contrast
with its rival, really deudes itself at times with
a hope of success. Does it suppose that more
than half the voters are fools I