National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-11-22

Inc democrats, having secured their
victory, are now anxiously turning their
attention to the question of what can be
done with it. This is right. Tho people
expect them to consider tho matter, and
await n solution with surprising interest.
The question puzzles the wise ones more
than they are willing to admit. and there
arc many signs that the wise ones are not
in SO perfect accord as they thought they
were during tho season of torchlight pro-
SESSIONS and campaign buncombe. Mr..
George William Curtis came early to the
front with manifesto, assuring the world
that there will not DO many important
changes in officers lie thought there
might be some. From the tone Of his
letter we gather the idea that Mr.. Cleve-
land would DO justified in providing good
places for the leading Independents, and,
their numbers being so fow, this can DO
done without any considerable displace-
ment of honest and faithful servants. To
90 much further than this would en-
danger the civil service rules, and to
impair the rules would prevent the new
administration from achieving a success,
This view comes easy to Curtis.
Mr.. Hendricks. however. has como all
the way from Indiana to Brooklyn, which
is a scat of civil service reform and home
of the mugwump. to assure tho faithful
that Mr.. Curtis knows nothing of the
matter, and expresses the opinion that
tbo praotino nf old And ra,, IacEeop ,,ndnr
the idea formulated by Marcy that ito
the victors belong the spoils," was true
democracy and must now prevail, or the
country will BIO wofully disappointed.
This view comes easy to Hendricks.
The speech of Hendricks is q prompt
challenge of the assumption Of Mr.. Cur
tbs. IL will not escape the attention of
Cleveland, The cohorts Of democracy
will rally around their leaders, and it
will soon DO manifest which has the
larger following, and whether Cleveland
will take sides with tho democratic Cur
It's OF the democratic Hendricks, with the
democracy of Andrew Jackson or the de-
mocracy of Hdrper's Weekly.
There can be no doubt that the follow
ing of Hendricks will exceed that of
Curtis by as many millions as the demo.
Gratis exceed the mugwumps, and Cleve-
land will be forced to choose ut tho start
whether his administration shall be DOM
ocratic or mugwump, and whether he will
meet the expectations of the mass of his
supporters or the expectations of the
mild-mannered Brooklyn coterie, who
part their hair in the middle and main
tain that kicking over their own milk
bucket is the highest act Of political
wisdom.
Mr.. Cleveland at the present writin z
has not given utterance on the point, and
the mugwumps seem to rest thoir hopes
on tho assumed fact that tho man is bull
headed-bull-he enough they say to
stand up against the tremendous pressure.
This is rather narrow territory on which
to plant hope, but it is all there is, and
in matching their bull-head against the
great sixty-ton locomotive, called the
democratic mass, the independents show
y courage that takes small account Of dis
erection.
Mr. Curtis does not pretend to speak
for Cleveland, neither does Hendricks
but both assume to voice the issue Of the
contest just ended. To Curtis, seemingly
tho battle was fought to maintain the pet
rules of Dorman b. Eaton. To Hendricks
the battle was fought to secure good
places for partisans who are very hungry
and thirsty. During the campaign the
two men were harmonious and happy.
Curtis forgave Hendricks for his copper
head career because they both were in
love with the bull-head of Buffalo. Hem
bricks forgave Curtis for his abolitionism
because of his support Of tho same bull
| head candidate. The alliance was fasci'
mating in its novelty before election.
When democracy was last in power the
great bull-headed Buchanan was called
upon to decide whether state could bt
coerced or not, and his last pronuncia.
mento was that it could not. Democracy
returns to power with question no
| quite so mOmentous to the country, bu
equally distressing to the party, and OF
which it may split, and will split if tn,
ported for tho csmpaigner has made biz
vow that if he is cheated of the spoil tn,
locomotive will smash the bull-head in Q
twinkling, and not grease spot shall b,
left.
| Democratin Rrofection for Calored