Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-03-13
Illnrinal Qualifications.

al GalNcston'
Illogical Qualifications.
The New York sun has coquetted
with Mr.. Tilden rs a possible Demo
: cratic nominee for the presidency this
year. II never belittled his capacity,
but II gave the country to understand
that In It's (the SUMS opinion Mr.. Til
den,was out ofpolitics; that he wouldn't
have the nomination IL rendered to
him, and that Democrats were as good
as wasting their time talking about or
lmportuning Mr. Tilden to become q
candidate. Within the last week the
Sun has travelled around the circle,
and 1t now shines upon Mr.. Tildcn as
an ideal candidate. II has discovered
that he is sound upon the tariff.
Sound upon the tariff, In the sun Of
flee, means letting the tariff alone or
handling it very gingerly. The logic
of the SUMS position IL, that with Mr..
Tllden In the White House there viii
be no material revision OF the existing
tariff system. The Sun Is a great pa
per, and we do not assume to say that
1t is not wise one, but we fear that
In this instance 1t is pursuing course
calculated to draw the Southern votes
at Chicago away from Mr.. Tilden. Its
arguments in his behalf may win him
votes in the East, but will they do az
much in the West and South? Unless
we are sadly nj fault in our estimate OF
Democratic sentiment in the sections
last mentioned, they do not want "A
presidential candidate whose chief rec
ommendation is that he will stand in |
the way OF vigorous revision OF the
tariff. For years tariff reform and |
economical national government have
been the cardinal principles of the
Democratic party. These two ideas
constitute the sole distinctive issue up
on which IL can go before the country.
There are no other Issues. The cur
rency is not one; states rights are well
de fined and guarded the bloody shirt
no longer waves. What else Is there,
save tarifl reform aud its sequence of
less extravaganza government? This is
the way we view il IN the South, at all
events; and we hold that an abandon
ment or Sinking Of these principles
will be to invite and merit defeat. The
voter in this country is
not TO he sneezed at, for, deny it rs par /
isans may, he holds the balance Of
power in several great states-s He
will ask the Democrats: What do you
)ller better than the Republican party
Is giving? And the sun replies: The ,
me rascals; turn them
out. IL this Is the only answer the
Democracy has to give 1t had M we'll
make its will and prepare for the ma
tional funeral neXt November, a
party that has no more forcible plea,
when asking to be entrusted with the
than that the oppose
ton party is one OF ras-
cality, ought to be defeated. IL
tariff reform is not sound princi-
pie, rs well worth lighting for in 1854
as II was in lsS0, or 1876, then The DEM
ocratiG party has been pra;ing about
nothing for the last eight years and
stands convicted OF seuility. Every
consideration that should acluate a
great party points to the living fact
that this year of grace, 1854 is the year
to force the issue, Let us win glo-
riously or be showed under by half
million popular majority. We shall
then AZ least know what the country
wants. II this course invites defeat il
may he answered that evasion OF the
principle invites IL, too. 1t is better
TO be defeated contending for what one
honestly holds to be principle than be-
cause Of lack of courage to make n
contest above-board and ciearcut.
In would be deuced good thing IL