New-York tribune., 1884-01-11
DEuOCRACYS "PRESENT PROSPECTS,"


DElrOCPACY1S "PRESENT PROSPECTS,"
The burden of General Buffers recent
speech at the Andrew Jackson dinner in
Boston was the present prospects OF the DEM
ocratic party. He gave the company to under
stand that he considered the party had pros
poets and that they were bright. But 1t was
observable that he gave no facts to warrant
such a conclusion. Indeed, his remarks on this
point read like a desperate attempt to start a
very backward Democratic revival, seemingly
being prcdicated upon the conviction that Jdst
now Democracy is about out of prospects.
What is tho hope of that party this year
The General asks himself the question and
answers it by saying "it is the fact that all
"goOd men will recognize that 1t Will be a
"calamity to this country if the Democracy
"does not win in 1SS4." This is simply aggra-
waited mysteries. 1t is the baldest nonsense to
assert that "all good men" " will recognize any
such thing. The Democratic Presidential
nominee in 1884, whoever he may be, cannot
be materially stronger than General Hancock
WAS in 1850. "All good men" did not rec
ognize the fact that it would be " a calamity
to this country" to defeat Hancock. On the
contrary, thousands upon thousands of good
men the very bcst-yOted against him.
And so, too, they will vote against the can
didate who succeeds him this year. General
Butler understands this az well as anybody.
His assertion concerning all good men Is a
piece of wild extravaganza born OF hopeless
ness. The darker the woods, the louder the
boys whistling.
Nor is the General more impressive when
he seeks to explain why it would be a
"calamityn not to restore the Democracy to
power in the Nation. He says it would be
calamity because "mder the government OF
the Republican party the lich men have been
made richer and richer and the poor poorer"
This is the familiar cry that the Democratic
party is the party of the people. 1t is a
delusive cry. Certainly it was not such a
party before the war, when its tremendous
power was welded to strengthen the yoke that
rested upon the nccks of millions OF people
whose only fault was that they were black and
poor. Has it been the party Of the people
since the WARP If so, where is the proof 1t
certainly has not shown itself to be such in this
great state. \ party of the people labors to
keep the taxes down and the tone OF public
affairs pure. But it is Il matter of record tlat
the taxes have been highest and administration
most prOllEatc Nhcn lhc DcInocIUIS hdu CoHl-
pletc control in our State affairs. If General
Butler has followed THE TRIBUNE of late, he
knows that under the rule of Democrats this
metropolis has been rcmorselcssly plundcred.
A party of the people forsooth. Does the
General believe that the result Of the canvass
in Ohio for United States Senator bore the ear
marks of such party
If il be true that the rich are growing richer
and the poor poorer, the explanation OF such
an unfortunate state of things Is not that the
Republican party is in power. 1t Is to be
sought for in other and nOn-pOlitical causes.
For quarter of n century that party has
been in power. 1t had its origin in desire to
serve the many rather than the few. 1t has
steadily labored for government of the people
by the people and for the people. Whatever
may have been It's sins of omission OF Of COM