Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-01-24


This is the s.political outlook" time
In journals and magazines. A pecul-
iarity of the articles thus entitled is that
one can tell what prognosis viii be
taken-from the politics of tie writer's
This fact only has one value. It indi-
Gates that each party thinks it has
something to hoye for and to brag
about, and realizes that it has plenty Of
work to do. The authors unconscious
" adopt the sentiment of the old hymn
line:
SIRE, we must fight. Z We would reigni
Underneath this seeming confidence,
with which both Republican and Demo-
cratic guessers can predict victory. is
also the tacit admission of the fact that
there are large number of voters who
mean to vote as they please-yet who
do not propose to throw away their bal
lots. In other words, they will cast
them for that one of the two parties
which satisfies them the better. They
are not intending to vote IAN aside
which would leave each party in about
the same proportional strength as it
would be without them. 1t is evident
that whet Ter these independents hold
the balance of power or not, the Char
acter of their vote is marked by intelli-
gence. The party that stands by prin-
ciples, as contradistinguished from ex-
periments to catch class votes. will COM
mand their support, if the principles are
the outcome of the questions of tn. day
and not of the day before yesterday.
MIR. George William Curtis, in a re-
cent "outlook" article, concluded that
the next campaign would turn on ques-
tions relating solely to the character of
be candidates, and of the record of the
two parties in governmental trusts. He
protested to have no fears for continued
Republican supremacy in such an event.
To US, that seems an essentially lower
ing view in itself, and to be one which
misses the disposition of the people and
the drift of events. 1t is not only sup
possible, but probable, that the candi-
dates of the two parties will be men of
good character. 1t would be very
narrow and belitttng fact, if the Amer
ican people were tied up to such an is
sue as that. Since Mr.. Curtis article
was written, an unmistakable desire of
the American people to deal with prac-
teal subjects on basis of principle
has been shown. They are saying what
they think and what they want done,
and a result is that they find one of
their parties has set about doing it.
That party itself finds that its ancient
principles, and its ancient courage and
confidence are revived by the attempt.
Revenue reform is the present position
in politics. 1t has put the Democracy
on the aggressive. It has given it
the initiative. 1t develops a vast
deal of strength among the people.
That strength inures to the benefit of
the party which has taken possession of
the idea. The American people might
not irrationally conclude that either
party contains men capable of the
routine work of government and any
other view would be uncomplimentary
to the capacity and character. of the Ma
ton. They are very generally rating
that question irrelevant or subordinate;
what government means to them is
their inquiry now. Under Republican,
ism. it means a system of expedients
which the interest, equity and intelli-
gence of the age are outgrowing- and
which works towards partially, prodi-
gality and plumber in administration,
and for disaster and distress among the
masses of the people. The popular in
tention to exchange expedients for prin
ciples is evident 1t will succeed by
the same mingled law of sense and con-
science which has given victory to
every real reform. so far, in these
States, be the struggle long or short.
In having the affirmative of this issue,
the Democrats have an advantage
which it is remarkable the ethical in
stinct and intuition of Mr.. Curtis does
not see; if he sees it and ignores it, SO
much the worse for his ultimate status
in the Judgment OF men.
Another outlook article is that of
Mr.. Smalley in the atlantic. His esti-
mates are based ON the fallacy that the
1852 elections were a measure for those
of 1888. Republican and Democratic
publicists were united in 1882 il the
agreement that the elections of that
year "did not count" No judicious
Republican argued his party's dissolu-
ton and no judicious Democrat inferred
his party's absolute supremacy from
that years votes. The reasons for not
dong SO are too plain and too recent
to need recapitulation. By common
consent, it was recognized that the de-
tachment of large mass of Republic
ans from @heir party was temporary.
They went Oil in a rage to resent meth
DDS which they knew no better way of
EeDuhlUg 1uey WeUt Oh III u way 10
make it a point of honor to show that
they had not gone off permanently. In
Pennsylvania and New York that was
and is clearly understood. 1t is grossly
unintelligent writing and editing which
assumes otherwise.
But even on his own method. Mr..
Smalley gets into hostility with events.
The gist of his argument is that the
next election W II result as that of 1880
did, because the last elections resulted
as those of the year before 1880 did.
Now did they2 Is 1888 analogous TO
1879? In 1879, Republican Governor,
Lieutenant Governor. Secretary of
State, Comptroller, Treasurer and At
torney-Generai were elected in New
York. A Democratic State Engineer
was elected. Mr.. Horatio Seymour. Dr.,
over Mr.. Howard Soule, in that year.
OF seven persons elected, were Re-
publican. The same year the Repub-
leans carried Ohio by 1900 ma ority.
Tn 1870 both GfafoS went Ron1rh1ican