The Evening critic., 1884-09-04
Shall the Democrats bo TyIerizod.

N Y. sun.
The accidental majority by which Cleveland
was chosen governor was largely made up OF
discontente ted Republicans, and should he chance
TO be elected President, tho Independents
would boast that they had turned the scale.
There are many indications that, II successful,
the Democratic nominee would approve their
claim, and cODcede to them measure OF lniiu-
oncc out OF all proportion TO their voting
strength. But does any Democrat suppose
that the influence OF the Independent Repub-
licane, who are diametrc0lly opposed to him
on every question that divides parties In this
country, would be used TO promote the intor.
ests OF tho Democratic party Is there not
ample reason for belief that IN the hands OF
his Republican advisers Cleveland will prove
as false to Democratic principles and as fatal
to Democratic organic alton as Johu Tyler
proved to the Whige, who discovered TO their
sorrow that defeat with such candidate
would have been less ruinous than Victory
Political history is neatly and truthfully de-
fined as philosophy teaching by example. Es.
pecially apt ana useful to the great mass of
voters in their present prodicament should be
the precedents and analogies furnished py the
record OF political parties In tho United States.
Thus there 10 q striking similitude between
the situation OF Democrats at this juncture and
that which the Wings occupied 10 1910. For
twelve years the Wings had been out OF o1lce,
ana all OF their most cherished plans had been
pitlessly shattered. "Only lea us get inl" they
cried, precisely as the Democrats are crying
now, and when they assembled in convention,
they disregarded all considerations OF iitness
and experience that ought TO shape the choice
OF canoidatee, and gave heed to nothing but
presumed availability and alleged capacity Of
drawing votes from their political opponents.
They passed over the bright lights and vet.
eran leaders OF their party, Just as the Demo-
cratic Convention at Chicago passed over Thur
man and Bayatd. 10 Henry Clay and Dantel
Webster they preferred William Henry Uarri-
son, because the latter had been n soldier, aud
because his somewhat colorless character had
made few enemies. But Harrison was very
old and in1lrm man, and Il therefore behooved
selection OF nominee for the Vide Presidency.
Here, again, however, they neglected the most
obvious precautions In the hope OF carrying
the State of Virginia and placed John Tyler
on the ticket, for the reason that his aflllta.
lions gave promise of Democratic support.
Harrison died within n month after taking
ofice, and the WhiG party found Its destinies
committed 10 man who deemed himself more
Indebted TO the few Democratic friends who
had voted for him In Virginia than 10 the
great Whig masses that had made him Presl.
dent. We need not trecapituate the acts OF sly
disloyalty and open trcachery which make
the four years OF Tyler's administration a
most disgraceful chapter In our political HIS
tory. 1t is every jot true In politics as It Is
in morals that no man can serve two masters,
and John Tyler, who began with being a luke
warm Whlg, nrtfully sowing seeds OF Intestine
dissension In the party that elected him,
ended with becoming avowed and ardent
Democrat, and welding the whole power OF
the Executive Department for the purpose OF
obtaining Inc next Democratic nomination for
tho Presidency.
He failed In his dishonest scheme bscause
tuc DtluOcthtlc pHtIy refused 10 pay tne price
Of perldy, but he and John @. Calhoun, whom
the political Judas had ma1e the head OF his
Cabinet, succeeded In forcing a new Issue on
tho country and defeating Clay ia tho mem
orable contest OF 1874. Both Clay himself
and every other competent observer OF the
facts ascribe the blight Of the Wing pros
poets 10 the irreparable blunder OF selecting
relatively untested candidate, with the short
sighted aim Of winning votes from political
eDemes. Nor has II ever been disputed by
political historians that the Whig party would
AtrnnNpr pr nk.aiN No
| Irresistible, had tue foolish nomination OF
| Tyler In 1910 brought deserved defeat Instead
OF a barren victory.
10 man OF Ceveland's Intellectual callbre
| and moral character the role that Tyler
| played would prove, we fear, coneeniai. Be-
| fore his four years were over We should not
| be surprised 10 SEQ rank Republican In his
| Cabinet, Just as the Wings were shocked "a
| zee Calhoun, their most dangerous antago.
| mist, at the head OF Tyler's Administration.
| But Cleveland is not elected yet, aud the
Democratic voters have time enough u de-
termine whether they win permit their party
| 10 be Tylerlzed. ..sSssP