The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-05-21
From Gayety 10 Grief.

Somewhere about two years ago the
Democrats were an exceedingly merry
set, and looked forward to their mag
nifcent seventy-eight majority in the
House as fair inkling of a tidal wave
that should sweep all before 1t In tho
coming election of 1884 The merri-
ment has subsidized altogether, and the
Democratic minds are now soberly re-
Elective and thoughtful. The two ablest
men in the party have concentrated
their thoughts upon the problem of an
issue on which to conduct the cam
paign, and have arrived at results
which have been given to the world
through the Chicago Iroquois Club. The
conclusions differ, and the difference
represents very fairly the state of mind
OF the party. The wisdom of Bayard
sees in the Morrison bill the element OF
popularity that can save the party. The
wisdom Of Tilden sees the necessity Of
avoiding the tariff issue at the present
time tits the first time in tho history
of parties in this country that the con-
fessedly longest-headed man of any of
them has written an important public
letter on the situation Just before the
battle, and made no commehdatory allu-
sion to the vital measure which the rep
re 'entatve OF his party in Congress have
concoctad as u campaign issue.
The Democrats have always been dl-
vided on tho tariff, as they ARE now, but
have got on well enough because they
have not made the issue prominent.
But the time has come when they could
no longer subordinate it. Tho Old SUBJ
ects of contest about currency, in.
ternal improvement, nullicaton, sla-
Very, resumption OF specie payments,
and lie resolutions Of 1913 have all been
settled. Not one Of them Is now con-
tested, and their subsdence below the
surface has left no oh Get above tho
waste Of waters but tho tariff Neces-
sarily t became prominent and the
only thing that IS prominent as n busi-
ness question To make the matter
worse, there was the palpSblc fact that
in the settlement Of the great questions
above enumerated the Democrats lost
their case every time. They meet year
after year and quietly drop from their
platform one by one the old planks on
which they formerly sat and driited,
until IL came TO pass that acluesccnce
in what the Republicans have done was
regarded rs chief merit, and they be-
gan to put on airs for having the virtue
10 accept and be grateful for the good
things their opponents have mad3 them
swallow by sheer force against thcirwill.
On all the great measures before the
country in past years the Democrats
now know they were wrong and have
been beaten. They give up all but FREQ
trade, and are debating among them
selves whether their last pet lamb is to
be surrendered or fought for and kept
in the family rs cosset for the amuse-
ment of the children and an oh. Get of
affection.
The struggle excites commiseration.
The cry went up: ''For Gods sake
leave us somethingl' and BY the aid of
five tender-hearted Republicans tho
leaders protected their forlorn little
eve by a majority of two votes, and
thus will be ablo TO hear its plaintive
blcating for few weeks longer. II is a
sad thought Il at so much effort has
been expended by a great organization
to prevent what they conceived was a
wrong policy from prevailing. II is
mournful TO think OF the number Of
prophets that have come to grief by re-
suits that have contrudicted all their
representations The letter writer's
send out statements that Cox Is p sad
man and no more laughs. II is natural.
How could he laugh when driven to
vote against protecting the wool on the
back Of the last Democratic sheep. rs
he was the otherday by party nee ,ssityP
Morrison is sad, too, and can not help
it. All Democrats are sad.
One OF the writers Of tho Chicago let
ters expressed his abiding faith that
Providence would yet come to the res
cue Of the Democratic PARTY. Such
faith borders on the sublime, for Il is q
long time since Providence has shown
much inclination that way, JEFF Davis
exhibited no less faith In Providence,
and never gave up the lost cause until
he found his wife's garments too short
to hide n pair Of pronounced cavalry
boots; then faith died, and Providence
has not since been much counted on rs
a support in the tribulations OF Democ-
racy. .-ETctaHge.