The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-03-29
Political Prognssls.

Political PrognssIss
So
This is the s'political outlook time
! in iournals- and -siagazines. A pecul=l
iarity of the articles thus entitled is that
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. fa-
taken-from the politics of tie writer's.
Iris fact only has onevalue.. 1t indi-
Gates that eaclf party thinks it has
something to hope for and to brag
about, and realizes that it has plenty Of
work to do. The authors UNCONSCIOUS
ly adopt the ssntiment of the old hymn
line; .sfS4f7 tiAEr3
Z snre. we must neht. 1--WE ~odld fefenf ~
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 a large number of voters who
mean to vote as they please-yet:wt
dotnot propose to throwaway their bah
lots. In other words, they will cast
them for that one of the two parties
which satisfies them he-bctter. They.
are not intending to vote 'an aside
which would leave each party in about
the same proportional strength as it
would be without them. 1t is evident
that whether these independents hold
the, balance of power or not, the char
acter of their vote is marked by intelli-,
genee.v Therparty that stands by prin-
ciples, as contradistinguisbedz from ex-
periments to catch class votes. will COM
mand their support, if the principles are
the outcome of the questions of the day
land not of theiday before yesterday.
Mr.. George William Curtis. '1in a re-
cent outlook article concluded that
the next campaign would turn ION qnes-
tons relating solely to the character Of
tho 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
posable, but probable, that the candi-
dates Of the two parties will be men Of
good character. 1t would be a very
marrow and belittVng fact, if the Amer
lean people were tied up. to such an is.
sue as, that. Since Mr.. Curtise article
was written, an 1unmistakable desire. Of
the American people to deal with ,prac-
ltical subjects ON a basis of principle
has been shown. They. are saying what
they think and what they want dQnex
and q 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
cenfidence arerevived blythe. 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 governments-a and any
other view would be uncomplimentary
to the capacity and character of the Ma
| ton. They are very generally rating
that question irrelevant OF subordinate;
Il what government means to them is
their Inquiry now. Under Republican,
ISM 1t means a~systeni Of expedients
| which the interest, equity and intelli-
gence of the age are 0utgrowing- and
which works towards partiality, prodi-
gality and splundsr in administration,
and for disaster and distress among the
masses OF the people. The popular in
tehtion 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 tits remarkable the ethical in
stinct and intuition of Mr.. Curtis does
not see; if he seesa il. and ignores it. so
much the worse for his ultimate status
in the judgment of men.
AnQthers:: 'outle s-artiele is that of
| Mr.. Smalleyin the Atlantic. Z His esti-
mates are based on the fallacy that the
1882 elections were a measure for those
of 1888. Republican and Democratic
publicists were united il 1882 il The
agreement that the elections of that
| year "did not count" No iudicious
Republican argued bis party's dissolu-
ten and no judicious Democrat inferred
his party's absolute sApfemacy from
that years votes.- The reasons for not
doing So are too plain and too recent
to need recapitulation. BY common
consent, it was recognized that the de-
tachment OF. largo mass off, Rspubi5c-
ans from their party was tem,5os~ry.
They went off i'm rage to resent meth
I DDS which they knew NOS better way Of
rebuking. They went of in a way to
make it point of honor TO- show that
they had hos.gone off permanently In
Pennsylvania and New York that was
and is clearly understood. 1t is grossly
unintelligent writing and editing which
assumed otherwise. ~
/ But even on his own method. Mr..
Smalley gets into hostility with events.
/ The gist Of his argument is that. thu
| next election will result as that of 1880
did, because The last elections resulted
as those of the year before 1880 did.
Now did theya Is. 1883 analogous 10
|. Q7O0 Il 1910 n Do-.lls1~- n