The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-07-23
FIGS from Thistles.

The Republicans arc to be'congratu-
ted because they do not "view with
,licitude' the action of the Democrats
Chicago. Pitiable indeed must be
20 condition OF those who are reduced
to soliciSous dependence upon the old
Democratic party. One might with
some reason despair of self-government,
and might regard the future OF the Ma
ton as gloomy in the extreme, if the
only chance OF good government were
such chance as the Democratic party
can offer.
1t is worth while to remember that a
stream can not rise higher than its
source. The very best that can possibly
be expected OF the Democratic party is
that the wishes and feelings of the aver
age Of its voters may be represented III
its nomination and platform, and in its
conduct OF affairs if successful. To ex
pect more-to suppose that in some
miraculous way tie good men, who
have no chance in Democratic caucuseS
and conventions, and who are smoth-
cred under unit rules, two-third rules,
and the potent influence of "barrels, y
will nevertheless make the candidate
and the Platforms surely the height
OF folly. If these Democratic good men
could get possession of the Government,
they could not keep it for an hour.
The raging torrent of ravenous poll
ticians which would then burst upon
the capital could be resisted only by q
President of extraordinary power, sus-
tained by Congress in hearty SYM
pathy with reform. and conscious of the
support of the great body of those who
elected him. Who imagines that the
party which has put the knife to Pen
dleton would encourage and sustain a
President in reformp Who imagines
that a Democratic Congress, which de-
iberately steals the seats of Republicans
elected by the people, would coun-
tenance reform President?
What are the wishes and feelings of
the active Democratic politicians? Let
any man who means to be couscien-
tious and patriotic ask himself that
question. He can not deny that four
ffths of the party supported the attempt
to steal the votes of Oregon, and would
have reioiced if the votes of Florida
had been bought. Can any reform
grow in such a soilp Does any honest
and conscientious man imagine that it
is possibleP Consider again; did not
more than the average of Democratic
politicians in intelligence, and far more
than the half of them in number, heart
ily welcome the Morey forgery, and
labor with great zeal to make it foully
effective, and conceal contradictions of
it as far as possible, and stoop to lie
about it wherever there was hope of
successp Honest men know what the
fact was. They know whether party
which stoops to such things can be ex-
pected to give the country good govern
ment.
Within the past year there have been
several tests. The truth about political
murders in Mississippi and Virginia has
been published. Has the average Dem
.ocratic voter felt any regret or uttered
any censurep Vile ISLANDERS of Mr..
Blaine have been circulated industri-
ously, and the truth about them has
been carefully suppressed because it
would Justify him. Has the average
Democratic voter refused to use what
The eknew was foul calumnyp Caucus and
convention have been bought in Ohio,
and seat in the Senate secured by
means which ought to be Indignantly
condemned by every decent man. Have
the average Democrats, of Ohio or of
other States, shown any aversion for
the corruptionistsp Is there any man
of common sense who seriously hopes
for honest government or any kind of
reform from such a partyp
The constituent elements of the DEM
ocratic party have not changed. No
thaumaturgic art has transformed the
men who made the Democratic party
what it was in 1860, or 1854, or 1868,
or 1872, or 1875, or 1880. No miracle
has been wrought upon the men who
perpetrated all the shameful things that
the Democratic party has done within
the past twenty-five years. What they
were, they are. The worst that they
ever have done, infamous as it is, the
Democratic party would do again with
absolute certainty, if 1t had the same
motive and occasion. Yet this is the
party to which some persons "look
with extreme solicitude."
Republicans do not look in that d.
rection for virtue, purity, reform or pat
riotism. They are not SO weak that
they can forget in an hour the whole
record of quarter Of a century. They
can not stoop SO low as to depend upon
the Democratic party for principles o.
candidates. IN. Y. Tribune.
D6yr If Mr.. Curtis wants reformeE
for President he should advocate the
best friend of the gamblers, thieves and
hummers Mavor Carter Harrison, d