New-York tribune., 1885-08-18
A VITAL QUESTION:

Events make issues; they are not to be mall
ufactured by men or parties. There is an cleo
ton to take place this year, which may do more
than the leaders of either party now imagine
TO shape the issues between parties for the next
four wears. Every important election does
something in that way. The Ohio election may
determine whether the Democrats shall con
time to use a squad of Prohbitionsts as their
tools, or abandon the game as not worth the
candle. The elections in New ork and Penn
sylvania may determine whether the people oil
the great manufacturing States are as indlher-
ent as some Democrats suppose TO threats oi
change of tariff and they may influence the
course of parties on that subject. But the elec-
ton in Virginia is likely to force upon the
leaders of both parties vital ISSUE whether
any of them desire it or not.
Mr.. Cleveland was elected by the aid of some
former Republicans. A few OF them were IN
spired by private grudges and vanilies. Most
OF 1bem, however mistaken in their action, had
a certain theory of the political state OF things
and of their duties, on which they honestly
acted. They really believed that the Southern
question was settled; that the Democrats oil
the South, in the treatment of colored people
and in the observance and enforcement of the
laws. were as sincerely loyal as could be ex-
pected that the sporadic cases OF violence aud
Injustice which still appeared were due only to
the intense resentment OF Southern men at the
domination of party which they considered
vndictive and sectional in spirit, ana w0nI''
completely disappear under the rule OF a DEM
ocratic Administration and its faithful but not
upfriendy enforcement OF law. Therefore, as
respects the Southern question, and the
supremacy of law, and the preservation OF the
chit of suffrage these voters felt that the cleo
ton of a Democratic President would be good
thing. 1t is not needful 10 point out what other
Republicans deemed the faiacy of this Ieasou-
ing Ii is to be tested by experience, and hrst
in virginia.
If the Republicans are beaten there, by free
vote and honest count, after fair and lawful
canvass, they have no right To complain. III
that case, however strongly most of them may
dissent from the theories of those who sup
ported Mr.. Cleveland, they cannot deny that
those theories will appear. at least to those who
entertain them, 20 be strongly confirmed by
such canvass and election, and even more If
it results in a Republican success. Then it will
be said that the Southern people are beyond
ulSUuJc buDIuiiJilE w iAN 'A"N NH'"'N''S ~ So
good faith, even when it results for the time IN
the defeat of their cherished ideas But there
is something more than a probability that the
election may disclose different state OF facts.
Already there are heard appeals for aggressive
aud even wrathtul work to secure Democratic
success. Already the nomination OF Massey,
who openly justified the Danvile massacre,
points to the probable use of similar means this
yeai. Already it is predicted that the cOnlrol
of ballot boxes and OF all the machinery of cleo
tions by the Bourbons under the new State
laws will result in a smaller negro vote than
has ever been cast in the State since enfran-
chsemcnt. 1t appears to be the fact that the
Democrats have no other hope than in the re-
sort to such means, and that Republicans have
no other fear.
This course cannot be taken without the
direct completely OF President Cleveland. His
duty is to enforce the United States laws.
carefully framed to secure in every State a free
vote and honest count. Ii he does so enforce the
law beyond question his party in Virginia
will not attempt to violate it. But if he does
not so enforce the law, the Republicans who
supported him will at once SEE that they have
been deceived. 1t matters not whether they
coDcluue CndJ tIcy WcIc ucCoFtu dS JO MN,
and that better Democratic President would
have vindcated the theories on which they
acted. OF become convinced that those theories
were false, and that there does not exist at the
South the measure of loyalty which they sup
pose. In eith her case, the question of free vote
and honest count inevitably becomes the con-
trolling one in coming campaigns. The Repub-
licans who were led to act against their party,
because they thought this question settled or
that it would be settled best by Democratic
President, will return with all the ardor which
honest men have to repair wrong they realize
they have done. The men who fishing for
new issues will be left to amuse themselves.
The country will again join issue on the ques-
ton whether loyalty or resistance 10 laws shall
prevail, and the dsloyal party will again be de-
feated. President Cleveland and his friends in
Virginia have fair warning that much depends
on their course. Persons interested are Of no
consequence. The question is whether honest