Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-17
Dinner Party Talk.

The Washington correspondent OF the
New York Herald furnishes that journal
with a rather interesting, but not Wholly
Ineligible. conversation about the future
Of political parties in this country which,
If Is alleged, took place at the national
capitaI between a half dozen prominent
Democrats who were enjoying themselves
at a dinner party.
The one who acted as spokesman of the
party predicted that there would be
sort of break up in political parties in the
next four years, and that party lines
would be shaped on the tariff issue. The
protectionists and the tariff retOrmers,
he thought, were determined to engage in
a sort of life and death struggle for the
mastery, and he felt confident that the
protectiOnists would win because the
tariff reformers persisted in being merely
tariff tinkers, instead of boldly an
nouncing the logical conclusion OF their
programme.
The protectionists. said this Demo
cratic prophet, would unite under the
leadership Of Mr.. Randall, and Mr.. Kan
dali would be their nominee for President
In 1888. lutlI DldlAOAu III HOhA0 ANfNA ~
peaIing all internal revenue laws, raising
all revenue from customs duties, eXer-
cising the utmost economy in public eX-
penditures, and increasing the tariff if
more protection is demanded. On this
platform, the Democrat in question de-
clared, Mr.. Randall, having always been
a Democrat, could carry the entire South
and the manufacturing States Of the
North.
Mr.. Cleveland, he thought, would give
the country wise and satisfactory adj
ministratiOn, but nothing he could do
would hold the two wings of the Demo-
cratic party together. He would favor
/ the tariff refOrmers because he Is imbued
/ with their views, and, hence, would widen
| the breach which separates them from
the protectiOnists. In support of his
theory that the protectionists and tariff
! refOrmers intend to let nothing interfere
with square fight on the tariff issue he
Instanced the refusal Of Congress to rat
lily any enc Of the treaties that has been
negotiated by Mr.. Arthur's administra-
ton. The ratification of these treaties
would have delayed the struggle over the
tariff.
1t was assumed by the chief talker at
this dinner party that there would be a
| Blaine party in 1898, but that it wouldn't
amount to anything, even if it should
shout itself hOarse for protection, because
the great manufacturing interests, know
| ing that it could control neither the South
| ern States. which would certainly oppose
any party tiuctured with Republicanism,
nor the Northwestern States, which will
in the near future declare almost sOlidly
for tariff reform, would throw their entire
| influence for Randalfs protection party.
According to this dinner party talk Mr..
/ Randall will have no trouble whatever in
capturing the Presidency in 1888 on plat
form for which he is at present arranging.
/ The little faction of prOtectiOnistso of which
Mr.. Randall is the leader, is to absorb the
] greater part of the Republican and Dem.
Ocratic parties.
1t Is doubtful if there is n Democrat OF
prominence in the country who would
publish over his own fignature the mat
ter which the Herald prints. The anOnY-
nous Democrat that the Herald quotes is
probably a small satellite of Mr.. Randall.
Ii may be that Mr.. Randall believes that
the South will in few years favor pro-
! lection, but if he lives long enough he
I will be Undeceived. There are few pro-
| tectiOnIsts in the South, but there is no
| prospect that their number will increase,
or that they Will ever be able TO give the
vote of a Southern State to the prOtec-
tiOnists, with perhaps the single eXcep-
ton OF Louisiana. IL the Democratic
party is ever disrupted by the tariff issue
1t is much more probable that the Randall
following will become attached to the Re
publican party than that twill become
the Democratic party of the country.