Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-09-13
DAILY POST InTELuGENcER


etsnge which took place czrins and
Immediately preceding the Rebellion %
the stadsnt ~ the pseseC,. TITS opinion
has noeh % sustAin e. Aiibo7gn Is
cannot be admitted that Ehs present
change In party lines viil bs ~ gres; A.
that which vas pro5ased BY the slavery
and secession iszaes, is cannot, on the
other band. be denied that change Of
considerable importsnes is actually
taking place. The Presidential cam
nalgn Of last year would establish this
fact, IL there we're 10 other evidences
u the change. Compare the supporters
Of Mr.. Blaine with those Of General
Garfield In 1850. and those Of Mr..
Cleveland With those Of General Han
cock. Mr. Cleveland vas earnestly sap
ported by thousands ~hO had oppossd
Gsnerai Hancock jazt a. earnestly, and
those who had thus changed we're lot
in any sense what are D@aally termed
Iudspsndsnts. Oh the contrary tbeg
wsrs Republicans whS for reasons
which they deemed sufficient had
crossed over and taken their places
within tbs Democrats iipss. This &C
ton In the cases Of suck polItiesi
wsathsroocks ~ Carl seharz and the
Mes York Hsyah really meant nothing.
Bat, previous 20 the campaign OF lss4,
xho vOald have dreamed Of question
Tag the Kepublicsuism o. such men a.
George William Curtis. Beniamis II.
Brisiov, Henry Ward Beeeher, horass
Is. Clafiin sad Roscoe ConklinR, OF Of
saoh journals a. Harpsy's Wsskly, the
New York Times and Esesir9 P0sff Yet
such leaders seversd their connection
With their party, and large nambsF Of
men Who bad always been earnest Re
pubiiozns left the ranks With them. IL
Was inss AZ strange 10 See such a pa
per as the IrisA Worli advocating the
election OF Mr. Blaine. To the blindest
IT Vas plain that considerable section
Of the Republican party had passed
within the Democratic ranks, and that
a section OF the Democratic party had
passed within the Republican ranks.
such was the irst great change.
Bot this movement did not end with
the defeat Of Mr.. Blaine. II esniinues-
while men are not nov actually passing
from the ranks Of one party into those
OF another. both parties are gradually
rsadissting their lines and conforming
themselves 20 a new order Of things.
Old issaes are being dropped. and new
ones are being cautiously approached.
Nothing could indicate this more plain
~ than has the reception Of Senator
shssmsn's opening speech in the Ohio
campaign. This speech did not differ
essentially fron many that the same
politician had previously delivered. IL
dealt largely with var issues. II was
received With loud expressions Of dis
approval from the press Of the country,
not only frsm the Democratic wing of
IL, bat from large portion Of the Re
publican ~ we'll. Only few of the
Republican iournals approved 10 hearth
ly. The others either we're non com
initial or openly disapproved the waving
Of the bloody shirt, a. 1t vas called.
And yet, n there wss reason for waving
the bloody shirt in 1880. there Is equal
reason In 1855. The conditions Of the
seathern problem have changed IN no
particular. The issue Is the same; 1t is
the opinions Of men which are chang
ing.
This change Of opinion. aud cosse-
qnept change Of political affiliations. IL
bat iust begun That 10 must continue
10 clear when the condition OF the DO
liticai field is taken into consideration.
There are bali dozen important issues
upon which the political battles Of the
near futare may be fought. These are
the old var issues. the tariff, the silver
question. reform IN the civil service,
Chinese immigration. monopoly. the
disposition Of tbs public lands, and,
possibly. prohibition. On other ques-
tons there 10 substantial agreement.
The var issues. including the whole
race problem and all that may grow out
Of IL. are still poweEful--perhaps the
most powerful Of ail-in controlling
political action. II Ia not improbable
thai majority Of the members Of the
Republican party base their connection
With that party entirely on memories
Of The var. They are Republicans
because the Republican party 10 the
party thai saved the Union, and be-
cause the Democratic party vas in sym
pAthy With shose who sought 10 destroy
II. This is the only question upon
which the parties are divided, and il
does not appear that II will ever again
be made The prominent issus. The re.
eertion Of sherman's speech indicates
that tie old cries no longer stir the
bleed a. they once did. Even on that.
then, opinions are rapidly changing,
and on no other question are people
divided ON party lines. Suppose the
tariff should be the next prominent
tsae. while the majority Of Republi- |
cans are probably prossct,onists, aad
HE majority OF Democrats tarifi re-
formers. there would have 20 be most
emphatic readiastmens Of party line.
IN order TO array all the pro,ecsionisss
on one side and all the tariff reforrzsrs
on The other, Any other Of The issues
mentioned would involve as great a c H.
rapsion Of both Of the present parties.
Men will not allow The force % associa-
sson 10 predcmiaass over conviction fer
any great length Of time. when the
neg issue, whatever ID may be. comes
ny. they gill adjust themselves With
reference 10 10.
The observation Of this change viii
be uaost interesting. One can enly
speculate as 10 how far IL will go and To
what point II ~lll carry Us. The only