The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-01
ON TRIAL.
The Lesson which the Late Defeat should
Teach the Republican Party.


Teach the Republican Party
II j. commonly said that the Demo
cratic party i on trial 50 1t i; for the
first tine in twenty-five years Il, ca
pacity 10 govern and its fines Tor the
responsibilities If power are beng tried.
But in 4 SENSE equally true. ii. Rcpab-
lean party is on trial IL is ca'lci 10
new duties Thirty year> ago IL begal
TO teach the people Republican princi,
piles, and taught them with suci yigor
and carnestncs. that it soon commanded
success. Though some Of the old ISSUES
have passed away. the principle. Of
government which mad. the Republican
party what il was stall live, and are -tIll
as necessary 10 the welfare Of the cou1-
try a. ever. Yet they receive. in the
election Of members o! Congress. rela-
lively less support than they received
nearly thirty years ago. 1hl, i IN part
because, en- oving power and public
confidence, the Republican. have -
some extern. neglected the duty IF teach
ing their principles AM making them
clearly understood. Ii, COW that il :
out Of power. the Republican party has
not the zeal u take up again the work
Of popular education. if it has No the
firm convictions and the devotion To the
public welfare which inspired is earlier
day. itmay fail To Dust the adversary
who istnow intrenching himself IN the
Government.
TO carry on this work with success
there i, need. first of all. a greater con-
iidcnce in political principles, and III
their power with the million voters.
than the Republican party has of lat,
wears IN inif"s,ci. There ha, been APP
parent. in ON parts of the country 1T
least. = disposition to rrly more upOn
other a@cncie, than upon the earnest
presentation os political truths. Here
and there some Republican leaders
have had more confidence ia manage
men'. more faith'in temporary tricks
and devices. than in the power Of ideas
on the millions Of voters. \ dcfca. has
come t. remind u, all that a party ha.
~ business To exist unless on the whole
il cmhodics and expresses the convic-
tons Of the people upon vital questions
OF public policy. Where the people
have such convictions. which the Re-
publican party has strengthened and
d~eapcn.d. AMI to which it has uncom-
prom;sing!y appealed. it has been re-
waried by such splcnd majorities as
were given in PENNSYLVANIA and some
other States.
The par; i, on trial. If it will stoop.
n the Democratic party has done for
many years, 10 seek success 10y all sorts
of trickcry and knavcrv. by the shallow
arts Of the dcmagoCuc. by appeals to
error or ~prcindice. or by attempted dis
honesty IN elections. it will at least
prove that il ought no to succeed. The
question will then be whether. in such
Il strife of degrading aims and methods,
ii can overcome y party which has
trained itself for more than thirty years
10 seek success. by any means whatever,
and has AT last succeeded BIZ false pre-
lenses. The truth is that the Rcpub-
lican party has within it large hOdie
IF voters vino will not s.oop to any
form of cheating. and who will not on
sent. As many Democrats do. 10 support
4 party when Processes Ia be one thing
her. and ano'hrr thing thcr". If the
Republican party is TO succeed nj all. il
must succeed by honest. faithful and
answering adherence To its principles
by merit and not by trichery.
The Republican party is to be tried.
moreover. in the duties of an OPPOSE
ton. Perhaps the motives Of = party
are never more clearly disclosed than in
its treatment, Of adver>arics to whom
the responsibility of government has
been intrl.S,cd. II it is an honorable
and patriotic opposition. it will praise
without hesitation and support without
reserve every stc;, that is really for the
public welfare. IL will seek To shield
no wrong. and show no desire To i'm
pute wrong where hone exists. II will
manifest amO>- its leaders that genu n ,
harmony which CONES orly from Il
stronger desire for the public welfare
than for the promotion of any personal
ambition. II. tested in this way. the
Rcpubl can p'rty proves worthy or the
high thu t which has So long been given
il, the contrast between It's conduct and
that o. the Democratic party when in
opposition will 20 far - shape the Yer
diet of the people in future elections
n J Tribune