Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-19
Observation-Disclosures 10, 1885.
Observation-Disclosures

We return to this subject because we
see signs Of dissatisfaction in the Demo
cratic party which are ominous OF evil.
Because man fails to get the office he
endeasored TO get, his opponents or
competitors are set down as enemies OF
the Democratic party. The distinction
between RANDALL Democrats and
CARLISLE Democrats is kept up. Now,
rs we have heretofore said, we agree
with Mr.. CARLISLE and oppose Mr..
RANDALL on the silver question,
whereas we agree with Mr.. RANDALL
and oppose Mr.. CARLISLE on the ques-
ton Of abolishing sll internal taxes.
Now. then, did the President give
good cause Of offence to any Democrat
when he appointed Mr.. MILLER, Of
West Virginia, Internal Revenue Com
missioner over Mr.. THOMPSON, Of
Kentucky, although the latter was re-
commended by two thirds Of the Demo-
Gratis in Congress: Decidedly not. On
the contrary, he lived up to the spirit
of the law as well as the letter Of it..
But Mr.. WATTEBs0N, who is opposed
to the abolition Of the internal-revenue
bureau, lets the public see his shoulder
ing anger in the following article;
ave are not prepared to accept the
defeat Of Phil. Thompson as declara-
ton Of war by the President upon the
friends Of revenue reform, nor the ap-
pcintment of MIR. Miller, OF West Vir-
ginia. as evidence that il is the purpose
of the Administration to set itself
against the intcrnal-reyenue taxes.
which paw more than one third of the
expenses Of the Government. and with
out which there could be no adequate
reduction Of cnstom-house duties. Per-
sonally and locally we very much regret
the decision, but we trust that the APP
prehension OF those who have right
to fair Interpretation and execu-
tioa of the mternal-reyenue laws,
and have regarded the West Vir-
ginian as hostile to them and their in
terests, will be disappointed. The ques-
ton is economic, not moral, and We
shall be slow to believe that it will be
treated by the President and his add
visers in a narrow spirit. 1t will be
given out OF course that this is tri-
umph Of Mr.. Randall over Mr.. Car
Isle that, however. will depend al
together upon future developments. If
the President allies himself to Mr..
Randall he will do it openly and
not clandestinely. IL he does, it
will involve a hopeless split of the
party and new array of political
forces. We want no such conflict,
and shall do all in our power
to avoid it. But if against the
protest Of an overwhelming majority of
Democrats it should come TO pass, the
advocates Of o sound and honest revenue
system will not be found unequal to il.
In affairs of this sort il is best to have
no concealments. Dangers are ofttimes
avoided by going out to meet them. The
President might have eyaded an issue by
the familiar expedient of appointing a
third party,a neutral. or he may con-
slider, and he may be right in consider
ing, that there is no issue at all. To our
mind and imperfect knowledge we are
inclined to think that there is, and that
is not encouraging to the friends Of the
real revenue reform, but we shall wait
with equanimity the course of events
MIR. THOMPSON OF course holds the
views Of Mr.. WATrERsoN and the
Kentucky whiskey ring. and is there
fore opposed to the repeal Of the inter-
nsl-tsx laws. The Democrats Of Viz
ginia, North Carolina. New Jersey,
Pennsylvania. and il may be other
States, have in their local platforms de-
cssred for the repeal Of those laws, and
we do not admit by any means that if
these laws were repealed there could be
no "adequate reduction Of custom
house duties" We are glad, there
fore, that Mr.. THOMPSON did not get
an Office in which il would have been
his privilege, and IN his own opinion a
duty, 10 recommend the continuance Of
the internal taxes.
Bat the worst Of all this kind of talk
Of Mr.. WATrERsoN's is that he coolly
assumes that Mr.. RANDALL and the
Democrats who concur with him in
opinion are not Democrats at all. II
the President allies himself with Mr..
RANDALL sit will involve a hopeless
split Of the party That's cool. Blu,
&c he allies himself with Mr.. CARLISLE
aud Mr.. WArrERsoN then there is to
be no split, we presume.
This means that the RANDALL. men
are Democrats only by suf,eranee. They
i are graciously allowed to vote the Demo
cratic ticket, bat they must ask Office
neither for themselves nor FOR their
friends.
"Thst won't do The Democrats
Of Virginia must see to il that they do
not allow their ranks TO be depleted by
any such illibcrality as Mr.. WAITER
sos manifests. RANDALL Democrats
and CARLISLE Democrats must work
together in 1885 as they did in 1884.
Mr.. fuLHERsoS I'VE believe it was)
told US at the time that Mr.. RANDALL's
speeches in Southwest Virginia last fall
strengthened the Democrats in that sec
tion greatly. Mr.. RANDALLis as good
= Democrat this year as he was last,
and We ought to be Us willing to recog-
pixc bis services after our grand ma
tisaal triumph Is we were anxious to
obtain those services when we we're
ssnyies TO gain that triumph.