Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-04-08
Tho pemecra,ic PartY,s Fstnre.

Tho Democratic party, coming into power
after an involuntary retirement Of nearly .
quarter Of a century, finds the most auspi-
cious conditions for Q SUCCESSFUL admins
tration Of the Government The country
is at peace. The Treasury 10 full. Tho
public credit stands higher than ever before.
There ~ an abundance Of currency which
Is recognized as money NIL over the world.
The United States holds a high place ~ a
nation among the powers Of the earth. The
capacity of the American people for self
government has been demonstrated, not
only by the failure Of the most formidable
rebellion ever organized, hut also by q
peaceful revolution which has broughtback
to power the party which Was chiefly re-
sponsible for thec civil war. All the post
belium legislation has been formed and con.
strued with reference TO o National destiny.
The of the country, the enter
prise OF the people, and the public conf
dence in the endurance Of our institutions
are all favorable to the prosperity Of the
party which to-day assumes the response.
bilty OF government.
On the other hand, the Democratic party
IL unquestionably embarrassed by tradition.
al heresies and present discussions. Its
center OF gravity lies in the South, which
has always dominated its purposes and ac-
NS1cs -
disposition to take his place in Washington
with whip in hand, as he did in the days Of
slavery. He is still able to marshal a ma.
jority in the Democratic caucus. He has
b same domineering and intolerant spirit
which ruled the Democrats Of the North up
to the day Of the Charleston convention.
and destroyed them when they would no
longer submit to Southern dictation. But
the Democrats of the North are not SO meek
now as they were before the war. They
will not be SO content to play the part Of
"doughfaces." They have become very
largely imbued with the spirit Of national
ism. They will resent the LASH. That il
will be applied is sufficiently evident from
Judge Regan's outbreak against President
Cleveland because the latter dared to ex.
press views on the silver question which do
not accord with the prevailing sentiment in
the Democratic church South. But the
Northern Democmts, OF at least o large pro-
portion Of them, have been educated in o
sounder school Of finance, taxation, and
business, and they will not submit the affairs
Of their constituents to the impracticable
methods in vogue or held in theory at the
South. Here is a seed of discord which
will grow and spread rankness unless the
leopard Of the South has changed his
spots.
There are other elements Of dissension
in the Democratic party which will plague
those who are trusted with the management
Of it's affairs. The party is hopelessly di-
vided on the tariff question. The free-trade
wing is in the majority, but the protection
faction has already proved its ability to-
defeat any movement in the direction OF
revenue reform. The agitation of the
project for the repeal of the whisky and
tobacco taxes win also array faction against
faction. On the money question the Dem
ocratic party has for many years been the
refuge for all the cranks and extremists,
until it now includes in large numbers the
goldites, the silver-monometallists. and the
greenbackers. The greed for Office will
entail wide spread dissatisfaction and bitter
resentments. And the disappointment Of
those sanguine people who expected sudden
access Of good fortune from the change"
which was promised them from the stump
will be a stumbling block in the progress Of
the party.
The success or failure of Cleveland's
administration will depend more upon his
party than upon himself. If he we're q man
OF large experience and distinguished abil-
ity be might exert an important influence
over the party's course; as it is, there will
be little for him to do but drift along with
the current which the ruling element in the
party shall set in motion. The prospect il
that the rocks will be numerous aud the
squalls ugly. and that before the four years
cruise is ended the American people will be
eager to return to their old ship-the Re.
publican party-renewed in strength by rest
and repairs. Chicago Tribune.