New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-06
A PARTY ON TRIAL.

It is commonly said that the Democratic
party is on trial. So it is for the ilrst Tune III
twenty five years its capacity to govern anu It's
fitness for the responsibilities OF power are
being tried. But in a sense equally true' the
Republican party is on trial. 1t is called 10 ne"
duties. Thirty years ago it began to teach the
people Republican principles, and taught them
with such vigor and earnestness that IL soon
commanded success. Though some OF the ola
issues have passed away. the principles OF gov
eminent which made the Republican parry
what it was still live. and arc still as necessary
to the welfare of the country as ever. 1et .he'
receive, in the election OF members Oh LON
gress. relatively less support than they received
nearly thirty years ago. This is IN part De-
cause enjoying power apd public confidence,
the Republicans have to some extent neglected
the duty of teaching their principles ana
making them clearly understood IL, now that
it is out of power, the Republican party has not
the zeal to take up again the work OF popular
education, if it has not the firm convictions ana
the devotion to the public welfare when IN
spired its earlier days, it may fail to Dust the
adversary who is no" ntrenching himself Ill the
Government.
To CARY on this work with success there is
needed. first of all, greater confidence IN pol
itical principles, and in their power with the
millions of voters, than the Republican party
has of late years manifested. There has been
apnarent. in some parts of the country at least,
n dispositiop to RELY more upon other agencies
than upon the earnest presentation. of political
Truths Here and there some Republican lead
ers have had more confidence in management,
r. -. tri,EQ and devices,
than in the power of ideas with the millions OF
voters defeat has come TO re'ninu us All
that party has no business To exist unless on
the whole it embodes and expresses the conVic'
tions of the people upon vital questions OF pup
lie policy. Where the people have such conV'c-
tons, which the Republican party has faith-
fully strengthened and deepened. and to when
it has uncompromisingly appealed 1t has been
rewarded by such splendid majontles as were
given in Pennsylvania and In some oVher
States. But where the education OF the voters
has not kept pace with the progress OF events
or the change of issues. or portion OF the ke-
publican party has failed to appeal to public
conviction, different results have followed.
The marty is on trial. If it will stoop, as the
Democratic party has done for many years. 10
seek success by all sorts OF trckery ana
knayery. by the shallow arts of the demagogue,
by appeals to error or prejudice, or by attempted
dishonesty in elections, it will at least prove
that it ought not to succeed. The question VIII
then be whether, !. in such a strife OF degrading
aims and methods, it can overcome a party
which has trained itself for more than thirty
wears to seek success by any means whatever
and has at last succeeded by false pretences.
The truth is that the Republican party has
within it large bodies of voters who will not
stoop to any form of cheating and who will not
consent. AS many Democrats do, to support a
party which processes to be one thing here and
another thing there. If the Republican party
is to succeed at all, it must succeed by honest
faithful and answering adherence to its prin-
ciples-by merit and not by trickery.
| The Republican party is to be tried, more
| over in the duties of an opposition. Perhaps
| the motives of party are never more clearly
disclosed than in It's treatment Df adversaries
TO whom the responsibility of government
has been intrusted. If it is an honorable and
natriotic opposition, it will praise without hes
| itation and support without reserve every ster
that is really for the public welfare 1t will
sock 70 shield no wrong and show no desire tC
minute wrong where none exists. 1t will mani
fest among It's leaders that genuine harmony
which comes only from stronger desire fol
the public welfare than for the promotion o.
any personal ambition. If, tested in this way
the Republican party proves worthy OF the higl
trust which has 80 long been given 1t, the con
trast between its conduct and that of the Demo
cratic party when in opposition will go far Il
shane the verdict Of the people in future cleo
| tons.