Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-11-08

All communications should be addressed to Gazette
| Alexandria, Ia.
Entered at the Postofice at AlesanGria Vroisia, as
| second. class matter.
Cause Oftslc Late Democratic Defeat.
We do not refer to the politician class or
TO the ottice-seekers, but to men who arc
democrats upon principle, who believe that
democracy should be something positively
different from republcaniSm, aud who are
disappointed because the administration is
not more positively and even aggressiyely
democratic. The actual results Of the
change do not seem to them commensurate
with the herculean effort which it coat TO
secure the change, nor with the expectations
had in regard to IT, They are disappointed
that the trat democratic administration in
nearly quarter Of century should haye
pursued so peculiar q policy as to have nb
| so!utely no influence in shaping or stimuIat
ing new, reformutory legislation for the
benefit OF the country, although lis party
holds contro! Of the popular branch Of Con
gress. Three-fourths Of the Offices are still
in possession of the republicans many ras.
Gals have not been turned out; the 'cpeuing
OF the book9'' has not been followed BIZ in
vestigatior Of the past and the dis
closures Of starting dishonesty which it is
| believed that 81 Thorough examination
| would disclose; and, in brief, little has been
wsa expected People complain that the
President has had no fixed policy, but has
been variable and huctuating. He has sub,
| let hia financial policy to Wall street.
He has sublet Cvil.Service Reform
in this city and Massachusetts TO
the independents, while farming cut
| the patronage a. snoi5 10 the politicians
and workers" in other States where the
Senatoria! "bosse5" had to ie pleased and
reform has few supporters. He has treated
as equally deserving OF his favor the men
who supported and those who opposed an
effort 10 redeem the pnrty's pledge to ire
wise the iarifin spirit Of fairness to all il.
| terests,' as means Of Gtating needless war
taxes and preventing q gigantic surplus.
These are but few OF the complaints made
against MIR. Cleveland by thinking, intelli-
gent, independent democrats. We are not
! now considering their justice. We simply
rote that they exist. The very fact that
he MusNump press lauds him in about the
proportion that it abuses the democratic par
ty prejudices many democrats against him.
How can ne be IL donocrat," thcv ask,
while seeking adulaton at the expense Of
his party ?' However strong the President
may be in Galveston or Little Rock, in this
State it is certain that the most active ele-
ment Of the party, outside oi ihe office. hold
ing aud specially favored Class, is not better
pleased with Mr.. Cleveland's course than
when so many of its members acGuiasced un-
willingly III Ais candidacy, and others, in
dangerous numbers, declined 10 vote for
him. N \. World.
We have no hesitancy in laying at Mr.
Cieveiand'S door responsibility for the mis-.
fortune which has oycrtakcn the party in
the less Of CougressmeG it sustained last
Tuesday. We may look upon the result az
rebuke. The un-AmericaD policy he has
pursued in dealing with the party and the
par,isans that elected him to office is the
direct cause OF the apathy Of the party in so
many sections Of the country. He has done
all he could to destroy the party orgeniza-
ton. He has chilled the honorable anbi-
ton of young men and grievously abused
the old leaders, and in dciug these things
he has incurred not only their dissatisfaction,
but the contempt OF all manly republicans.
Indianapolis Sentinel.
To this cause we have 10 add the 6issatis-
faction Of great numbers Of our people at
the extended application OF "civiI acrvice
reform" Under this use of the law the
President has retainnd in Office numbers of
persons who had rendered themselves OBJ
noXious by reason Of their department. In
the nature of things he could not be inform
ed Of all the facts in such cases, and the re-
suit has been that in very many localities
men are still in office who, under the Presi.
dents own rulings, ought to have gone out.
Yes, men are still in the enjoyment of of.
fees and emolumeEts who have shown on
frequent occasions that they did not regard
q public Office as public trust" and
who are known to have been deep
and active in the ntrigues of the
Malone republican party in this State
Now. it may not be 4 very lofty or COM
makes democratic voters stay at home when
the polls are open, because Of their dissatis-
faction at such things as we have recited
but the facts of human nature are those
with which we have to deal, and, in accord
auce with these, great numbers of democrats
retired in disgust from the ballot boxes on
the I'd of this month. h.-Norfolk Landmark
The democrats are disbeartered. The
policy of the administration has emascula.
ted the old party and destroyed the old
campaign fire. The workers will no longer
work and the rank and file will no longer
turn out. They maintain that they cannot
see any difference between the present ad-
ministration and its republican predecessors.
-Wash. Sentinel.
The two biggest Congressional majorities
in New York were given to Mr.. Amos J.
Cummings and Col. Merriman, members of
| the SUMS staff. And both of them are anti
civil service reformers !-Norfolk Iirginian.
We believe that the main cause of the de-
feat is the demoralization of the party by
what is called ''mugWumpery .''-Richmond
Times
Mr.. Cleveland, instead of fuding himself
with both houses democratic, possibly has
elevated civil service to that extent of ruin
ing his party and certainly defeating Bis
chances for tion.-Abingdon pir-
ginian.
The democrats have acted upon the suici-