The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-03-27
The Party on Trial.

could only remember that they are
on trial it il often said, the country
would get much better government.
Nearly four months of the session
| have passed. and these men have
done nothing to remove public dis
trust Of their capacity nothing to
convince people that the party in
power has any principles or convic
ti0ns nothing, in short, except To
disgrace themselves. The Y act as il
the country had given them lease of
of power for twenty years, and they
could afford to spend the first ten
years in riOtOus scranbling for spoils,
neglect of public business, and slow
requirement of the rudmentary
knowlt dye npedful for the work of
governing. If they could only re-
tnember that the people will pass
judgment on them, one way or the
other, this very year!
In Il few months the people will he
voting for members of Congress, and
for Legislatures which will have S H.
atOrs to elect. Half the people are
oppos' q to the ideas Of the Democrat
H. party, to begin with. II they find
much tO approve in President Cleve.
lands course, it is only because in
some things he has acted as any Re-
publican President would have act
ed. But of the Democratic voters \
larg' number see in Mr.. CIeveland's
course most Scathing rebuke of
Democratic Senators and Rppresen-
tatiYes. They see that the Democrats
in Congress have been savagely fight
ing him. They see that the PreSi-
dent and hi, friends cast the blame
for bad appointing nts he has made
upon the dishonest Democratic MEM
bprs who have advised him. They
see that most of the Democratic
members are pursuing in financial
matters the precise course which their
Republican opponents predicted, and
Whicn Democratic President now
| tells them must he fatal to the public
faith and the public prosperity. Is it
to he supposed that this state of
things will strengthen Democratic
candidates for Congress? Broadly
speaking, if the party as a whole can
not show that il has any principle or
any capacity of governing, and cannot
put Itself on any side of any vital
question. is that a reason for trusting
more power to Democrats
OfcourSe these are pertinent sug-
geStiOnS. The critics who make them
! are not blind to Democratic dangers.
But what would he gained if the
party could he brought to a realizing
sense that it is on trial? Would
that make these men at Washington
really better or more capable men, or
would it only make them greater
hypocritS? Is it for the good of the
country that any party should hood
wink the voters by pretending to be
something that it is not
The Mugwump idea is that such
government hy men who try to We
different from The party that elects
| them, and who live i'm mortal terror
OF defeat by voters who care for no
party, is of all government the best.
| But have not abundant reasons heen
seen for ,liStrusting that theory? A
President without party is not only
"A melancholy spectacle; he is as use
less as the Kelley motor. He can
get nothing done has no friends
whose anxiety for his success perpet
uaIly guards him against error; is
used by the least worthy because
they are the least Scrupuous makes
more grave blunders in sheer ignn-
rance than the worst of party leaders
would ever dare to make; and is ex-
artIy the sort of ruler to be stunned.
| Behind these there is larger and
most important reason for prefprring
government by party. In all great
matters, the prosperity and honor of
thi- country depends upon consistent
and unfinching adherence to certain
principles. Only the petty and pal
try details depend upon the Will Of IL
President without party. the his
tory and well being. the happiness
ard the glory of the Nation dppend
upon the principles which control its
Legislation for long periods.
Thus il comes about that men who
honor Mr.. Cleveland most are forced
To seek for party Ivy which the gov
prnmpnt may be steadily controlled
upon right principles. They are rap
III ' lrhIuin@ that the p,ru"trAtr !,
no, such l,arty.-N T. Tribune.
Proverbs of the Arabs.