Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-07-10
A PARTY's SAD CONFESSION.

Nothing could have illustrated
more forcibly than the short but
suggestive career of the present adj.
ministration that the Democratic
party has not within it the capacity
to successfully manage the affairs of
this great nation of ours, or the in
teligence to meet aud solve the po.
l;sical and social problems as they
arise. II one opposed in politics to
the ruling party were to make this
charge, the impartial auditor would
be apt to be incredulous, and attrib-
ute this dissatisfaction to party feel.
ing and political disappointment.
But when the charge is made di.
rectly by prominent men and organs
of the party which controls the adj
ministration, the case assumes an
entirely different aspect, and the
patriotic citizen demands to know
by what right party which con-
fesses its own incapacity To manage
the affairs OF state dares to remain
in power to the detriment OF the
commonwealth. Such a confession
Of weakness is most unusual event,
and things must be in deplorable
condition to bring it about. And
yet, within the last week or so, the
confession has been made over and
over again by representative men
and organs Of both branches of the
Democratic party. Congress itself
is in dilemma. The Democrats
do not wish to adjourn without hav-
ing fulfilled a single promise made
in their Chicago platform and on
the hustings, and a continued ses-
sion would only more completely ex-
pose their weakness that there is
not even dim prospect of better
success should Congress remain in
session all summer. They are fear.
ful of the universal censure that
must needs be their immediate lot
on adjournment, and are afraid to
continue because the storm postpon-
ed will be all the more terrible when
it eventually breaks upon them. The
only question that worries them now
is to decide whether they shall meet
the storm at once or temporize.
No Republican paper has made a
stronger arraignment Of the utter
failure of the party to conform to its
pledges than the following from
Watterson's Louisville Courier Jour
nal:
The Democratic party was large
enough two years ago to elect Mr..
Cleveland and TO secure a majority
in the House but what is its victory
WORTH
Has it cut down expenses to any
considerable extentf
Has it to any degree improved
the currency
Has it done anything whatever to
relieve the industrial depression
Did the party's majority in the
House prevent the passage Of an
extravagant River and Harbor bills
Are the pension bills in danger
because the Democrats control the
committeei
And, most important Of all, has
Democratic victory lightened tax.
alton at any point, or diminished
the annual surplus; surplus which
is the one excuse for extrayagant
appropriations and the cause OF cor
rupt legislation
In fact, it was to all intents
fruitless victory. It was a victory
which saved us from four years
carnival Of political crime under
Blaine, undoubtedly, but its adyan-
tages were purely negative.
The promises of relief held out in
our national platform have not been
kept. The hope that extravaganza
would end, economy prevail, and
reduction of taxation would be made,
| limiting the revenues to the actual
needs of an economical government,