The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-03-03
TWO EDITORIAL CONVENTIONS.

There were two editorial conventions in !
session in this city during the past few days
"a convention OF Democratic editors and;
one of Republican editors. 1t were safe tos]
take the views expressed by the gentlemensj
composing these bodies as the opponents of1
the mean of the opinions of the constituency
OF each. Without wishing in any sense to !
be considered personal and not impugning
either the motives or courtesy OF the Repub-
lican editors, the comparison between them
is striking, and favorable to the Democratic
editors. A perusal of the speeches made by
each reveals that the discussions of the DEM
ocratc editors were the grave issues of the !:
present and of the immediate fature-ques-
fons of trade, finance, tariff, the great labor
problem and the supremacy of law and its
better execution. The expressions of the
Republicans were on the solid South" the
ante-war condition cof the negro, the neces-s
sity for prolongation Of the state OF seige in
the South, or that all embracing topic, dead
these fifteen years, summed up in the phrase
"bloody shirt" In short, one party is dis
cussing the present, the future; the other Is
discussing the past.
1t were unfair to assume that every Repub-
.dican is Bourbon in respect to ideas, but it.;
il fair to assume that the ruling mass of the5
party are the real redectors of the sentiment:
orystalized BY their editors. Conversely, thee
same logic may be applied to the Democrats, &
and it at once places the guiding principles
Of the Republican party as the principle Of.
reaction, and the guiding spirit of the Dem-s
cratic party as tie principle OF progress.
A generation has passed with the Repub-
licans in power. Always in state of de-f
fense of their 'war record" always points
ing with pride" to a successful past, it nat-z
srslly forgot its interest and responsibility
IN the future and ignored the necessities of
the ever present. Democracy, while in the5
minority, was compelled by necessity as thess
attacking party. to look to the future for a.
policy and to the present in matters OF p6Ss
iiticai exigency. Perhaps were the life of
parties Of a few years only. such a marked
reversal of principle would not be observed,
bat the fact is no less certain that. as parties:
OF reaction and progress, Democrat and Re
publican have changed places since 1860.
From the moment when war with Spain
became imminent, and which moment saw
the swords of hundred thousand Southern,
ers voluntarily offered to President Grant for
effense or defense of the country. IN what
seemed a certain event of war, at that mo-
neut it became evident that the South was
an integral part of the spirit of the unity of
the commonwealth. From the moment when
the political leaders of three Southern States
asked to be placed under martini law and
preferred the rule of the United States mill
tary arm to the destructive government of
carpet-baggism. from that moment it was
evident to the people of the North that not
emily was the Republican scheme of recon-
struction virtually weak as a measure of
craftsmanship, but totally incapable of deal
ing with the commonest necessities. The
Republican party, or that part of it which
was identified with the civil war, could not
forget that climaxic event, nor could they be
brought into rapport with new issues and
new necessities that by this time had begun
to come up for solution. These differences
have become intensified and crystaiized into
strong dividing lines, until now the Repubii-
can party. still welded 10 the past, rises to
support exactly the thing it unanimously
ceademned-controi of the country by
Senatorial factions quarter OF century
ago.
That the great labor question. the monop-
ely question. the financial question the
tariG question, the industrial questions
questions all fraught with tremendous i'm
port-reeeived little or no recognition at the
har,do of mr. Ran,.bs;oa., aH:k<x~a ,~-oa.s-oo
such lamentabie lack of perception of those
urgent things IS 10 be matter of the gravest
apprehension, especially this indifference,
is but a reflection of the indifference of their
support. That these things called for the
most earnest attention and discussion on the
part of the Democratic editors is also evil
dence that they a reflection of the spirit
and intentions of the masses of the party
whose opinions they not only assist to
mould, but from whom their own are in
tura moulded; and it indicates that the
great reforms imbedded in these questions
must take their impetus from the Democratic
party.
But there is one thing upon which the
members Of both conventions are united,
while each puts its own partisan interpre-
tation of its import. It is the civil service
humbug. On this both are partisan, while
beneath this psrtisansbip is the mutual
disgust for the hypocrisy, the deceit and the
useiessness of the so-called code that means.
if it were made effectuai, the government of
the country by star chamber methods In
this both are honest. but here they split off
upon their grounds of partisan strategy for
partisan advantage This is not the place TO
discuss the private policy OF. the President,
that while practically it is an endorsement
of the popular will in the distribution of the
Offices, is reaching it by a method that does
not meet the judgment. the honesty OF spirit.
with which the masses of both parties agree
the civil service should be managed
OF course We do not make these compari-
sons in the individual sense. We wish an
dividud members Of the Republicsa pres
now visiiiDg With u the strongest psuQnd