The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-04
THE WARNING.

The election, on Tuesday, verified the
correctness OF The pred ctions of good
Democrats during the past eighteen
months. 1t has been urged all along
that the course which Mr.. Cleveland
was pursuing with reference TO hiI
party, would prove serious 10 the Dem
ocra3Y. A hIghiy influential class.
politically. are the Office LoIders. They
have been influential since we have bad
a government, and will be while the
worth as much to his party as dozen
or more private citizens. The influence
of the ofhce- holding army has hitherto
betn with the party in power. But Mr..
Cleveland entertained cranky and i'm
practicable ideas about the government
service, and the effect OF putting those
ideas into operation is seen in the elec-
ton returns. Instead OF giving his
party the benefit OF the influence of the
ofice-holders, he permitted the opposi-
ton to retain and exercise that intiu-
ence against his own party, and even
went so far IS 10 deprive Democratic
officials OF the privilege of working for
the success of their political organiza-
ton. The result is, just what has been
predicted losses al along
the line. The fact cannot be disguised,
that Tuesday wrought most disastrous
defeat Of the national Democracy. The
party's msjority in Congress has been
reduced from 43 TO II or is, and
sJme Of the solest men in the party
have been defeated; State governments
and State Legislatures have been lost
and q. sster generally has overtaken
the party. Waen this outcome has
been predicted, ii has been met By the
assertion that there could not be such
great dissatisfaction with the President
as alleged. because the State conventions
haa all endorsed his administration.
Conventions do not always voice the
sentiment Of the people. The approx
ing resolutions adopted in those conven-
tons were dictated by policy" they
were not expressions of sincerity, bu:
were pat forth as something that should
b. done, and which might be encourag-
ing. The Democratic masses adopted no
resolutions Of approval; on the contrary,
they lost hope at the continuance Of the
same old rule which had prevailed so
long; they became discouraged and dis
gusted and on Tuesday they could not
refrain from administering a rebuke 10
the administration.
It's TO be hoped that Mr.. Cleveland
VIII have the ability 10 understand the
meaning Of the voting, and the courage
20 need the lessen that has been given.
II he has not and will not, the Demo-
Gratis might as well make up their minds
a. once to accept the inevitable and pre-
pare for another lohg period Of Repub-
lean rule. a continuance of Cleve-
lands policy to the end of his term will
put It out OF the question that the
Democrats can elect a President
two years hence. If the Presidential
election were to occur next month
the Democrats wouldn't carry a single
Northern State, and two or three of the
Southern States would vote with the
Republicans to DO away with an ad-
ministration which is neither one thing
nor another, politically, and is without
skill or ability In craftsmanship. The
only hope for the Democrats in 1883
lies in a change of policy on the part OF
the administration. If the President
will give to the party that which it has
honestly earned. If he viii put out of
Office the men who are doing what they
can to defeat the Democracy, and if he
will withdraw his childish orders for
bidding a man TO be = man as soon as
he accepts an Office, the Democracy may
save its inheritance; but if the President
VIII not do those things, Blaine or any
other Republican who gets the Republi-
can nomination in 1888 will have q
walk-over. Democrats will not grieve
over last Tuesdays disaster if the warn
ing which 1t conveys shall be needed.