New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-16
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
THE DEMOCRATIC RECORD.
WHAT SORT OF CONSIDER ALTON DOES IT COM.

MAND FOR THE PARTY.
To- the Edttor Of The Tribune
Sir: In the heat OF political campaign liko ms
wo can hardly look for that fairness of treatment by
one party or the other which we could wish The
Republicans, as well the Democrats, sometimes
fail In this respect The Tribune has love for the
Democratic party IT being scarcely possible In inc
nature OF things that any person OF sound nina anu
average intelligence should have, but believe that
there many mitigating circumstances In connec-
ton with its dismal cd disastrous career whcn
should be taken into consideration.
The Democratic party never OF course, accom-
pllshed anything but has 1t had fair chance'
Let us take a hurried but impartial glance at one
period OF the history Of the Democratic party, say
from 1851 to 1865 and II Il has not had something
TO contend with. is II reasonable in us 10 eAPeo'
much Of party which for four years was hopeiessH
divided THAT IS, divided by hostile army COM
manded by Grant, Sherman and others DOCS IL iooA
well In us to demand much Of party when ior ioui
years was cut In two by army Of several hunuroa
thousand Of the enemy Should we expect any sro"'
concerted action questions Of National ihpor'sn'o
In a marty whose leaders are cut of from commune
eating with one another by army with musAe's
with bayonets on them
What time had a party leader to give his a''e"'lon
to great questions OF state when no was "eaI'ns
gray uniform and sneaking along behind ran ioneo
irving TO get a shot at man picket duty In the
careful preparation Of great speeon
nv another party leader when he Is forced
to raise $500 70 give a substituted Where Is 'ho
renuisite freedom from disturbing elements LOT s'"
man his mind 10 questions WHICH a. -
welfare of the human when nc has 10 s'a"u upo
o narrow plank guard a prison PEN anu PpD'
Just as he has last got his mind on 10 I"'lOi'
have TO stop and blaze away at a HcnocI VI w
stion who has crawled over the dead-line! no" can
Won look for the members OF party to mako ucr
mark on the age when they eking out ihisciaoo
existence in Canada till the draft blows oNeI' ms
are but O few Of the things the Democrauo parry ~
subjected to- and is 1t strange that 1t has never
plIshed anythingl Would the Republican party nave
done any better II IT had been placed In Inc saie ~
barrasslng and divided conditions
For ever four years the Democratic party didnt
know where f. was. one member might be shoouhs
another members substitute OF worse YET ono mem
hers substitute might be- and probably was ic'i"e
the psrty's strength every time he pulled Inc u'se.
At least the party was sound, the majority In its ras
who held the same views on all questions was 30 e
az to make it practically unanimous. but the uouDie
was that it couldn't get together TO hold any srca
conventions or other gatherings. A parry eahno' O'
At IFS best with picket lines running through Inc
middle Of II. $3.50.
So as a party It languished. 1t did not branch out
on any great course. No new lines were marheu ou'.
one great leader put on pair OF cavalry Ooo's "u'
hoop-sAlrt and struck out boldly In ne" uirtoHo'
but even lac balhcd. ,..on og
As we SAID before, how much Dctter vi
would the Republican party have been II had poen
placed in the same position Would Abraham LIu
coin have been apt have stood out as inc 9ea'es.
ngure In the nations history, not excepting IIs
founder If he had had 10 get on hard rang nurse,
travel half way across the state Of hailsaS' LaLl
burn a town and reduce the population ana get Dach
into safety before morning. what could We nav
looked fur in lillian H. seward If lie had been uDiel
to sneak out in the dark Of tho moon anu purh
d negro orphan asylum , ,
For four terrible years the Democratic party va
either behind a tree plugging away al the cncnis
with an old musket that kicked Ike an elcplaht,
or IL was dOdg ng around the corner on the run 10
escape al obnoxious and deadly draft There was
no chance for II to come together anu iOIniulato
great plans OF action chance for fIee e4chanso
Of views no chance for its members 10 lntefchahse
that indiV ldual wisdom which brings forth movements
which Influence the world. The party felt that us
Headquarters at Richmond but half Of u coudh
get there owing to the poor travel ne facilities.
The great leader who put on the hustle ana req
flannel petticOat might have been starting on pubc
course which others might have followed but ne
got caught before he fully elucldated Just what his
movement was going 10 be worth to the country.
50. a said before perhaps 10 Is not strange
that the party has never had any great National
IDEAS II hasn't had fair chance yet II II ISN'T
divided again. after two or three gcne atoms II may
amount something. While ii is Of no Use 10 the
country present. let Us, al least. be charitable
towards IT, and admit that perhaps 1t has done |
about as well could expect. considering. L.
Topeka Kansas, Aug. 4, 1ooS.