New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-03
TREST TILE PEOPLE.


Every general election is at bottom a test OF
the intelligence, the common honesty, and the
patriotic feeling of the people. Every Nation
al Convention, therefore, in which either party
prepares for Presidential election, is test OF
that party's measure of the peoples intellgence'
honesty and patriotism. If the party aims too
low, judges the people to be mainly fools or
knayes il risks defeat. That is the mistake
which cheap demagogues are constantly max
ing II il aims too high, crediting the people
with mere intelligence than the majority OF
voters possess, or with more straightforward
honesty of purpose and hatred of deceit, or with
more of ardent zeal for the welfare and honor
of the country and readiness to forego private
advantage for public good, it also runs the risk
of defeat But that is fault which the Demo-
cratic party has never and the Repubica
party has rarely committed, for all demagogues
and many practical politicians are prone to
underrate the people.
This year the Prohbitionists and the advo-
Gates of woman suffrage have Joined forces
There is a characteristic admixture OF sense
and folly in this cOmbination-just that admxt-
ure to which common sense people instinctiyely
apply the term crank" The men who have
practical sense and patriotic feeling in many
things, but on others are no better than luna
tics, need private ticket just as every well
regulated county needs It's insane asylum. The
political prohibitionst who puts up National
ticket. knowing that it can have no other ra-
tional purpose than to elect Grover Cleveland
and to place the rum party in power lacks
common honesty and imagines that voters
lack common sense The sincere believer IN
female suffrage, who consents to ally hlnseh
with such dishonest scheme to help the saloon
party in the name Of temperance, prostitutes
aims that are high to the basest OF uses. Inc
Crank ticket will get few votes this year, be-
cause most men who want to help the Demo
cratic party will have the practical sense and
the manhood to vote the Democratic ticket
The tariff issue as THE TRIBUNE long ago
warned Mr. George and his associates, mas
broken to pieces what was expected to be
labor party. The extreme and radical free
traders, like Mr.. George himself, hold it their
duty to do their utmost for Mr.. Cleveland, be-
cause he has done his utmost for their cause
An overwhelming majority of the labor voters,
realizing that the tariff issue is more important
to their interests as wage-earners than any
ether which can be affected by their votes tins
year. will refuse to throw away those votes on
side issues. If they believe in free trade they
will help the Democratic party, with practical
shrewdness recognizing that vote for Mr.
Cleveland may count, while vote for any third.
fourth or fifth candidate will not count at all.
If they believe in protection, common sense
will equally prompt them to vote directly for
Republican candidates. Other phases OF the
lab or question will have to wait, whether they
wish it or not, because nine-tenths of the people
intend to settle the tariff question first.
Will the Republican party frame its campaign
on the theory that the people are half dishonest,
or half destitute of practical sense? shall we
see the party trying to cater to every Ignorant
prejudice, to all sorts of narrow selfishness, TO
| the hypocrtical cant of men who are " reform
ers' for revenue only, to the men who care
much for fine spun theories and nothing for
practical results? Or shall we see that great
party, rising to the height Of great occasion,
place before the people in broad and direct
terms the issue of full protection for American
rights and American industries, as the one
which now overshadows all others, and upon
which voters ought to be invited to unite re-
gagdless of all others? That depends upon the
conception which Republican delegates have Of
| the intelligence, the common honesty and the
patriotic feeling Of the people. They may
well remember that the party has won all its
great victories by trusting the people to know
their true interests by trusting the people to
show common honesty and to despise deceit in
dealing with National questions; by trusting
the readiness of the American people to make
great sacrifices Of personal interest or feeling,
if necessary, for the Nations honor and welfare
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