Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-09
Aft.r-EIect,on Palitiea
Nor IA plenatch.l

flor tho Dispatch
Your paper has been doing good
service in the editorial articles and COM
ments that have appeared in il since the
election, and the free discussion Of the
political situation in the State and the
South nnder the inspiration Of this mo-
mentions occasion may do much good.
To use an old chestnut fbut a sound
one), Hindsight is always better than
foresight" and when the late election has
broughttolightso much that wasnot made
evident before. there IS no better time TO
make politics effective upon future cleo
tons than now to impress the public
mind with the lessons OF defeat, while 1t
is more open 10 conviction and ready
10 take such lessons 10 heart. We can
now afford. while not under the pressure
of an approaching election, to speak out
in meeting and try to reconcile all party
differences within the party. The French
have a saving that 1.-the unexpected
happens, which applies better to poll
tic. than 20 any other affair OF life. as
has never been better exemplified than
in the late election. OF all uncer-
tain things in this life politics
is the most uncertain, and one Lesson
we have learned in this election ia
never under any circumstances TO allow
ourselves 10 become too confident of the
result Of any election, but TO observe n
CAIN, determined demeanor and never
prophecy tho result either way more than
to impress upon the minds of all with
whom we come IN contact that "where
there is a will there is n way, and that
the result depends more upon getting
every man to 90 his duty than upon
anything else, and that we can win il We
viii. 1.-THE same time the folly of de-
spairing Of the result is greater than that
OF being too confident, as We so often
succeed where we least expect to sue
coed. As our chiei in this State has so
well said, Politics is business, and bust
ness IL business. TO succeed in politics
as in any other business the more money.
time, attention, and regular business
principles We put into It the more we
may be assured Of success. and the goal
of success in this. as in every other busi-
ness, can only be reached by watchful
zeal and uutiriug endeayor Next TO re-
ligion no affair of life Is more serious,
important, and deserving Of our best ef-
fort than good government, which can
only toe secured by the supremacy OF tho
best elements and nearest approach to
perfection in political affairs, and this is
rs essential to human welfare as the
great law Of nature" The survival Of
the fttest" is to the progress Of the
world.
TIE CAUSE OF DEFEAT,
10y an analysis of the election figures in
the State Of New York, as far as the
general result goes, has been pretty well
ascertaincd to DO the trading of Ceve-
land votes by Hewitt and the County
Democracy with the Republicans for
votes for Harrison, and this was also
done, but 10 a much less extent, by the
over-zcalous friends of Governor Hill
sAd Mayor Grant, but without their
knowledge or consent. This in conjunc-
ton with the immense bribery and cor
uptlon fund contributed from Carna-
gie's cart-loads, MortOn's millions. Wan
namakers wealth, Quay's quota, and
other such sources, and the shameless
buying of votes at any price in New
York, Indiana, and other places de-
fcated Mr.. Cleveland, and the tariff
question had little or nothing 10 DO with
it, But victory brought about by such
disreputahle means BODIES no good 10
the victors; and all Democrats ought TO
take courage aud not despair. for with
all the elements of discord and disinte-
grafton that slumberngly exist IN the
Republican party which time will de-
vclop, it takes 10 seer to foretell It's
death in four years. But
WHAT Ais VIRGINIA?
tho Comicr-.Iourn0l asks. Nine tenths
Of the people OF Virginia are in favor Of
the Blair educational bill, Both parties
had We'd with each other in advocacy OF
it, The Di6pdtch had cOnspicuously
made able, unnnswerable editorial com
ment and argument in its favor, and
other Democratic papers and speakers
had advocated 1t in season and out
of season. a Democratic Legislature
had twice instructed our members of
Congress in both houses TO sup
port and vote Tor it, and Iesolu-
ton in its favor had been engraited
in our party platform, and yet a Demo
cratic House OF Representatives stood In
the way OF It's consideration and passage,
and this lost us one member OF Congress
In the First district and reduced our ma
iorlty in the State. II was useless to tell
the voters they ought not 10 blame the
Democratic party OF Virginia for what
the party in Congress did, and 1t was not
a party question there, although it WAS
and is a party question IN this State.
Most OF them could not be prevailed
upon to look upon it IN the right light,
and If the Democrats in Congress de-
sired 10 see Virginia always in the Dem
ocratic column the best thing they can
do will be to pass the Blair bill this win
ter. and our members in the House OF
Representatives should each endeavor to
make a record for himself upon this
question. The abolition Of the
INTERNAL-REvRSUE LAWS
having been made part OF the Demo
cratic creed in previous elections in this
State, after the people had been pro-
missed it, and POLITICALLY educated to ex-
pect it, the laws should have been abol-
ished although the sober second
thought will not approve the entire aboli-
ton Of the tax on whjskey, but a reduc-
ton Of the tax should be made which
would stimulate the production of fruit
brandies, increase sales and consump-
ton, and produce as much revenue IS
under the present high tax 1t would
only be equitable and fair to divide the
net proceeds of the tax with the States
in which it is collected, which would
make the burden of the tax 80 much less
on the people upon whom it falls that il
could then be cheerfully borne. Needed
legislation upon this question in Con-
gress this winter under o Democratic
Administration will help Virginia in the
next election. A Democratic Legislature
neglected Its duty in not amending
kTHE INJECTION LAWS
to proteSthe secrecy OF the ballot and
prevent intimidation. The Republicans
have only one ticket-holder and he is
permitted TO take seat or stand right
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