Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-02
MONDAY, JANUARY ?. 1888.
THE NATIONAL NEW YEAR.

THE NATIONAL NEW YEAR.
 We have had the festive New Years Day, when friendly reunion and family enjoyment were in the ascendant, each one pledging the other by the associations ot the Past to continuance in the Future of social intimacies and domestic loves. We have had our religious New Years Day in the offerings of prayer and praise in our Churches, celebrative of the second great event in the humanity of the Divine Re deemer; and now descending to matters mundane, and not always mirthful or moral, we enter upon the National New Year with it's surroundings, in the present, of political duties; and its hopes in the time to come of political triumphs. The chimes that at midnight on Saturday, pealed forth welcome to the year that had just been born, had the accompaniment of funereal dirge to the memory of its just expired predecessor; but the dirge was soon for gotten in the, birth-hour delights and the mutual compliments of Happy New Year overshadowed the memory of all the un- happiness of the year that had gone. Yes terday in the churches of all denomina- tions it was unqualified joy; there was none of the associations of death to sug- gest dirge tone in the canticles of glad ness And then, in the felicities and fes- tivities of the people after prayer, there was ample field for home happiness. Out of doors it was dull and dreary enough; sleet followed snow, and rain came down as a supplemental winter-tribute to the season; but this condition perhaps made it all the pleasanter for indoor intercourse; contrast heightens lustre; and the wealth CT that prevented sleigh-riding on the plains but more amply promoted the freside comforts of the parlor. .f.
 All the New Years festivities may be considered formally at an end; and now come we down to the concerns of the work-a-day world. To-day we begin our New Years duties, or should begin their to take to heart what he owes to himself, to his family, to society and to the nation The debt is in fact one, each part or branch of it making an inseperable ingredient of 8 great whole. The people cannot be happy if the nation is misgoverned. Society is outraged when selfshness holds the reins of power. And therefore it is that the duties of the National New Year become prominent and demand promptness from this day forward. We 4lo -uential campaign. There will be six months or more before the important work of the nominating Conventions; some four months, after, for the earnest work of platform canvass; but all these months be- fore and after can be anticipated and util- lzed in local earnestness and honesty of action. Democracy is in possession of the Administration, and Democracy must hold it. It would be suicidal if after the ex- periences of quarter century's misrule- during which the Jeffersonian principles of Democracy were trampled out of sight, and the policy of the Fathers of American in dependence scoffed at and subverted-the Democrats were, by defection or disunion to permit the restoration of the party of greed and guilt. Everything depends upon the Democrats themselves; upon the Dem ocrats everywhere; there is no community too small to be disregarded-or to disre- gard itself-as factor in the fight; no area too limited as battle ground for the parties.
 Connecticut has, by Republican con- temporary, been conceded as doubtful State in the coming crisis Be it for the Democratic citizens of Waterbury to do their part in removing this element of doubt from our contemporarys calcula- tion. We ourselves have no misgivings in the matter; but many great cause has been lost by over confidence in victory; many success imperilled on the brink of attainment by individual supposition that aid was not needed. We must, if we would win, begin our campaign at once; aud if we would do effective battle with the foes we must first do battle with those prejudices and jealousies and ambitions that serve-as they have served at all time ito break up great party into isolated rings; worse than isolated, antagonistic be- cause of disunion, and Illustrating the story of the Kilkenny Cats by devouring each other-and with it destroying the na- tional hopes of Years, New or Old.
 -Ob
 POLITICS IN LOCAL BOARDS.
 It has been often urged in this city, in- deed in all municipalities of which we have knowledge, that party politics are