Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-08-15
THE FREE-TRADE ISSUE.
rEe Peculiarly DisOrgauIzed Condition
the Democratic Party


rne Peculiarly DisOrganIzed Condition of
the Democratic Party.
About the most ridiculous person on
the planet at present is the Democrat
or mugwump who fancies that Mr..
Cleveland is the predestined candidate
and free trade the inevitable issue for
1892. The fact is that the apparent
unity of the Democratic party on the
issue of 1888 was from the teeth out
ward. To say nothing of Mr. Randall
and others, who stayed in their tents
through the whole fight, there were
many thousand voters who hated Mr..
Cleveland's policy, and yet did not
dare or did not choose to separate
from their party on that issue or to re-
fuse him their votes. Some were
frightened out of their seven senses by
the spOok called negro supremacy in
Southern States. Others conceived
that the success of party
led By Brice, German. Whitney,
Barnum and other poor and hard
listed men was essential to rebuke
plutocracy in the Republican ranks,
and to that end Mr.. Gould's check was
jOyfully applied. But the Democratic
millions voted with no more critical
condition of the platform or the atti-
tude of the party on the tariff question
than the drilled soldier bestows upon
the plans of his General. Wise or un-
wise, patriot or traitor, sober or
drunk, the commander in action must
be obeyed. So Congress voted. when
Mr. Cleveland had made the issue in
evitable, and so Democrats voted in
November. when the alternative was
Cleveland and free trade or Harrison
and protection" The venerable Dem
ocrat who would vote for the devil
incarnate if the regular candidate
belongs to a numerous family.
But the persons who inferred that
Democrats were united in love for
Cleveland and free trade had enough
in later events to enIighten them.
The contempt of large proportion of
the Democrats for Mr.. Cleveland and
expression after the election. Messrs.
Mills ard Carlisle nave been treated
much as General Butler was treated
after the powder explosion at Fort
Fisher. Mr. Cleveland has become a
political nonentity. Is there a Demo-
crat who imagines that the vote of
New York in convention could posi-
by be obtained for him? On the other
hand, Mr.. Randall has without effort
become the most conspicuous and in
fuentiaI Democrat, instantly pro-
Noted to leadership because he had no
part in the free-trade Iunacy of 1888.
The same blind discipline which made
men follow Mr.. Cleveland into the
ditch will now swell the followers of
Mr.. Randall. One can not throw a
stone in New York without hitting a
Democrat who knew all along it was
idiotic to make war on the industries
OF the East"
That is the state of things now. and
no signs are visible of any reaction in
favor OF Mr.. Cleveland British pol
icy. Now and then a bakers dozen
OF ''refOrmer5" hold a meeting and
get all their names printed in 1.-The
Matutinal Mugwump,' and then lapse
into familiar Obscurity. The active |
politicians, when they talk of the fut-
ure. have something TO say about |
Hill, or Whitney, or even Gray of In
diana. but nobody talks of putting up |
any candidate who was identified |
with the disastrous defeat of last year. |
When Congress assemblies Mr.. Ran |
dali will be the one fighting leader and |
chief, and if the Democratic party |
can not rally around him it can not |
rally at all. 1t would not be at all |
surprising to see more than half the |
Democratic members supporting him
in a direct issue against Mr.. Carlisle
or Mr.. Mills. If nothing succeeds |
like success, it is equally true that |
nothing fails like failure.
1t is the favorite dream of some
minds that the Democracy will pres
entity split beyond all splicing when it
has to deal with the tariff question.
But more than one organized igno-
rance and appetite there can not well
be. One exists, and will stay as long
as ignorance stays. If voters split of
from it they cease to be Democrats,
and that we all know is terrible. The
free-trade leaders, it seems safe to say,
know too much OF their own real
weakness to appeal to the people for
support They know how the Demo
cratic voters would just now like to
make them ridiculous in payment
Tor the defeat of 1888. They
cracked the whip about Mr.. Ran
1all's legs last year, and know what to
expect if his turn comes. The free
trader, if he is wise, will take back
seat meekly, and look cheerful when
Mr.. Randall explains that free-trade
must be abolished if the party
wants Northern State.-N. Y. Trib-
Inc.
QUEER DEMOCRATIC LOGIC.