New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-25

For several months The Tribune has noticed.
with real sorrow. split III the esteemed Demo
cratic party During the last few days 1t has
leon particularly forced on our attention. We
shall icrocaily refrain from quoting remark
about a house divided and express our earnest
hope that tie schism Will not spread and hope
lcs,iy divide Tie party II has been said that
tie best government is obtained where there are
t,o great political parties of nearly equal strength
With tie Democratic party divided this would
cca,4, 10 Doc the cas-" IN this country. Besides,
since thc clcctlor Of November, l,Ss. the result
Of which many Of our readers Will remember, the
poor Old Democracy las had enough to bear with
ont any internal conflicts But fate seems 10
have been against II, and to-day there Is more
hope Of q union between the ProhibitionistS and
the Chinese lIighbindcrs than between the rival
factions Of the Democratic party in Fort Bend
County Texas, for it is the great Fort Bend
breach in the pnrty to which we refer.
As most Of our readers doubtless know, the
Fort Bend County Democracy some time since
split into two great divisions. The adhcrcnS Of
one Of these rcioiccs in the name OF the Wood
pcckcrs7 the others no less proud OF the
fact that they are known as the "Jaybirds' The
WOodpcc,crS are conservatives and carry only one
pistol apiece; the Jaybirds strong radicals and
each carries two pistols and a slunsshot The
Woodpcckcrs favor "A protective tariff, though
they Relieve that metallic gun-cartridGcs should
he admitted free; the Jaybirds lean more toward
Free Trade. but hold that books works of art
SOAP etc. should be heavily taxed. The Wood.
pcckcrs believe that too much money is spent
on education, and demand doing away with
the public schools: the Jayhrds, on the other
hand. contend that m2rc money should be spent
on the schools but insist that in them
..,,I..
practice for arithmetic. The Woodpccicr news
papers and orators the Jhyblrds of reckless
ness in their management of public affairs and Of
shooting Woodpcckcrs from ambush tie JAY
birds in return charge the Woodpcckcrs with
malfcasancc in Office and carrying pistols which
are ten years behind the times. The Woodpcckcrs
favor Andrew Jackson for Presidential candidate
in 1892, but the Jaybirds claim that Jackson died
ten years ago. The Wo0dpcckers are earnest for
ballot reform, holding that the Stale should hire
an educated man from New-Orleans to he present
on every election day and read the ballots TO all
voters so that they may know what they are
voting; but the Jaybrds find easier solution
OF the difficulty in general law which shall allow
nothing but straight Jaybird ballots about the
polls. thus obviating all mistakes. The Wood.
peckers demand that a navy yard be established
In Fort Bend County; the Jnybirds will accept
nothing but United States Mint.
We might. in fact, take up column
Of The Tribune in enumeratng the points
on which the Woodpeckcrs and Jaybirds differ.
but we believe we have mentioned enough so
that the reader will see how hopeless it is to look
for any reconciliation between them
And as if the difference in their views pub
lie questions was not enough to hold them for
ever apart, now comes the news of the tragic &C
currence in the Galveston courtroom, which must
only widen the breach. AS the reader may al