New-York tribune., 1891-12-24
DEMOCRATIC SECTIONALISM.

Naturally, the one thing that will excite most
remark and criticism in the arrangement OF com
mittees by Speaker Crisp is the prepondeiance
OF Southern men in places of importance But
what reason has anybody to find fault? The
Southern men need not complain. The North
ern men who have given victory to Southern
party-what business have they to blame the
party for which they voted because it is not
the party for which they did not vote? The
Democratic party would really like it it could
cease to be essentially sectional party. 1t
would like to have power at the North as 1t has
at the South, but it cannot. 1t would like to
have host OF strong, capable and experienced
men from Northern districts TO represent it, but
it cannot. When it has Randall, Holman, or
Springer, be his qualifications OF the first rank
or only of the second or fifth, it really tries to
make the most of him. So we have had for
thirty years small demagogues from Northern
States held up admiringly as specimens OF DEM
ocratic craftsmanship. The party was only doing
the best it could with the material it possessed.
At the South tho Democratic party does in
fact, represent the predominant feelings and
wishes of the majority of white people. 1t en-
bodies their best and their worst 1t gives voice
to their convictions and shares their error where
they mistake prejudice or selfish greed for
sense of duty. The men of the South who faith
fully represent the party in that section have
possible future. 1t is not for them necessary at
every recurring election to cheat and lie, in order
to conceal their opinions and aims from the
voters with whom they have to deal. If they
are sincere and true with those voters they have
not to fear political burial or ost1acism because
the party has concluded that this year it must
nut on a different mask and wear different
disguise.
What happens to Northern Democrats OF char
acter and sincere convictions, all such men OF
prominence and capacity have learned to their
sorrow. They have to fight from the outset
against the general trend of public opinion in
this section, 10 know that al the time they are
resisting what the Northern people believe to
be their true interests, to be contented with the
applause of the multitude whose ignorance or
want of real convictions must render their ap-
proval as evaneScent as it is valueess, 10 consult
with and depend upon the creatures whose power
to defeat the popular majority by fraud or crime
makes their political place. They have to take
the latest tricks of demagogues in party con-
vention instead of any convictions they may
nave 10 pICIcSS USNOulOu W IcO lduO OhO yS"i
and to the mildest and most diluted tariff reform
the next, to shout with Cleveland and against
free silver to-day, and with Hill and for freq
silver tomorrow. No wonder that out Of such
life strong Democrats do not often come to the
surface. The marvel is that any men OF genu-
inc convictions are left in the party where such
conditions prevail.
Thus when the Democratic party wants To get
work done in Congress it has to take for most
places Southern men, in order to get men OF
experience and strength. They have been re-
tanned longer in Congress by constituencies than
the men from Northern districts, where ma
iorities fuctuate, and so have learned more of
the ways of legislation. 1t is peculiarly un-
fortunate for the Democratic party, too, that
most of its sure Northern districts are in great
cities where the grogshop- keeper is more potent
in that party than the statesman, so that such
districts have a trick of eecting men who are
Of no use or value. .In spite of every effort the
party remains essentially sectional, essentially a
Southern party, because it's Northern end is lame
with all kinds of lameness. If under these try
ing circumstances Mr.. Crisp has contlived to
make a selection of committees that is in the
least respectable, he deserves some sympathy
and some praise, and not great deal OF crit
icism if it is on the whole Southern arrange