The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-03-05
The Democratic Dilemma.


He must have poor nose for political
news who does not discover a great
change In the expectations ana feelings
of both parties during the last few
months. Last October Democrats were
confident and boas1ful There was not
much pretensc about 1t; they counted
with absolute certainty upon victory III
Massac chusetts and Ohio, as III New
YORK and several Western states, and
were confident about Pennsylvania. 1t
is the truth that the Republicans were
at that time muce disheartened. They
hoped that Mckinley would pull
through, but hardly dared To trust their
own hope To them the Alliance was a
thing unknown ard greatly feared in
many Western states, while there was
even some apprehension about Penn
sylvanIa. In short, the great defeat OF
1920 still controlled the feelings and ex-
pectatIons of both parties. But to-day
Republicans are hopeful. and even
iubllant, while all intelligent Democrats
realize that the coming struggle Is 10 be
desperate and doubtful, and each Of
their two warning factions solemnly de-
clares and fully believes that certain de-
feat will attend the policy Of the other.
Democratic journals do not like to
admit that their party is IN an ugly dl-
lemma. They prefer to regard the war
of factions as merely personal strife
for The leadership and the spoils. But
there is something deeper. If ii We're
only question what policy the Demo
cratic party woulI pretend To adopt,
and then vote and work for, caring At
bottom only for the spolls, enc might
expect the strife TO end as usual. IN the
sdoption of d few tricky phrases, and IN
a united and desperate effort at the
polls for any candidate. But this time
a victory will have 10 mean something
or none will be won. Against an eva
siye and lodging Democracy the Repub-
licans are sure to VIII.
The reason Is that two important
classes of voters have a fixed purpose
that the next election shall mean some
thing for their ideas and purposes. or
nothing for Democracy. The men who
want more money and the Scahng OF
debts have with them the sllver-mnlng
interest. the vague but yet potent no.
ton that the gold bugs of Wall Street
have been tleecing the country, and
the Alliance outbreak AT the South.
About many things they disagree, or
are willing 10 wait.
But at the other end there is body
Of voters who mean a change Of tariff,
have gone with the Democratic party
for wears, though despising il, for that
reason only, and who are equally re-
solved that the next four years shall
mean a triumph for them or nothing for
the Democratic party. It's lncempe-
tence they have found hard to endure;
its bad faith and tricherv toward those
who trust il have made them angry
often: its infamous election frauds seem
10 them utterly iutolerahle, unless they
are to bring victory for tariff re-
form" To these men the nomination
of ANYBODY except Mr.. Cleveland will
mean betrayal and an insult. and fail
Ire 10 put the tariff issue foremost Will
send them out Of the Democratic camp.
Democracy would ride both horses.
and straddle aud iu@gle a usual, If II
coul,i. But this time II cannot. The
GREAT body of Jealous free traders or
tariff reformers" in Northern states.
and especially the Germans. are in
tarsely hostile to free coinage. The
nracfical business men among them
know that il would bring ruin. The
hGnd worshipers of British economic
theories detest the silver tsnsticism a.
much n thew do protection. - II has
,,Ina Ia this The Democratic party
must face defeat in New York, Connect
cut. Massachusetts, bhlc, and every
Eastern state except perhaps New Jer-