The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-20

Noines Register on the election says of
recent defeat of the Republican party:
It is protection defeat, a Republication OF high
tariff, Republican reverse in q field where it
put aside all the noble Issues and staked every
thing the economic and Inercenary Issues.
As party, the Republican party was born TO
carry out patriotic sentiment and stand Tor
heroic issues. Its rank and file do not respond
purely on questions OF business and cent per
cent Tuesday also the climax OF the steady
effort. which began in New England ten years
ago, to cultivate enthusiasm out OF the party
and TO dacry and belittle partisanship.
Many of our leaders and many OF our Eastern
papers have been teaching that party enthusiasm
was a vulgar th ing and not for any gentleman to
have or show The word politician has been
made word of reproach to young men, and
equally cant and cowardice have played a part
in robbing the party OF viriie leadership and en-
thusiastic following AS the Republicans have
educated their young men out OF enthusiasm
and psrtisanship, the Democratic party has
made itself and ito membership more partisan
than ever before
There is a tinge of truth IN this view
that the tone of both the great political
parties of the country has become COM
paratively low and sordid. The attempt
to substitute political cunning for broad,
high and courageous patriotism is seen in
the way both parties behave in congress.
The Nicaragua canal ought to have been
begun seven years ago, but Grover Cleve-
land called back the treaty which the
United States senate was about to ratify
and never returned it, and SO the best
work of Arthur's administration was lost
to the nation. That same Nicaragua canal
still hangs fire in congress, because the
Democrats have been unwilling to see its
speedy completion assured by Repub-
lican administration.
So with the immigration question. There
is not an able man in either party that
does not feel that this country is in danger
of being destroyed, SO far as the pur-
ity OF its fundamental institutions is
ants, in shape of most detestable class of
European immigration, and yet neither
party has moved vigorously against this
evil. There is an inadequate bill before
congress, but even that bill has not yet
been able to secure enactment through
partisan opposition.
1T is but just, however, to say that our
politics are quite up to the level of popular
sentiment behind congress. Congress
faithfully reflects in its spirit the low tone
of our non-patriotic civilization, which
has become so grossly utilitarian, SO
honeycombed with the corrosion of insane
acquisitiveness that it deems nothing in
the world worth thinking about beyond
what is of present and palpable pecuniary
advantage.
A state to the average American has no
concern with the impal pabe or the things
that reside in blessed memories. inspiring
reflections, heroic events and actions; he
our country for free thought and
free speech; he would rebuke reflection,
rehuke contemplation of the past, rebuke
all consideration of the world of senti-
ment which conccals the mightiest forces
of human nature; he would say: 1.-THE
browning glories of our government are
great cities; brick and mortar, banks,
bonds and bullion. Canvasback and cham
pagne / can understand, they are palpa-
bic and present, but away with the filthy
rag of a battle flag, bought with the blood
of an army of sentimental boys more than
twenty-seven years ago. who died as the
fool dieth, when they might have stayed
at home, as thousands did, lived in peace,
accumulated grease. and posed as pot
of tallow in the bomb proof of great
city"
The sentiment that will assure the con-
tinued spiritual vitality and patriotic
hardihood of America, without which our
prosperity stands for nothing better than
a pediler civilization, is not merely COM
petition between cities which stand for
whe&t. Hour and cotton; il is the growth
of a far higher sentiment which shall
make Charleston and Memphis and
Minneapolis say that We can better afford
80 be without great cities than We
can afford TO forget the terrible cost of
making America land where liberty
finds no one strong enough TO modest her
or make her afraid; where no one Insults
her with iInpunlty in Minnesota or South
Carolina. This and not great cities. Is the
true ultimate and browning glory OF our
civilization, If we expect TO meet any
nobler fate than Venice. When Venice
ceased to be ship of war, sweeping the
seas with all her battle lanterns lit. and
became mere merchant ship, she ceased
60 breed either stout soldiers or sailors
she grew rich, but she grew SO weak in
manly virtues that her gold could not hire
mercenary hsyonets enough TO defend her.
A great state that expects TO live long In
the land must De something better than an
obese. opulent, epicurean trader with a
plethoric purse and fair round belly; il
must be what the founders OF our republic
uere-thinkers and patriots as well
a. traders in peace. who sternly
stood of poverty without abjeetly
worshiping wealth rs the be-all, the end.
nil of life. rather than as a means 10 higher
ends; who were promp, when liberty was
in danger to stand up and be counted in
the dread ranks Of war. The gres; city
may be the triumph of the trader. hut the
security Of the great city Is the sentiment,
the patriotic memory that reminds eveIs