New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-27
THE OUTLOOK.

The political prophets have broken out again.
One man predicts that the free-silyer men VIII
beat Mr.. Cleveland If he Is nominated; another
that the Free Traders will beat any other Dem
ocrat if Mr.. Cleveland is not nominated. ono
man predicts that Mr. Blaine will have to be
forced into the race or the Republican party VIII
be beaten; another, with as much commence,
p,cdicts that President Harrison will be nom
mated and elected. The prophets who deal with
Democratic prospects have an unfair advantage
Where great principles are involved it Is pos
sible to be quite certain what most American
citizens will do. But between the possible can
didates on the Republican side there is no such
division or antagonSm. All represent the prln-
ciples of the Republican party There would
not be the slightest chance for the nomination
Of any man who did not, nor would the voters
of the party support such man II nominated
Honest Money, Protection, Reciprocity, Honest
Elcctions-no candidate stands in the attitude OF
having monopoly of either, nor is there any
POSSIBLE candidate who is opposed 10 either. IL
may therefore be expected that the great body
Of Republican voters will support the principles
Of the party, whether one or another worthy man
is selected to represent them as a candidate.
case There one secs not merely difference In
PERSONAL preferences, but antagonism of convic-
ton and interest. It's voters are not united re
garding the greatest questions OF principles.
Some of them dctcst Protection, while others
more or less indirectly and yet with effect, will
struggle to maintain It, Some Of them demand
free coinage Of silver but others denouncc H.
The antagonism here goes to the very root OF
party action. The voters are divided about the
fundamental purposes for which the party eX-
lists Mr.. Hill represents great many Demo
Gratis in his furious outbreak against the money
lower and the monopoliSts but he does not
exactly represent Mr.. Ilavemoyer Of the Sugar
Trust, nor Mr. IIaggin of the copper combinl-
ton, nor the influential Democratic millionaircs
Of the standard Oil interests, nor Senator Bricc
and Others whose interests are III railroads. In
fact. there il not one thing about which Demo
c!atS are united, eXcep; a strong desire to beat
the Republican party and get the Offices for
Democrats. Hence it is that antagonsm exists
in that party which goes far deeper than mere
persGnal preferences. At bottom the question Is
whether the party shall Put the vast power Of
tho Executive into the hands Of 4 secret friend
or into the hands Of an Incorporating foe of
Protect M whether 10 shall lntrst the veto
power To "A friend or to foe of free silver coin
age. The men who are in earnest on either side
care infinitely moro about the results they seek
than about the personal instruments to be Sc
lcctcd, and they canno, agree with each other
simply because they do not want the same To-
suits. To the man who cares for free silver,
and considers that the chief end of Democratic
existence and effort, there is no sense in having
a Democratic party if it is not to forward that
end. and no sense in cocting Democratic Pres
ident if he cannot be expected to sign FREQ
Coinage bill 30 in regard to other issues the
men who are in earnest about them have come
10 the conclusion that it is just as well not to
have a party at all, if they cannot have one
which will in earnest seek to carry out the OBJ
jects for which the party is supported.
1t does not look at present AZ il the Demo
Gratis would be able TO got together in harmony,
as usual, and to PUT aside purposes and prin-
cpcs. individual convictions and interests, as
they have done 50 often, for the sake OF party
success. 1t looks az if there would be dissatis-
fed macontcnts disguised and angry men by
the thousand no matter which of two paths the
party chooses to take.