New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-25
4 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PARTIES

Two great parties are absorbed in the work
Of selecting Presidential candidates. In one
party differences turn upon personal prefer
ences In the other they 60 down to the bot
tom and concern the gravest questions OF Ma
! tional policy Many do not realize how great
/ the contrast is or what it means. But it IS
/ evident that the Republicans one party
| while the Democrats are divided in convictions
and in the very purposes for which party or
panizatiOn exists Some Republicans prefer
the nomination of President Harrison, Others
that of Secretary Blaine, while some favor other
candidates But not the faintest trace Of a
dividing line, as respects the principles, pur-
poses or measures of the party, can be fsund
between the friends of different candidates.
Nobody advocates one rather than another on
the ground that he is more or less Protection
ist. more or less in favor Of sound currency,
more or less in favor OF honest elections and
defence for the rights of all citizens. The
policy of the party has been one in which all
the prominent candidates have concurred, and
which all have taken an active part in shaping
and advocating COntending thus for convic-
tons and National policies about which they
are united, Republicans are chiefly anxious TO
determine which of several men will most ef-
fectively and worthily represent their common
aims and beliefs.
Against them there is mass rather than
body of voters No man can hide from him
self the fact that differences between Demo
Gratis are radical They differ about men, but
mainly because they differ more profoundly
and more widely about measures and convlc-
tons. One faction prefers Mr.. Cleveland be-
cause he would subordinate everything to
a struggle for Free Trade. Another opposes
him because it would subordinate everything
to a struggle for free coinage. Some rejoice
in and boldly approve the unscrupuous and
indecent methods of Senator Hill, caring only
to secure present victory for their party, no
matter by what means. But others despise the
man and detest his methods 80 thoroughly that
they would not vote for him in any case Yet
wider divergence springs from the demands of
the Farmers Alliance, which host of Demo
Gratis are resolved to press at any cost, appar-
emily standing ready to desert the party II
those demands are rejected. But to great
number of Democrats these same demands are
detestable, and they would spurn any candi-
date committed to such doctrines.
These are not trivial or ephemeral differences.
They 90 down to the very root of party action.
A political party has no business to exist at all
if it has not some principle and some purpose
respecting matters so vital to the Nations vel
fare as these But no Democrats can tell now,
nor will any Democrat be able to tell after
the National Convention has dispersed what
the purpose of this party is about these vital
questions. lie can say that it is for Free Trade,
as Senator Mills does, and yet there are Demo
Gratis who fought against Mr.. Mills on purpose
to get rid of that issue. No one can say that
the Democratic majority which voted for free
coinage, or the minority which voted against it,
embodes the purpose Of the party as a whole.
How many Democrats will drop out if Alliance
doctrines are rejected, how many if those doc
trines are not rejected, nobody can tell. This
is not party, but mere combination OF fac
tons for the purpose of securing the spoils.
This radical difference between the two
parties will probably be felt with more dis
tinctness as the contest advances. The Re-
publicans cannot nominate any one whose con-
victions on important questions will drive
portion of the party into antagonism. But it
looks as il the Democrats could not nominate
any one without driving into revolt portion
of their number. Even if no open and formal
break occurs, there must yet be deep disgust
on the part of those who do not share the con-
victions and purposes of the candidate, who
ever he may be. 1t is not a cheering outlook
for the Democrats, for indifference and con-
cealed hostility hurt more in many close con-
test than open revolt.