New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-18
THE WAY TO WIN.

What is the new year to bring to the Repub-
lean party? 1t is of no use to ntenogate ancient
shrnes and sOothsayers, or modern spll1tualistS
and prophets. The question can be answered
only by the Republicans themselves. They arc
the architects of their own fortunes and the
arbiters of their own destiny. They can twinc
for themselves garlands of victory, win them and
wear them. and fill the year 1898 with JOY for
work well done, wrong yanquished, triumph
tasted and Nation saved. Or they can prepare
for themselves humiliation and defeat and sit
next winter in sackcloth and ashes, mourning
opportunities lost and b Nations heritage endan-
geled. If they want the garland they have first
to deserve it.
So many requiems have been chanted over the
grave of the Republican party, when the sup
posed grave soon proved empty and the sup
posed corpse soon reappeared conquerng host
mat some have fallen into the habit Of regard
ing it as immortal, unconquerable, and predes-
tined to prevail If Nc stars in their courses
fight for Republicansm, why should a man for
its sake forego any crotchet, abae any camor
for place or strife for personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
protest against any friend who has loaded 1t
down by his errors or make any sacrifice oil
money or Of ease? Why. indeed, should any
Republican take the trouble to vote, if this
leader or that has magical power, and success Is
predestined? Not in that spirit can 1892 be
made for the Republicans year OF glory ana
of JOY.
Ii is not hard TO remember elections when
teach how victories are not won. This year the
lessons ought to bear good fruit 1t Will not 90
TO rsly wholly upon shouting. 1t Will not DO To
let mere legerdemain take the place OF reason
ing 1t will not do to suffer a National cam
pagn to be turned into 4 hospital for crippled
combatants or sicly regulations. Strong men'
clean men, and men who know how to command
popular approval must nc found, not merely
for the Presidential ticket, but for other places
also, whether of honor or of trust, from the
highest to the lowest, so that nowhere may ear
nest and manly effort be chilled or hesitating
voters repealed.
Uappily, it is still easier for the Republican
party to remember elections which teach how
victories have been won. But times change and
voters also. How many are living OF the mill
ions who voted for Lincoln? How many OF the
voters who will decide next November were in
fants or foreign subjects when Grant prevailed?
The question for every Republican to ASA HIM
self is whether enough care has been taken, by
him first and then by Others in his own town
or ward first and then elsewhere, to make voters
know what the Republican party means and
what it wants and why it ought to succeed. Has
enough been done to meet the deluge OF falSehoOd
with which the land has been covered? Ap
there not men in almost every village whose lg-
norance Of the great questions upon which they
are to vote no man has seriously tried to clear
away?
This year, thanks be to the late Congress and
the present Administration, the Republican party
has definite issues made for it, which it cannot
dodge if it would and On which it can win with
certainty il it makes the people understand them.
Happily also, the tariff does vast deal OF
educating for itself. Every breakiast-table Ic-
minds the poor man how much his sugar costs,
and every suit Of clothes that he buys or wants
to buy tells him that duties on imports do not
make protected products more costly. But does
any Republican imagine that ho personally has
done all that he can, that his Republicans
in his own town or ward or their managers have
done all that they can, to place before tho voters
the facts about the tariff, the coinage Of silver
and Democratic election frauds and crimes? Has
that anywhere been done, 50 that no voter can
fail to know what he is doing?
If not the duty Of 1892 is plain. 1t is not
to talk about Office, TO wrangle or cayil about
candidates 1t i not TO leave the Sharpcst
tickster to carry an election if he can. Tho
duty is 10 make voters know what Republican,
ism means, and why its victory is tho triumph
of every honest American.