Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-03-10
Democratic Party Bound to Be
Split in Two by Conflicting
Principles.
Division in It's Ranks Certain on
Both the Silver and Tariff
Issues
Only One Thing on Which the Dem
ccracy is Bent, and That is
Republican Defeat.

The political prophets have broken out
again. One man predicts that the free
silver men will beat Mr.. Cleveland if he is
nominated: another that the free traders
will beat any other democrat If MIR. Cleve
land Is not nominated One man Dre-
diets that Mr.. Blaine will have to be forced
INTO the race or the republican party will
be beaten; another, with as much conf
dence, predicts that President Harrison
Will be nominated and elected. The
prophets who deal with democratic pros
poets nave au unfair advantage. Where
great principles are involved it is possible
to be quite certain what most American
citizens will do. But between the possible
candidates on the Republican side there is
no such division or antagonism. All
represent the principles of the republican
party. There would not be the slightest
chance for the nomination Of any man
who did rot, nor would the voters OF the
party support such man if nominated
Honest money, protection reciprocity.
honest eiectlous-nO candidate stands In
the attitude of having a monopoly Of
either, nor Is there any possible candidate
who is opposed to either. 1t may there
fore be expected that the great body of
republican voters will support the prin-
clples OF the party, whether one or an
other worthy man is selected to represent
them as a candidate.
But the democratic party is in differ
ent case. There one sees not merely q
difference III personal preference, but an
tagonlsm Of conviction and interest. Its
voters are not united regarding the great
est questions of principles Some of them
detest protection, while others, more OR
less indirectly and yet with effort, will
struggle TO maintain it. Some of them
demand Tree coinage of silver and others
denounce it. The antagopism here goes
TO the very foot of party action. The
voters are divided about the fundamental
purposes for which the party exists. Mr..
HUI represents great many democrats in
his furious outbreak against the money
power and the mon0polists, but he does
not exactly represent Mr.. Havemeyer Of
The sugar trust, DOr Mr.. Haggin of the
copper combination, nor the influential
democratic millionaires of the Standard
On Interests, nor Senator Brice and others
who are IN railroads In TACT, there is one
thing ABOUT which democrats are united,
except strong desire TO 3eat the repub!i-
can party and get the offices for democrats.
henca 1t IS that antogonism exists in that
party which goes far deeper than mere
per- onal preferences. At bottom the
question IS whether the party shall put the
vast power OF the executive into the hands
OF secl ct friend or into the hands of an
uncompromIsing foe Of protection; wheth-
er lt shau 1ntru8t the veto power TO q
friend or to foe of free silver coinage.
IL DOES not look at present as if the
democrats would be able to get together
III harmony: as usual, and 10 put aside
purposes and principles, individual con.
vlctlons and interests, as they have done
50 often, for the sake of party success. 1t
looks as if there would be dissatisfied roaI
contents, disguised and angry men by
the thousand, no matter which Of two
paths the party chooses to take.