The morning call., 1893-11-09
THE TIDAL WAVE.

Every citizen, whatever his politics,
must admit OF reflection that the Republi-
can tidal wave of Tuesday is a good thing
for the country. There would have been
no show for pure politics if Cleveland and
= the Democrats had escaped rebuke. They
had been inflated by success TO such de-
gree that they had come to consider them
. selves the American people and public
affairs their private concern. They had
openly declared that Democratic control
of the great State of New York depended
upon concert of action between half a
dozen professional politicians representing
Senator Hill and half dozen others repre-
senting President Cleveland. They had
: administered the affairs of the second
: greatest city in the State-Brooklyn-
such shameless corruption that banks re-
fused to buy or lend on Brooklyn bonds.
: They had inaugurated the vilest kind of
machine in Buffalo. They had nomina ted
for the head of their judicial ticket in New
York a man whose only claim TO the
honor arose from his having stolen cleo
ton records so as to give the control of
til Legislature to the party which the
people had rejected. In another great
ity-Chicago-the head of the party, who
is also Governor of the State, had con-
Quoted savage campaign against Judge
Gary, an intrepid and clearheaded Inagis-
trate, on the ground that he had sentenced
the anarchists.
Nor was the conduct OF the party at
Washington calculated to command the
respect or attract the support CT conscien-
tious citizens. Mir. Cleveland appointed
TO one of the most desirable foreign mis-
sicns a gentleman whose only claim to the
honor was that he had contributed $4,000
TO the Democratic campaign fund After
going to the people on platform of which
the only essential plank was tariff reform.
he summoned Congress in extra session.
but forebore to say word on the subject.
as though be proposed to ignore the ladder
by which lie had climbed. Thus he has
disappointed his friends not only by the
things he has done, but by the things he
has left undune. 1t is no wonder that the
people have given his party lesson.
As more complete returns come in the
present majorities may be reduced, The
first reports of victory are often exag.
gerated. But enough will remain to leave
it certain that in one year the temper Of
the people has changed emphatically. II
is lucky for the Democracy that Tue sd avs
election was not postponed till 1894 o,
:. 1895. The party has now leisure foI
repentance. cOntrition and amendment
Whether it will turn the opportunity tc
account remains to be seen. Grove,
Cleveland is stubborn man, and is i'm.
bued with conviction Of his omniscience
If those who surround him are gifted
mil
j.. the recent election one more proof tina,
. veters are not enlisted men who may be
shot for desertion. The American voter i:
growing more and more apt to wear hi!
sovereignty under his own hat, and to re-
serve for himself the precious right Of
changing his side when he thinks he has
been wrong. Many thousands of voter:
who cast their ballots a year ago fol
Cleveland must have voted the Republican
ticket on Monday, and though large por
ton of these may have done sc
through coupling of the business de-
preston with the policy Of the party il
power, others. particularly in New York
mapifestly voted from a conviction tina
the President was not fulfilling their ex
pectations, and that his conduct called FOL
rebuke. That the policy pursued by the
party and by its chief would be followed
nv bolt ought to have been obvious Il
clearsighted statesmen. but the Democrat
do not seem to have been able to overcome
the faulty which oyertakes successful par
ties. There were plenty of Democrats a.
we'll fitted to be Minister to Italy as Val
Alien plepty of lawyers as we'll lifted q
be Judges as Maynard; what madness pos