The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-02-15
Audersn,a gatelligeMtes,
Future Of Parties.
Ne,p York Press.

utterances, at least, that the present po.
litical division is to continue, the one de-
claring that the Republican party will
come into the next presidential with un.
broken front, and the other iguoripg any
danger of division in the Democratic
ranks. But whoever will consider the
composition of these parties will see that
this cannot be, and that q new political
alignment is inevitable.
Although the live issues of the time
have been more and mo:e 10 the front
and the first Of them, the ques
ton of tariff, determined the result oftbe
last election, yet the political division
was not true one. That is to say that
the habits, prejudices and affections
growing out of the previous alignment
on the slavery question, and its issues to
which its bloody settlement, gave rise,
still largely controlled the division ofpar'
ties. The Republican party had on its
side large numbers, held by its prestige
and its memories, who would not have
been with it on the naked question of
protection or free trade, while the Dem
ucratic party was supported by many
whose true place on the economic ques-
ton was with the Republicans.
The prestige of the Republican party
is now gone; the memories which con.
stituted such an element of it's strength
cannot hold it together in the face of a
decisive defeat which brings into the is.
sue Of practical Legislation the vital ques'
tions of time. The Republican party as
it was ia as dead as the federal party OF
the whig party. But the live elemen,
of the Republican party remains, and
must find political expression just as the
live element in the federal and the whig
party found other political expression
Protectionism is not dead. It has suffer
ed reverse, but it has the support Of
long and deeply ingrained habits o.
thought and powerful money interests
which will enable it to sevive and renew
the struggle. While the element of the
Republican party which has adhered tc
it despite protectionism and because O.
its prestige and memories will now d.
vide on the live questions of the hour
and the tendency ofdisintegrstion which
has shown itself in the rise of the Peo
ple's party in the West and in individual
changes and abstention from voting ir
other sections, will have free play, tht
protection element will seek new combi
nations. To 1t the prestige and memo
ries of the Republican party were but {
useful adjunct, convenient shell. i
crept into the Republican party on th'
death of the old wbig psrty because tina
offered the most favorable opportunity tt
secure subsidies and protective duties
and special privileges, not that in oppo
sition to the encroachmonts of slavery
there was anything german to protec
tionism, and it has lsvished pension
simply to keep up taxes which yieldes
private profit. It WOULD ally itself to th,
"so!id south" and vote pesions to Con
federate veterans if it could thereb!
have its way; and now that"the prestige
and memories of the Republican part!
have proved powerless to save it, it vii
naturally seek alliance with the protec
tive element in the party that has come
to power.
The law of political life requires twt
great parties. Any third party must err
long swallow one Of them or become
mere adjunct of one or the other of th'
two real contestants. And 30 the deatl
of one great party inevitably involves th'
disruption of the other, for dual divis-
ion cannot give expressions to all causes
of difference, and external pressure
being removed these must show them
selves within party lines. Thus th'
'Solid South" has only existed through
pressure of the Republican party. Th'
fear of that party gone it must split
And so the incongruous elements whicl
the Democratic party has held togethe
in the North so long as it was a party o
opposition, must part company when j
accedes to power and essays the task 0
legislation and administration.
Already, and in advance of the as
sumption of power, this line of cleavag
is beginning to show itself. 1t was th'
manifest failure of the attempt to mi,
oil and water which called such wide al
tention to the Crisp incident ut the Re
form Club dinner. Tom L. Johnson
outspoken declaration that the radica
wing was on top and will no longer sub
NIT to the dictation of "sugar coated pro
tectionists" within the party, voiced th'
spirit of that aggressive element in th'
Democratic ranks which has behind i
the strength of a great principle end i
now flushed with victory-that new De-
mocracy, which is in reality the reviva
of Thomas Jefferson's Republicanism
Mr.. Cleveland's power and influence
may for while prevent open rupture
but the opposition between the two fac
tions of the Democratic party must be.
come more and more pronounced, anc
transfer the real battle between the spir-
it of protection and the spirit ef fret
trade into the Democratic ranks. Al
the contest goes on, the conservative
.z;n, x,;ll ob1orh oonport f,ono fha nro.