New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-18
"OHJECT LESSONS


1t seems, according to the explanations given
of existing conditions by the organs OF the party
in power, that the new Democratic Admins
tration is giving the country what il calls " OBJ
iect lessons" 1t may be so. 1t is quite in
accordance with the traditions and history OF
the party. 1t has given the country object
lessons before in several rather notable n
stances One of the first was under that learned
and wise Democratic statesman Andrew Jack
son, who removed the deposits from the United
States Bank because he took notion that the
bank might be used in opposition to the Dem
ocratic party as a political machine. lie gave
the country an "object lesson in the dSas-
trous panic of 1897. The favorite method OF
the party for disciplinng the country whenever
the people disagreed with it on questions OF
"obiect lesson Harsh discipline and sharp
lessons they have been, but the attitude of the
party administering them. while the whole
county writhed and groaned under them, has
been always as now This is what you get
for not trusting us with absolute power and
undisputed control. Yon have brought il upon
yourselves, aud now we propose 10 give You
enough of it,
The last "obiect lesson on large scale
which that party gave the country before the
one now being administered was when il en-
broiled the country in civil war; and undertook
to break up the Union and destroy the Gov
eminent because the people refused to con-
tinue it in control and lei il make the system
of slave labor National. That like all the rest
of its lessons was an attempt to carry ont
= Il L. min
was an announcement to the people in the
plainest possible terms, "CnleSs you permit
us to rule this country we will ruin it, That
was the spirit of the party, the virtual declara-
tion Of its most trusted and influential leaders
all through the war Nor need ii be said in
contradiction that thousands Of Democrats en-
listed on the side of the Union and fought man
fully to the end to prevent the ruin which the
leaders sought in order 10 enforce the object
lesson of that period True. they did: all
honor t. them. But they had to leave their
party to do it; or if they stayed with 1t, they
did so from force of habit and association with
doubts and misgvings. and AT the forfeiture OF
influence and loss Of the confidence OF the lead
els. Of the spirit and purpose OF the party as
an organization there was never any doubt.
Its entire energies were directed TO giving the
object lesson
So now, public confidence having been shaken
by the sudden awakening last November to the
fact that the country was in the absolute con-
troll of party which when it went ont Of
power thirty-two years ago left the credit ct
the Nation at discount of 10 per cent, and
which has in all the years since then advo-
Gated every reckless and unsOund measure that
gained hearing anywhere; and that confidence
having received an additional shock which has
brought disaster by the discovery that the Adj
ministra,ion had no settled policy and if it had
that it was without backing to enforce it
now, that these things have happened, the Dem
Ocratic organs look complacently on the dis
tress around them and say This is an OBJ
iect lesson "Object lesson in what, pray I?
In the operation of the Silver Purchase law?
Well, suppose the Republicans are responsible
for that aw-which we by no means admit
why did not the Democratic majority in the
last Congress take some step toward its repeal
as the party promised would be done in the
Chicago platform? That would have gone a
long way toward restoring confidence and pre-
venting the disasters of the last three weeks
Or if the party has the most remote intention
of fulfilling its promise why does not the Pres
dent call the new Congress together TO take
action in the matter?
Is it so much better to give the country an
object lesson than TO do something to restore
confidence and avert disaster? What sort Of
craftsmanship is it, what sort Of business sense
is it, to stand still and do nothing in the midst
of crumbng credit and financial distress sim
ply to give the people an object lesson in the
mistakes Of an opposing party? Why do not
Democrats give an "object lesson" in demon
stration of their own fitness and capacity for
the functions committed to them? Or is it true
that they have neither fitness nor capacity and
no reason for being except the mistakes of
their opponents, which they have neither the
disposition nor the ability to correct?