The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-31
Brscln4 up Tire Republican Party.

BreclnZ UP the Republican Party.
In the April Forum Senator Henry Cabo;
Lodge, 10 an article entitled, "Outlook and
Duty Of the Republican Party" undertakes
TO iufuse hope and courage into those re-
pubIicans who are inclined to think that
their party will not recover from the defeat
which 1t suffered last November. He recites
briefly the history Of the Republican and
Democratic perties, pointing out that the
/ Republican party, is in fact, the party
{ which under another name supported Wash
ingtou and Hamilton, and that tbs Demo-
! cratic party is the party which Jefferson
| brought into existence, and which took its
present name under jackson. Great
political parties, be says, do not go out of
existence. When defeated they sometimes
change their names and come into power
again on new issues.
He thinks the republicans have no reason
to fear for the future of their party. In
his opinion it will live, but the inference
from what be says is that its name may be
changed and it may fight for supremacy ON
new Issues.
He declares that its duty is TO watch the
Democratic party and take advantage Of its
mistakes, insisting all the time that it
shall fulfill the pledges it made in the last
national campaign. Owing to differences
in its ranks he does not believe. the Demo-
cratic party can settle the tariff and silver
questions TO the satisfaction of a majority
of the voters, and that failing to settle
those questions in accordance with its
pledges the way will be open for the Re
publican party to return to power.
There is no doubt that it is not an easy
matter to frame tariff bill that would
command general approval, and there are
grave difficulties in the way of a settlement
of the silver question, but the Democratic
party will endeavor to keep its pledges in
respect to both Of these questions, and there
are reasons for thinking it will succeed.
But what has the Republican party to
gain by ma intainipg a watchful oppositionl
Does Senator Lodge think the majority will
return it to power on a platform of protec-
ton il the Democratic party does not sue
coed in giving the country a tariff that is
entirely satisfactory If he does, he lie
greatly mistaken. The majority does not
now and lever has upheld the protection
for which the Republican party contends.
The Republican party did not come into
power in 1860 on the protection issue,
but on an entirely different one,
and it owed its long lease of
power to issues other than that of
protection. 1t is not likely, therefore, that
the Republican party has much chance of
getting control Of the government again on
the protection issue.
And that party is not united on the silver
issue. The differences in its ranks on that
issue are about as great as are those in the
Democratic party. The troublesome silver
purchase act is republican legislation. The
Republican party failed to meet squsrely
the demand for free silver coinage tire
sorted to a compromise, and the result is
the present unfortunate condition of af-
fairs
II is natural that Senator Lodge should
be hopeful OF the future Of his party, but
the fact that be considers it necessary to say
that the defeat which it met in November
is not necessarily fatal indicates that his con-
fidence in its ability to gain control of the
government again is not sufficiently strong
TO infuse hope and courage into the repub-
lcan ranks.