The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-11-30
A GREAT LESSON.
incapable Democrats Destray tho Conn-
 dence of the People.

Incapable Democrats Destroy tho ConfI-
 dence of the People.
 Ii the democrats do not wish the crushing defeats they have suffered at the late elections to be only the begin- nlng of a series of similar defeats, they must, above all things, look the truth us to the causes of the disaster straight in the face It will do them no good to accept the explanation of the bosses, who, in order to call away popular at tention from their own misdoings, pre- tend that the great overthrow was wholly owing to the load times," for which the ruling party was always, no matter how unreasonably, held respon- slole. If there had been only chanye of some thousand votes from the dem- ocratic to the republican side, the busi- ness troubles disturbing the popular mind might be held accountable for it. But great political upheavals are not explained in such way, especially when they occur in of years, n when ordinarily the interest in politics is but languid.
 The truth is that the democratic party has in conspicuous manner failed to justify the confidence of many good citizens who last year, at the presiden- tial election, gave it their support The business disturbance would not have produced such sweeping political effects had the party in power-that is the majority of the democrats in con gress-shown themselves, capable of dealing with the most pressing prob. lem of the time as sagaciously, vigor. ously and promptly as the crisis de- handed. It is true the final repeal of the sherman act satisfied the immedi- ate requirement. of the day. But this result is generally believed to be due to the unwavering firmness of the president, and not to the wisdom of the democratic majority, It produced much more the impression of a lucky escape than of an act performed by the party h power according to well settled pol icy. The public mind has conceived a serious misgiving as to what the democratic majority would do when unrestrained by very vigorous execu- tive leadership. And here a word to our southern friends is in order. Their senators and representatives in con- gross who. either from natural mud. | dle-headedness or from cowardly dread of the populist movement in their states, abet those financial heresies which have become so dangerous to our honor and prosperity as a nation, are in fair way again to ruin the democratic party in the confidence ot the northern people, and thereby in the whole country, as thoroughly as it was ruined during the civil war and for many years afterwards. In the demo. cratic defeats this autumn they should recognize the beginning of a revival oi that fatal distrust which, when fully developed, will utterly destroy for an indefinite time the prospects of any party against which it is aroused.
 If the democratic party wishes to re main . strong factor in American poli tics, it will have to disarm that distrust by wise treatment of the fnancia problems still to be solved, and by ssne fulfllment of the promises witil regard to tiic tari3f policy which found se much favor with the people in the na tional elections of 1890 and 1892. Il can no longer stake its fortunes upor the esteem in which MT. Cleveland i' held. for he will not remain its leader much longer; and besides, the prestige of his name, too, has been impaired by his deplorable action in the Van AleI case, and by the spells politics whicf his administration has been carrying on. These things have played a sub ordinate, although by no means unim portant, part in the recent election but they will show their full effec' when public attention is no longer di verted from them by questions of i'm mediate urgency y.-Harpers Weekly.