The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-08
THE REASON OF 1T.


make Democratic leases Of power brief,
and will continue TO so operate.
II is the fact that the Democratic party
has no policy to justify it's existence,
has never had policy. and seems in
capable of formulating a policy sufii-
ciently intelligent to give IL standing as
an opposition party.
There is a field in American politics
for party of opposition, The domin-
ant party would be healthier, and per-
form its work better, if there were
real opposition.
II Will undoubtedly be argued that the
Democratic party is an opposition party,
but it requires but moment's candid
reflection to perceive that it has no right
to be considered in that light.
Since the close Of the War of the Re
bellion the great controlling article in
the Republican faith has been the up
building of this country, commercially.
To accomplish that it was seen clearly
that the only possible function of a
political party was to secure individual
freedom of action, and the freest possi-
ble play for individual and corporate
enterprise. This sentiment crystalized
into the great Republican doctrine Of
Protection.
Upon this great idea the Republican
party has based itself solidly. IL has not
swerved. 1t has steadily refu cd TO be
tempted TO either abandon it. or in any
degree modify it. Ithas endured lapses
from popularity, aud has suffered loss
of power aud defeat at the polls without
murmuring, or loss of any of the faith
that actuated ii.
The simple theory Of the Republican
party has been, and is and is to be, that
the American people must be allowed,
by their own labor, to build up for
themselves, here in the new country
they have set themselves to conquer, "A
commercial system of their own. 1t
proposed 10 see 10 it that progress
should not be either delayed or made
impossible, during the formative period,
by the commercial greed of European
countries, which had built themselves
up on the feudal system of commerce
the compelling of other countries TO
allow them to manage their commerce.
The Democratic party had been an
initiated by the war. As soon as what
remained of the wreck perceived that it
WAS still able To breathe it began to cas-,
about for an issue, The South was too
sore over its defeat to join the Repub-
lican party, which really expressed its
political faith. So with the South to
build upon, the Democrats merely con
tinued 10 use such Fictitious arguments
against protection a Juld be discovered
or evolved.
After while there grew up body of
academic discussion of trade-relation
principles by the college professors, who
proceeded as those amiable theorists
usually do. They first conceived con-
ditions that they believed ought to be
universal. Whether they were SO or
not, they did not pause TO ascertain.
Having conceived theoretic basis for
trade relations, they proceeded to show
that all nations should conform
This teaching, which those who prac-
ticed gave the weighty title of political
economy, captivated a great many
young men, and the Democratic party
began to grow both big and respectable
and pretty soon it began to win cleo
tions.
Finally came the great overturn of
1892, aad the Democrats found them
selves in power. They were then com
PEELED to deal with facts and conditions,
and they speedily met their Waterloo.
They crumbled. They renounced their
doctrines. They failed in all ways. The
country saw at once that dependence
had been put upon rope of sand.
Hence Tuesday last.
The failure Of the Democratic party
is due TO the fact that it had no policy of
opposition -that-Mas- based -uPea-eet4--
ditions prevailing in this country; be-
cause it appealed, merely to get itself
into power, to Americans to support a
policy that could yno possibility benefit
them, but must, by the Interchangeable
laws Of trade, work 10 the advantage of
those nations that want TO control
American trade.
To build up Legitimate political oppo-
sition there must be no contingency con-
sidered that by any possibility may go
against national sentiment or national
prosperity. There must be no possible
suspicion of direct or contingent benefit
to foreigners, or to any sort of foreign
interests. What is meant here is graphi-
cally illustrated by the two
latest facts in the career of Mr.. VII
LIAM l.. WILSON, the most conspicuous,
rs well as the most sincere, advocate of