The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-09-04


who studies the philosophical aspect of
politics, is of intense Importance. There
are many who have sincerely believed
that different parties were all alike vary
ing only in the general trend of opinion
regarding public policies, but not in any
radical way separated in respect to integ-
rIty patriotic feeling, or capacity for the
work of government. If this view was
correct, as so many believe, it was right
for them to favor the party which pro-
fessed to move in nearest accord with
their ideas, even though in many re-
spects they distrusted it. But there were
Democratic party because its declared
purposes were in harmony with their
own convictions, and they had faith that
in the matter of tariff legislation and the
treatment of monopoles, at all events,
it would benefit the country so greatly
that shortcomings IN other particulars
could be pardoned.
To both of these classes the events of
the year have brought definite revela-
tion. Considering first the question of
fidelity to great alms, it has to be admitted
that the Congress which has just adjourn
ed covered the Dem ocrats with confusion
because it was untrue to every Democratic
idea or conviction, and sold out more
shamelessness than any preceding Con-
of aff 70
monopoles which it had been expected to
uproot. This was not an accident. The
party owed its power to two radically an
tagonistic forces to the plantation inter-
ests of the South. essentially agricultural
and ignorant of modern industries and
their needs, and to the ignorant vote of
certain Northern cities, composed entire
ly of workingmen whose very livelihood
depended upon the maintenance of indus
trial prosperity. What the Southern the
orists wanted the Northern worklngmen
could not grant without self-destruction,
and so it came to pass that the represen-
tatives of the Southern interests like Mr.
Wilson got frantic with indignation be-
cause Senators from Northern cities and
manufacturing centres refused to carry
out the pledges of the party. To do so
was death to them, and they knew it.
This irreconcilable difference of inter
est brought out in the strongest light the
callous and CONSCIOUSNESS cynicism of the
party leaders and the shameless corrup-
ton of many members. A conflict which
threatened the success of the party
quickly made it clear that the Democ.
racy could not count upon the fidelity
of majority of its members in either
house for antagonIsm to corruption. Ev-
cry Democratic senator save one blindly
bound himself to vote for measures which
he considered dishonest and infamous,
because no other could be passed by the
party. The majority of Democrats in the
house caucus voted to accept without
the slightest change the most shameless
all its absurdities and mistakes, perfectly
reali zing that it was humiliating and dis
graceful to members of the house per
sonally and sure to be ruinous to the
party, because it would give individual
members little better chance of election
in certain Southern and Western dis
tricts Talk of corruption, the naked
and unchecked bribery of senators was
not one whit more dishonorable than the
votes of representatives against their con-
victions and the interests of their party,
to help their personal chances.
In the net result we have the most in
competent and indecent Congress ever
known in this country, by the universal
admission of it's friends. But 1t can no
longer be said that parties are on level
in this respect. Republicans were di-
vided in opinion in $780, but their work
was vigorous, clean. honest and far-sght-
en-. The ablest and best end of the party
ruled. When the other party has the
power. the most incapable, indecent and
dishonest get the upper hand, and the
party itself for party's sake, consents to
wear handouts at the dictatlon OF its
worst elements Neio York Tribune.