The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-08
Rank Has Its Obligations.

1t must not be forgotten that victory
brings responsibility. The hour of eX-
ultation is brief, while the period OF
serious duty is long and often exacting.
1t is a happy characteristic of the Re
publican party that it has hitherto been
able to eXult without growing vain, and
willing to work, when real necessity re-
quires Perhaps the only time when
it failed in this respect was just before
the memorable elections of 1890, and the
swiftness and severity of the popular
rebuke yet linger in memory as one Of
the most painful episodes Of recent po-
ltical history. The teachings of that
defeat should be studied and digested
The lessons of that overthrow should
be remembered as potent admonition
against the repetition of past mistakes
We interpret the magnificent vote of
Tuesday not as a national license to
Republican leaders to do, in legisla-
tive sense, whatever they shall please;
but rather as a mark of renewed conf
dence which will be withdrawn as read
lily as it was given, should the recipi-
ents of that confidence prove, like the
Democrats, unworthy of it. The coun-
try, we take it, does not want further
experiment. 1t does not yearn for un-
settling and disturbing innovation.
There is no general call of Republican
ism to arms, either for or against the
age, either for or against any one of the
dozen or more mooted panaceas for
conditions which will disappear of
themselves, if the people be only let
alone. The age Of chivalric crusades
against imaginary giants has, let us
hope, fizzled out in American politics.
The people have had enough of cheva-
lier furore and hare-brained, quack
medicament. All that they want is to
be given fair and reasonable chance
to mind their own business in their
own way. Thus favored, they will
never fear, thoroughly work out their
own destiny without any need of con-
gressional interference or white house
solicitude.
There exist, in all parties, men who
grasp at the hour of victory to project
their own erratic personalities upon the
retina of the public eye. Invisible ir
war, they become invincible in peace
and regard every new political change
asa vindication Of their own pet 'isms'
and fads. One of the chief reasons
why the Democracy has been so badly
beaten this week is that 1t could not
when victorious, restrain these torch
light colonels with theories to display
There has existed, at no time since tn,
war, any crisis which would justify thu
excited rhetoric of a Cleveland or {
Wilson. The people prospered, stead
lily and generally; labor was contented
capital was confident and our resources
as a nation were in healthy and uni
form development when Cleveland, IL
the zeal of young conversion, blew fortl
his clarion blasts against monopolies
tariff barons, class cupidity and simila
things, and by his very furiousnes
begat panic among the herd. The Re
publican party, if it be wise, will no
try to match the braying of opposing
theorists with an overmastering antag
onstic din. 1t will not drown partisan
clangor and clamor with offsettin!
noises yet more discordant. 1t will not
in short, try to break lances on an,
windmill, under the delusion that tn
object of it's attack is a cruel giant in
stead of plain, homely mill; but
will sensibly and cautiously atten
strictly to business, letting result
speak for themselves.
If improved along that line, the vic
tory of Tuesday will be the beginnin
of a new and happier era in the govern
ment of this nation.