The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-06
Democracy and the Wilson Bill.

Democracy and the Wilson Bill.
Secretary of State Kelsey, we re
informed by the True american OF
this morning, has written a letter to
Congressman Cadmus, expressing APP
proval of that misguided gentlernan's
course in voting against the Wilson
bill lat every stage" In a Washing
ton despatch, the True american
gives what purports to be the text OF
Mr.. Kelsey's letter. and in it we find
these expressions:-
Icannot believe that the House bill or any
thing like 1t. will pass the Senate: but if such
should be the case it will be a long time before
we see another National Democratic adminstra -
ton in any branch.
1t is painful to see a democrat of
Mr.. Kelsey's standing and repute thus
give aid and comfort to the enemies
of his party. This is the rock the
Democracy has so often split upon
the lack of party discipline and of CO.
hesiveness upon questions of national
policy.
In our Judgment, Mr.. Cadmus made
the mistake of his life in voting
against tine Wilson bill. In thus ca
tering to local errors and prejudices,
he forfeited his standing as a demo-
crat and came in the way of doing his
party a mortal injury. Fortunately
the earnestness and enthusiasm of tho
great majority for the principles of
the party rendered Mr.. Cadmus' de-
lection Insignificant and almost unno-
ticad.
As for Mir. Kelsey's views regarding
the fate of the measure in the SEN
ate, we certainly can think of moth
ing more radically wrong-beaded.
Mr.. Kelsey expresses fears OF party
defeat; but can he hope to see the
party win by stultifying itself? Does
he think there is victory in proving
that there is no such thing as a Demo
cratic party. that the body which
nominates a so-called Democratic can
didate for President every four years,
is only a mob of wrangling factions.
without ideas. principles in common;
without cohesion, discipline or ac-
cord2
What else will the Democracy be if
the Senate rejects the Wilson bill?
The measure represents the views of
the President, who was elected largely
on the strength of his views on this
very question. 1t represents the sense
of the majority--the signal majority
--of the representatives Of the people
in Congress, expressed with such GER
tainty, with such enthusiastic conf
dence as was never before witnessed
in the House OF Representatives.
Now, if the Democratic Senators in
ssst on rejecting the bill or amend
ingn it out of all likeness to itself, 1t
simply means that there are at least
two sorts Of Democracy, diametrically
opposed to- each other, the one, the
sort that the people actually voted for
in 1892: the other, the sort that COW
ards and trimmers choose to think the
people will be likely to vote for in
1890.
In discord, y~acillation, cowardice
and lack of principle. there is certain
ruin. The party may be all wrong
about the tariff, and its error may
bring 1t to renewed defeat; but, at
least. If we stand to our colors, we
l,.va tha chanee that we are right and
that the people will stand by US. Al
any rate, consistency means deiea'
with honor, whereas the miserable
iasco Mr.. Kelsey seems to wish Tor
appears to us TO involve not only de-
feat but disgrace too.
S1xcE the State COMPROMISING
has to go to a republican soon a.
the Legislative muddIe is adjusted
re would nave liked to see it go TO .