New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-13
THEN IND NOW.

About eighteen months ago large number
~ nersons took temporary leave of their senses
and mt the Democratic party in complete
control of National affairs Many of them were
os sincere rs they were creduous. They had
really been fooled into believing 1t would be
potriotic act TO help turn the Republicans out
of power Many others were merely In freak
ish mood They heard so much about change
that their curiosity became excited, and they
said: LET us have one and see what IL Is
like" And so both classes OF experlmenters,
together with the regular Democracy. n motley
assortment Of fractional minorites and n mob
az individual cranks, went to the polls and did
n tremendous days work. Then, having done
# thov felt that It was theirs and were ex-
ccedinrlv proud Of IT, The millennium had ar
rived through their fundamentally with aston
ishinr suddcnness and completeness, and for
ahout twenty four hours we suppose that every
man in the country who had cast Democratic
ballot Identified himself rs a public benefactor
and rcjoiced accordingly. After that the pro-
coss of dlsillusion began but il not rapid
NJ first and there was ample time for the phi
losophcrs of reform TO exhibit their superior
talents after the tidal wave Of enthusiasm had
subsidized.
They did not neglect the opportunity. For
about tho snocc Of three months they occupied
the field Of discussion and were wonderfully
fertile Having fixed their gaze upon the signs
OF the times with profound attention for a
sufficient period. they all looked up with one
accord and solcmnly informed the world that
the Republican party was dead, and that NOM
ing could be mt the same time more futile or
I'm worse taste than for the corpse to dispute
the diagnosis And thcrcupOn, without walt
Ing To- sec whether or not the corpse was gong
To make itself ridiculous. they apportioned It's
effects and mapped out the political history OF
the country for another centul II was
magnificent exhibition Of logic and the philoso-
phcrs were greatly exalted. This was prior to
March I. 1893.
In contemplation OF what would otherwise
have been lost, nobody can ever be- TOO gra'ei"
that the philosophers were so prompt. foroh
or about the date last mentioned a rumor began
10 fill the air that the millennium had not actu
ally arrived. but while approaching with great
velocity had been ditchcd and was IN the hahds
Of the wrcckccs. The report was Indignantly
denied but II seemed to thrive on CONTRADICTION
ana then suddenly everybody knew that 1t was
true II was n dreadful thing to happen 10
millennium. and a great many OF the saints VINO
had resolved To inherit the earth continued To
ease their feelings by straining their con-
sciences The millennium IS all right. they sad'
or. II II isn't. 1t will he In Il few days or per
haps y few weeks. at any rate so soon rs
the chief engineer has had n chance to get II on
the track again. But the days ana weeks
grew into months the situation became more
and more gloomy. the chief engineer and his
wrccking crew couldn't agree and didn't want
10. and the most competent observers. having
inspected all that was left Of the Millennium
said: That Is more like our Idea OF chaos
than ANYTHING We ever saw before In our lives.
And 50 It was Furthermore the resemblance
is still striking but 1t has begun 10 fade. Or
at least the Point Of view Is changing rapidly,
and the wreck Is taking on a very hopeful APP
pcarancc in the eyes of millions. How has this
come about: Why. it is all because of the
rcsusciaiion Of that corpse whose oDscqucs
were So largely attended more than year ago.
The Republican party was not dead after all
though ii certainly was laid out. ON the con
trnry IL arose refreshed. multiplied ana re-
iuyiyoratcd from that brief contact with the
earth and Is preparing TO resume all me
functions which properly belong 10 It, including
the advancement of the Millennium