Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-11-09
FRIDAY MORNING, NOV. 9. 1894
THE GENERAL DEMOCRATIC
DEFEAT.

THE GENERAL DEMOCRATIC
DEFEAT.
The Democratic party Of the country la
been overtaken by {, large and unmistakabl
slump-a slump which has been distribute;
with great impartiality all over the coun
try.
Republicans who strenuously denied tina
the election of the Republican House 0
Representatives that passed the McKinle.
HI. by the people in 1890, was on accoun
of its dealing with the question Of Protec
ton, are now. with a strange lack Of cohe
renee, claiming that the election of tn
Democratic House of Representatives tina
passed the Tariff Reform Bill is done OF
account Of its dealing with the Tariff
The Democrats have not been put in tht
minority by the voters of this country 70
their dealing with Tariff Reform. Tariff
Reform had not had full sixty days o
real trial by the people-indeed some of th'
provisions Of the bill will not so into effect
until the beginning of next year. If Tariff
Reform had anything to do with their de
feat last Tuesday, it was because they die
not make that Reform promptly enough
and radically enough-for the principle o!
the thing is in tile hearts and minds of the
American people and sooner OF later they
are determined TO have it. Then what has
caused the slump?
Well, since Gen. Grant S second term
almost every President has lost the House
OF Representatives in the second year OF his
term. Grant (Rep.( lost it, Hayes {Rep.
lost it, Garfield (Rep.) (Arthur) lost it
Cleveland DEM retained it, Harrison
(Rep.) lost it, and now Cleveland has lost
it. 1t is very hard to explain this mystic
fatality of the second year watch falls
upon the just and unjust alike. In some
OF the second years the change had 10 ref
erence to any public policy-for no lew
departure was agitated at many Of them
and they could not therefore he attributed
to party policy OF to party principle
About the only solution that seems reason
able enough to offer, is that at every success
of Il party, its head in the assignment OF
the powers and honors captured by that
success, alenates goodly number OF the
leaders of his party. America is full OF
ambitious party men and the inability o!
an administration to make the chief spoils
go around, OF its indisposition to give
those spOils to the leaders who think it is
their right to have them, makes such alien
alton inevitable. The alienation accom-
plished it is not hard to follow it to its
result. Dissatisfaction is transmitted from
the alienated leader 10 his followers as sure
as water runs down hill, and the process Of
disintegration sets i'll. I he leaven Of dis
satisfaction works rapidly and the first
general election that occurs is the occasions
for the explosion. II is in the second year
OF the term that the general election comes
and with it the catastrophe. We can
think of no other explanation for the second
year disease which visits all parties and all
Presidents.
1t has been the fortune of the Democrat
lie party to be badly affected with this sec
ond year fever in the present term OF nj.
Cleveland. Few second years nave see.
the leaders with So many neglects II
ayenge-possi5ly Mi. Harrison second
wear, when nearly every leader in his part y
was opposed to him. was tie nearest to H.
l has been intensified in Mr.. Cleveland :
case because many OF the leaders WHO we. {
unfriendly to him were i'll prominent posi-
lions as legislators. and in tlieir aii2T,
mood delayed, perverted, and at las,
defeated legislation Which was Of res
merit, and which the President WAS SIP
posed to have at he1ft. When leaders aux
led by disappointment to take such a ststi.d
it is not SO surprising that those wno syst
pathise with them should seize OH lie its
opportunity to put in their little mite ant
not being able to get at the head, take
shot at the party itself.
With the inevitable from it's persis
tent periodic recurrence. it does seem almos
notwithstanding OF the second year, til,
Democratic party had the ''nard times /,
make it wider aud deeper. The Democrat
ic administration OF '94 had 10 more to d.
with the panic ard hard times than tn
VI ~ W al
with the panic Of that day, but Morrlet
and voorhees, people are lot very apt III TIL
midst Of hard times to take much troub
to look into such matters they are ''agli
the government under which they occur
as the only thing and the easiest thing t,
be held to Il responsibility fer them.
What patriot Democrat is really con
cerned about over the slump, is What effec
it will have on the future. We think Vi
may safely say that it will not imperil liz
future success Of the Democracy. Tn
year 1896 will find the country with til.
benefit Of two years of u low tariff whici
in the year 1891 they had OILY hal soHi
sixty Or ninety days of. BY that Tine tii
leaders will be getting ready to pail Eoget! e
us much as in 1871 they were getting rea,!,
to pull apart. Ii We are not mistaken til
Just elected Republican House of Repre-
sentatives will fail into the error TINT III,
Reed House did, Of turning down enouc.
Democratic members to suit their pur
pose, ard they will thus arouse the coun
try against them to the benefit o. the Dem
Gratis We think from their present receri
of follies we can safely promise that th9
newly elected House will commit foliies
enough. of one sort or another, TO safeI,
land the government into the hands OF tll
Democrats in 1886.
THE YEAR 1875.
Let no Democrat While reading the adj
vance returns of Tuesday s elects wayel
from the convi ion that the country vii
go Democratic in 1886. Tie principles Of
the party are deeply 70 tel III tiie hearts 81
the people; their roofs have been rendered
and wltered la Il seas, OF ;i:lrersity q
thirty years duration; they ilaSe had ba1