The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-14
The Democratic Crisis.

The Democratic Crisis.
impressive in it, promptness and cmphs-
els IL the response TO Senator HrLb's speech
Of Tuesday. On every side those Democrats
who are In truth Democratic and not Mug
wumps or Populists tricked out In Jeffer-
sonisn costume. are attesting the greatness
of the service which Mr.. HILL has just rem
dered TO his party at momentous crisis In
its experience.
This week for the first time the gravity
Of the situation Is generally recognised and
properly appreciated. The income tax
proposition overshadows everything else.
The question OF customs duties becomes
insignificant In comparison. What has
been . sentiment Of vague unrest and APP
prehension concerning the consequences OF
the proposed departure from Democratic
principles becomes suddenly full and clear
perception of the Unreasonable danger
ahead. Senator HILLS warning has shot
like bolt Of lightning through the mists
In which the Democracy was wandering.
under blind or besotted leadership. It Ii
~ II the party had stood at the forks Of the
road. uncertain whether to turn TO the
right or 10 the left. when suddenly the fog
lifted. showing on the one hand the path Of
safety. and on the other . road leading
straight to disaster, destruction. annihila-
ton. and disgrace:
LIZ, those who insist upoa injecting f.te shis ein
sAis odioss and Democratic feature Of IN tncsus
tsx relic Of legislation. pause and reject upeu
the possible consequences OF their unvarrsnsbis de-
snAnd They should realise that n means the loss Of
the control Of this Senate nearly equally divided
between the two great parties; Il means the loss OF
she next House Of Representatives; means the ioss
the electoral votes Of New York. New jersey Con-
neetisus and probably every Nesshsrn State; and
nnsly. 10 means the loss Of the next Presidency and
ali that Il impliss They should consider whether
there 10 anything about income tsx % Sacred 90
desirable. popular. 20 Joe. and 90 ssrsnst
BILE that is maintenance IL worth the risk which
they are prscip,t.tins Let them remember 1890 and
the ultra demands then made upon the Democratic
party 10 which u could not houorsbiy aeesAs: Do
nAnds which led division and defeats let them
that followed the devastation. the Suffering the
humiiiatien which snsusd. the military and carpet
beg sov.rnm.n,s which nourishsd. the Fierce bills
which threatened and all the incidents OF the terrible
years which darksnsd our party's and eosntry's
history from 1890 to 1884 when through wiser eeun-
ssA moderate action. concilistory methods and re-
stored eonndsnos. We we're intrusssd with power
again; and. rejecting all these shinrs. let them
say whether h 10 the part of wisdom By the insistsncs
upon sxtrsms dsmsnds to impsrii the success Of
party again and thereby tend rstard the progress
aiminish the glory sndsngsr the best and highest
interests of common country"
Mastery as was Mr.. Hills argument
against tho income tax itself. and con-
elusive as was his demonstration of the
true character OF the Socialist measure with
which tho Administration and its servants
have undertaken to buy way for the VIII
SON bill through the House and the Senate.
the chief value OF his speech 10 in its in
dlcation OF the consequences sure to follow
the success OF the present enterprise OF
selfishness and folly. We do not refer
merely to the immediate political conse-
Qaences pointed out by Mr.. HILL. The De-
mocracy might survive the loss Of the Sem
ate. the loss Of tho Presidency. the loss Of
every Northern State. 1t cannot survive the
loss OF its own vital principle. or remain
long In existence. even as q name. after
Its betrayal into the control OF section
slists or of Socialists. The words above
quoted have already done their work. The
true relation OF things has been reestab-
lished. Democrats now understand the
enormity OF the price which Mr.. CLKvE-
LAND and Mr.. WILSON ask them TO pay for
. fictitious tariff reform and personal VIC
tory barren OF practical results.
The sentiment aroused everywhere by
Mr. Hills speech 10 exemplihed by this
striking remark OF that intense organ
OF Clevelandism and bitter enemy OF
Mr.. HILL himself. the Brooklyn Eagle:
I've would rather have the MCKINLEY law
without an income tag than the WILSON
Tariff bill with one" Better any conceiv-
able evil OF past experience than the contsm-
pi~.sa surrender of Democracy into the
hands of the men who are working their
way step by step through the successive
stages OF Populism. Socialism. and Anarchy.
toward the new revolution which In their
crazy hopes is to destroy the existing fabric
OF our republic and set upa new structure
on the ruins OF the old.
Concessions by the Liberals 90 the