New-York tribune., 1895-08-26
THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.


Disgust is not usually long lived The political
outlook for this year is somewhat modified by the
fact that Democratic disgust was intense enough
year ago TO defeat that party in the States
where II had for years held almost unchallenSed
SWAY That trait Of human nature which leads
many men to tolerate after n time and AT length
to condonc the offences that at first excite the
utmost wrath has TO be reckoned with this year.
as well as the folly Of some who Will acccp' re-
viyjnc business as vindicatng the tariff which
Democrats were kicked into passing. When an
incendiary is caught Oh the premises. ana Dy dhl
of revolver shots induced TO vanish without
finishing his destructive work. it is not usually
reckoned vindication Of the purposes and char-
actcr of the scamp if the property is mostly
saved Men like Professor Wilson in the House
and Senator Vest in the Senate represented the
great Democratic majority in both houses, whlch
was not persuaded, but simply cocrced INTO
abandonment of its ncendiary work; ana YET
there are men stupid enough to suppose the Dem
ocratic policy entitled TO credit for the results OF
its defeat.
When to this foolishness there is added the pro
pensity of men to forget their disgust with their
own party ii seems likely that majoriues this
year may be smaller than in lS94 Inc ava
lanche of that year was in part due TO the REFUSAL
of Democrats to vote at ALL and of the men VINO
could lift themselves no higher then than mega
tive and silent protest against the infamles ana
the follies of their party. some must be expected
by this time TO have grown wondrous KIND 10 lis
faults With better business and wages. the
sense Of Indignation loses part of lis personal
stimulus. But there are other causes whlch
operate this year against The Democrats more
effectively than in 1894
One Of these is the surrender Of the Treasury
TO a syndicate of bankers, whose price for saving
the country from the consequences Of Democratic
stupidity has not appeared small 10 the plain peo-
pie II is very well for capitalists and bankers
10 extol the wisdom and skill of the Rothschilds
and their associates, but it will never be possible
to persuade most American voters that the Gov
ernment had any business to pay S12.OOO.OOO,
more or less, for placing bonds which find eager
buyers to-day at over 81 per cent premium. The
fact that this thing was done by Democratic
President while a Democratic Congress was in
session, and was neither stopped nor hindered by
the majority. will settle the attitude OF many
voters to the Democratic party for years 10 come;
and this cause of offence has not only arisen since
the elections Of last fall. but has been kept in
mind by monetary discussions, and by the recent
OutgO Of gold.
Ii is sufficiently apparent in Kentucky that the
Democrats are doomed 10 heavy loss of votes
whether they range themselves with Harris,
Jones and Blackburn. or follow after Cleveland
and Carlisle Attempts TO find a middle ground
of union in Kentucky have failed and the abest
Democrats expect their ticket to be badly beaten
in that State, but in other Western and Southern
States the same differences exist and are produc-
ing similar effects The seizure of the Demo
cratic machinery in some States by silver ex-
tremists rcpels thousands who believe in sound
money. The success Of the Administration and
its officeholders in capturing conventions in other
1t is not possible 10 say how far the disintegra-
ton may go. and. as is usual in such cases, many
may threaten who will in the end be drawn by
party feeling TO submit, but loss Of many thou
sand votes TO the Democrats on this account APP
pears at present inevitable.
Last years elections a great surprise
even to the victors for they had not anticipated
so great triumph. The Republicans this year
have taken 1t for granted that the Democrats
would be able to call back a large proportion OF
lated upon the exceptional majorities of 1894
But in quarters where industries have been most
affected by the tariff, and in quarters where the
silver controversy has most divided the Demo
cratic party it is possible that the results this
year may again prove a surprise TO all.