The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-11-15
WASHINGTON.
From ou Regular Correspondent.

Political defeat is part and portion
of the history of every political party
and amounts to little when the mem
bers of the defeated party have the
sense and the courage to profit by the
lesson which can always be learned
from defeat. The lesson of the defeat
by which the democratic party last
week lost the states of New York,
New Jersey, Maryland and Kentucky,
which are naturally democratic, and
allowed the republicans to pile up alb.
normal off year majorites in other
states, is so plain that he who runs
may read it, and he can run a great
deal faster than some of the demo
cratic candidates did in the states
named, too. If the rank and file of
the party displays the sense and cour-
age to profit by this lesson, the demo-
cratic party has still good fighting
chance to elect the President and
majority of the House next year
there is no chance to regain control OF
the Senate before 1890 or later; if not,
its chance for doing either may be
considered inhnitesimal.
Everybody knows the cause Of the
democratic defeat last week, as well
as that at last years Congressional
elections. 1t is because there are not
enough democrats to win when they
are divided into administration and
anti administration democrats. In
I89a, when the party was united it
won great victory, capturing at one
time the Presidency and the control
of both branches of Congress. Bar.
ring the control of the Senate that
victory can be duplicated in 1896,
provided that the Cleveland democrats
and the anti Cleveland democrats can
be made to become just plain demo-
Gratis, and 10 stop cutting each others
throats. A good start might be made
in that direction by those-this is no
time for elimination and recrimina.
ton; therefore no names need be
called-who excused their opposition,
both open and secret, to the. regular
democratic nominees in several states
on the ground that it was an off year
and defeat would have no effect upon
the Presidential contest. Let them
come out like men and say whether
they are democrats from principle, or
only democrats when they can name
the PARTIES nominees, and having de-
clared themselves let them live up to
their declarations.
In this same connection there is also
duty devolving upon the men who
manipulated the party machine. A
little consideration will convince them
that they are not blameless. Had
they been less arrogant in displaying
their power to force Objectionable
Rom;nations, in some instances for no
better reason than a desire 10 force
objecting democrats 10 eat dish of
crow by voting and working for those
nominees, the party would have made
a better showing. Let these men for
get the injury done and endeavor to
concillate the kicking democrats and
to get the party united once more.
One of the principal reasons why a
united democracy will stand an excel
lent chance of winning next year is
found in the present condition of the
republican party, which regards its
winning next year as such certainty
that its members have already begun
to fight for the control of the spoils Of
victory, and by the time they succeed
in nominating Presidential ticket
they are likely to be hopelessly split
up into fighting factions. If the dem.
ocratic party iemains as it now is it
will be IN no condition to take advan-
tage of such a state of affairs. 1t is
only question of whether democrats
prefer following up personal grudges
and ''getting even" with democrats
against whom they are held and losing,
to subordinating their personal feel
ings for the success Of the party and
winning.
Hon. Lawrence Gardner, Secretary
of the Democratic National Commit
tee, speaking of the elections said:
~ do not think that our defeat means
that we have no hope for go. 1t was
not against the principles OF democra
cy that the people voted" and ex Rep
resentative Coombs, of N. Y. gave an
explanation of the result in his state
after saying that he had none to give,
by adding: "But we must get together
in New York. The way the democra.
cy is divided there is astonishing"
President Cleveland and all the
members of his Cabinet are setting
good example for othei democrats by
declining to express for publication
their opinions of the party's defeat.
This is all the more creditable to
them because they could, if so dis
posed, truthfully call attention to the
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