The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-14
THE REPUBLICAN SITUATION.

Samuel Fessenden, Connecticut's mem
Der of the Republican National commit
tee, in an interview IL the New York
Journal, made one remark which Repub-
licanS all over the country should hear
and heed. In speaking about his party
in his own state ne said that pro bly,
! a vote this fall for their candidates as
they did last fall, because the nard times
having let up somewhat the dissatisfied
Democrats of twelve months ago may not
be willing to acknowledge the source of
his miSfortuneS at this time. There is
sense in this observation. The Globe
Democrat has said the same thing more
than once. and it will bear repeating.
PROFESSIONALLY the Democratic party is
in much better shape than IL was in last
year or last spring. Its condition has
improved because of two circumstance
the business revival, which the Connect
cut Republican chief mentions, and the
party'S attitude against free silver. The
party in power always suffers from the
social physical or business ills which
afflict the people. This is a rule OF rep
resentatiye government 1t prevails wher-
ever limited monarchies or republics exist.
In crisis the average citizen, having
neither the ability nor the disposition to
make nice Determinations, and deter
mined to hit somebody or something. hits
the party that is in control and in sight.
The panic of 1897 beat Van Buren and the
Democrats in 1910, although they were
responsible for it only to the extent that
JaclxsonS assault on the United States
Bank FASTENED it: The panic OF 1879 beat
the Republicans for Congress in 1874 and
nearly beat them for the presidency in
1876. although the ultimate cause of that
convulsion sprang from the war;, tor
which the Republicans were not wholly
accountable.
The restoration of prosperity will help
the Democrats, and the greater the pros
perity the greater the help. There is a
difference of opinion on the question of
actual responsibility fo- the panic, the
Republicans charging it wholly to the
Democrats and the Democrats laying ii
chiefly to the Republicans. This question,
however, has no direct interest for the
average voter. Tt did not determine his
attitude in 1894, and it will not have the
faintest influence of his course in 1896.
The cause which made MIN last year kit
the party which was uppermoSt and
which could be got at easiest will be alb
sent next year, and he will ''let up" on
that party. Forgetting his animoSity with
the disappearance of the thing that caUs-
ed it, he will, in most cases, divide up in
1896 pretty much as he would have done
that the Republicans can elect anybody
OH any sort of an issue next year as
they could have done last year is pleas
ing, but it is delusive. In politics in this
age, the memory of neither good deeds
nor bad lasts long. No party can be
either helped or hurt many years by its
past. Its attitude towards the issues of
the present hour is what attracts or re-
pels votes. If the Republican party keeps
on the right side of the great questions
and puts up candidate representing its
win. but even under these conditions it
will not be safe to lSok for any such ma
lor1ties as Were gained In lSSi--Globe-
Democrat