Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-01-26
UPHEAVALS IN POLITICS.



Hon. Thomas B. Reed has an article
In the North American Review for
January on Historic Political Upheav-
ais" He touches lightly upon the
changes which followed the French
revolution, notes the execution Of
Charles l., the rise of Cromwell, the
restoration OF the Stuarts and the com.
plete and permanent revolution of
1888, and then COMES down to our own
history. Alluding briefly to the large
majority cast for Franklin Pierce in
1852, he says 1t was then supposed that
the slavery question was settled, which
everybody knows was great mistake
Then he tells Of the big republican VIC
tory Of 1879, which was followed by
the republican overthrow in 1874, and
comes down TO the elections of 1890,
1892, 1893 and 1894 What happened in
these years is, OF course, fresh in the
minds OF newspaper readers.
We note In Mr.. Reeds article fail
ure to deduce the logical consequences
Of the facts which he adduces. and
even to apply at the end the principles
which he enunciated at the beginning
of his article.
All the lessons laid down in the first
half OF the article tend to show how
baseless is the confidence In permanency
of power for the party which happens
to be the beneficiary of great polite
al upheaval. When the French revo-
luton occurred, people thought there
would be no more kings and mobiles.
They were disappointed. When the
Bourbons were restored everybody
thought the old days had returned to
stay. They, too, were deceived. So it
went all along the line, until the cleo
lion of 1894 was reached, when Mr..
Reed, instead of warming his party that
this was In no sense guaranty OF its
continuance in power, contented him
self with saying that the elections of
last November seem to have settled
the future of this country for many
years" This appeared to afford good
opening for Mr.. Reed to add that
things are not what they SEEM" but
he failed to utilize it. On the contrary,
he concluded his article with n few OBJ
servations which imply that the re-
publicans are going to rule the country
TO the end of time.
Mr. Reeds explanation Of the disas-
ters Of 1890 and 1892 is peculiar. When
he says that the passage of the tariff
bill should have taken place by the
middle of July we understand him well
enough. No doubt the republicans suf.
fered in 1880 from delay in passing the
tariff bill, just as the democrats did in
1894. But when he brings in the Bar
ing failure to supplement it he re-
verses history, for that did not occur
till after the election. Nor is it true
that the influences which produced
the Barring failure us Mr.. Reed ex-
presses it, were diseernible before the
election Of 1890. But after this failure
had been influencing business unfavor
bly, for two years, Mr.. Reed says that
in 1892 the republicans had to meet
"the unrest that comes slowly with too
uniform prosperity Thus the repub-
licans were slaughtered "a-comin' and
a-gwine." In 1890 the Barring failure
made times hard before 1t occurred,
and In 1892 the too uniform prosperity
that the people had enjoyed after the
failure made them smite the republic
an party hip and thigh.
This reasoning will strengthen the
current opinion that Mr.. Reed is first
of all a humorist. This is further rein
forced by his saying that the repub-
lican party suffered in 1892 from gerry
mnnders Of the worst character,
though it Is known that gerrymanders
do not figure In the choice CT presiden-
tial electors, in which respect the de-
feat of the republicans was most con-
spicuous. Nor did the gerrymanders
prevent the republicans from getting
great majority of congressman at the
last election.
1t Is unfortunate that Mr.. Reed was
not able to finish his article in the
philosophical strain in which he began
1t; but the reason Is clear enough.
There was war between Mr.. Reed,
the philosopher, and Mr.. Reed, the
candidate for the presidency. The
philosopher said enough in the begin
ming to warn the republicans that
their landslide Of 1894 may not avail
them in 1896, but the candidate felt
impelled to tell them at the close that
they will continue to rule the country.
''it may be for years, and 1t may be for
ever" For all that the application Of
Mr.. Reeds facts shows that the result
of the election Of 1896 is as doubtful as
future events generally are; and 1t is
equally doubtful whether a republican
victory in that year would inure to
the benefit of Mr.. Reed.-Louisville
Courier-Journal.
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