New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-24
GETTING LIGHT BY DEGREES.

The slow enlightenment OF the Democratic
mind continues though there Is little prospect
that the mind or the party will ever catch up
with events AT present the mentally foremost
Democrats have advanced far enough TO see
that. as "The New-York Times says they
must not make the blunder Of undertaking the
strength Of the Republican position. MIR. war
"ner Miller's plank will turn out to be Il pretty
good vote getting device" II warns the Dem
ocrats that 1t will not do TO denOunce the present
excise law and that the Democratic State Con
vention has no business TO anticipate the de-
cision Of voters in the different cities and towns,
but must decide for local option. And 1t must
put In no flstian about liberal laws, no nap
doodle about the poor mans saloon or the rich
mans club Such is the progress of the most
advanced Democratic thinkers. Perhaps the
convention will get wise to that extent. and per-
haps not. But the confession that the subject
cannot be successfully treated as the Democrats
have long treated it, and that If they put 1t In
wrong they will lose the State as The I1mes
SAYS Is a refreshing mark OF mental enlighten-
ment.
Progress OF the Democratic intellect Is slow.
however In the same issue that paper says OF
the NewJersey Republicans
They had the sense to keep National issues
in the background, for on those they are hot
strong They laid all the stress of their PLATFORM
upon state questions and made the most or the
bad record Of their opponents They avoided the
mistake Of naming a candidate VINO couio De
labelled as the choice Of boss, and selected the
man who was known to be most widely the
preference OF the voters OF the party, ana whose
personal record was unassailabie.
The strength Of the Republican candidate ex-
Senator Griggs is admitted. But Democratic
Bourbonism, still with eyes in the back OF It's
head, imagnes that ION National issues the Re-
publicans are not strong" Once more there
crops out the chronic incapacity OF the Free
Trader 10 get correct conception Of the state
of public opinion or the condition OF National
industries
He who looks at facts withOu. any binders
will perceive that in every State the Republican
party has been making gains, and in nearly all
winning victories on National issues. Even in
this city, where the stencil Of Democratic cor
rlption was most intolerable, enough voters
changed as TO Congressional candidates, who
have nothing to do with local government 10
overthrow the usual enormous Democratic
remembrance and TO give the Republican can
didates a majority NewJersey cast 41,14S plr-
raty for Republican Congressman last fall. and
only 1853 greater plurality for Republican, mem
bers Of Assembly 10 sweep away local corrup-
ton In other States where 10 local issues have
weakened the Democratic party. and even IN
States where the advantage as 10 local issues
was rather with that party. the tremendous gains
OF Republicans on National ISSUES only have
given them overwhelming majorlles. 1t takes
all the blindness Of Bourbon Democrat 10 ig-
more these facts and 10 persist in the notion
that Oh National issues the people still approve
the Democratic policy.
The Republican party in every state has made
a conclusive appeal against the National policy
which has brought National disaster. The plain
people know that the gratifying improvement
of the last six m Jnths. since Democratic Con-
gress ceased to have power for evil, has not re-
stored half the loss Of employment and wages
which labor sustained in 1893 and 1894 IN con
sequence Of Democratic victories. Even that
gain with all its blessings TO many thousand
families is the direct effect Of the overthrow OF
Democracy in the elections last year, giving GER
tanty that after the 4th Of March there could be
no more Democratic lawmaking. The man who
shuts his eyes TO this practical experience, and
TO all the accumulated evidence that the people
in every State appreciate IT, is just qualified TO
stand in the front rank Of intellectual advisers
for the Democratic party 1t Is In accordance
with the eternal fitness OF things that the blind
| should lead the blind