New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-09
THE DESTRUCTIVE FORCE.

StraWS show which way the Wnd BLOWS. Dul
not the direction Of deep-watcr currents. Even
as 1.-The shadows murmur, but the dceps are
dumb" current events often fail TO Indicate the
tendency Of those greater forces which make
the history Of nations. All the sraws point at
present 10 quick subsistence Of the silver aglta-
ton 1t was, at the most. scenic ut the start-a
play to look like fighting. Democratic disgust
with Democratic tariff. and haste TO change
the issue. was the most real thing about 1t. But
actors are at times the real monarchs. changing
the face Of the world. and ii is on the cards that
Democracy. if it should really gain victory over
itself. would gain its last victory.
The money question has all the time gone deep
er than the wild-cyed theorists thought. 1t set
up flag round which all destructive, property
hating anarchc forces could gather Inc man
who cannot pay his debts. the man who mates
thrift because he has none. the monopoliSts Oh
labor and the men who want profit without
labor. the lawless and the foes of law. could all
find in the CRY against the gold bug a call TO
unite. In this fortunate country, where more
than half the people have property. conservative
forces are vastly stronger than in many Others
but the Indebtedness and the ignorance OF many
farmers divided their strength, so that Populism
and Democracy. fused by common hunger and
hatred. overthrow the National policy of thirty
two years.
Set apart by such long success above compari-
son and rivalry. the Republican party had LOST
In part the benefit Of It's own great deeds Ro
cent trials did not prove that some other parry
might not have done as well. Certainty had bred
lack Of care: traditions and habits had made
some bosses and some machines too strong for
the people they were meant to serve bu'
| defeat IS a great purifier, and the Repubhcah
| marty is within itself immensely stronger for the
| changes which its loss OF power has brought
| On the other hand. greater change ny TAT j.
that the whole people now able to CONTRAST It's
| work and its aims with those of the Democrauc
party. That fact alone. 1t Is probable, VIII turn
| the scale in many future elections.
| Bit now there comes another Revolutionary
| force The Democratic party. plunged INTO Il
| fight within itself by anxiety OF It's leaders 10
| escape the tariff issue, has been winning sort
| Of victory over itself 1t is not much OF VIC
| tory as yet. and things look much at times
like a backdown OF its least dangerous element
| I'm order to avoid rupture and the freesiiver
| leader whose candidate was put mp by 'he Nch-
| lucky Convention. after the socalled victory OF
the sound money men, goes about declaring 'hat
| II is not in his mind, gold platform. but on the
whole. the free-sver faction appears 10 be losing
ground. 1t IS quite within the possibilities that
| the sound.money faction will be strong enough
70 control the next National Convention, and
both in platform and in candidates TO repel the
| free-slyer and soft-money element. This nj least
Is growing more clear, that the soundmoney
| Democrats cannot again be expected 10 support.
with enough force TO make success possible. any
such candidate or platform as the free-silver men
| demand. But then what!
| The destructive and anarchic force, which the
Democratic and Populst parties both in part
| embodied In 1892, Is not extingushcd and can
| not be by any defeats. 1t Is at bottom con
stantly growing and dangerous force In all mod
ern civilization In one shape or another II must
be rcckoned with for years TO come, and the
| money fight is only one phase OF the struggle
The issue between labor that prefers freedom
and labor that seeks to maintain monopoly
| the issue between debtpaying and reputation
| the issue between rights OF property and demands
| OF those who think the world owes them living
| will inevitably find expression through gravta
| lion of the destructive element into one party
| whether the Democratic, the Populist or some
| other If beaten in the Democratic party, these
elements will move out Of 1t and turn against
It, In number and power enough beyond all ques
ton TO make Democratic success Impossible
concentration Of all conservative forces In Inc
Republican party. in order to make sure OF ih'
defeat Of tendencies dangerous TO all civilized
society IS not one OF the remotest possibilities
Of the future.