The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-13
SHORTER CAMPAIGNS.
eusiNEs3 mrN osY LONG ONES
GREATLY HARse5 TRADE.

Leaders OF Boti Parties Have Spoken on
the Subject, sad Many Approved the
Idea-The Campaign Of 1890 . Fitting
One For q Trial.
Tie leaders Of both Of the great political
parties have had something To say about
tis l9rp>h OF the presidential campaign Of
1896. Strictly speaking, the presidential
campaign IL always with us, and one Is
hardly decided before people begin TO spec
ulato about the bearing Of this event or
that utterance on tho issue OF the next one.
Such a process Of continuous discussion,
criticism and comment Is part Of the polit-
teal education OF the American people.
But the campaign Of ratification meetings,
professions and ransparencies, the time In
which the weary mail carrier totters under
the weight Of partisan documents, " the
harvest season OF the ''heeler'' and the bat
tie period Of the worker" Is a different
kind OF ordeal. To some IL Is an agony, TO
Others a comedy, but TO most IL is a time
of loss. That the kind OF activity which is
its distinctive characteristic Is educational
may we'll be doubted, even il II does fur
nish ON outlet for some healthy enthusi-
asm. That its cumbrous machinery Of
persuasion changes votes Is u conviction
born of the idea that 10 ought 10 do SO, but
Is hardly sustained by tho facts.
Wo referred some time ago to the growth
in the west Of "a sentiment in favor of q
short presidential ~cam1aign. That has
been approved by some Of the Republican
party managers and opposed by Others. 10
seems to have the Endorsement Of tho
chairman of the national Democratic com-
mittce. 1t can hardly DO doubted that 10
Is In harmony with tho views Of most busi-
moss men throughout the country. Aparu
altogether from the inroads which a presi-
Dental campaign mako OF time and
purse, II Ia one Of its uncomfortable char
actcristics that everything not secured by
the constitution Is thrown into the cruel
BILE of discussion. The feeling OF uncer.
tain.y as 10 tho future that grows in tho
atmosphere of campaign oratory may DE a
most unreasonable apprehension, but IL Is
mono tho less disturbing. Men wait 10 SEQ
what will happen because Others arc wait
ing. and enterprise Is arrested as street
traffic sometimes Is by a crowd gazing at
nothing.
There could DO no moro fitting time to
try tho experiment Of n short campaign
than 1895. There are no issues Of tran
sccndcnt Importance to fight over. Neither
candidate Is likely 20 be a man palpably
unfit for the executive chair, and 10 can
not 10 trUlhfully alleged that the interests
OF the country would suffer from tho tri-
umph Of either party. We are not making
history with any great rapidity these days,
and IL Is ono OF the conditions Of a grow
ing business prosperity that we arc not.
The party orator yields readily 10 tho
temptation 10 propose something spectacu-
lar in tho line OF diplomacy or startling
in the field OF domestic politics; hence
the satisfaction with which prudent people
would hail the prospects Of making the
day of campaign oratory as brief as may
be, OF reducing at once the risks of fire
and folly by having fewer occasions for the
display OF any kind of p~yrotechnics. 1t
can hardly be doubted that a great many
people share this feeling, but by way Of
making IN OF n short campaign 1t would
be well for them to let their voice be heard
In time.-Boston Herald.