Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-14
Why They Are Sad.

Probably the epitaph OF this congress,
and OF the first two years of government
by the Democratic party, of the Demo
cratic party and for the Democratic party,
can BIO written as well now as on the 4th
OF March. When ship has lost every
mast and spar, every sail to propel and the
rudder to direct 1t, every boat by which
the people on board might be saved. and
even tho compass which might tell them
where to 60 If they could go anywhere,
and lies a waterloggod and helpless wreck
in midocean, 1t is at least safe to say that
the wreck will not go very far away over
night Some appropriation bill may fail,
but not II Democratic hands that are
itching for tho money can help it. Some
useful measure may possibly pass, but not
unless the crankiness of congress suddenly
and surprisingly abates. Substantially
tho party has done already what 1t Will
have done when its two years of unchecked
rule are over.
All know of course, that tho shifting
voters who gave the Democratic party its
plurality and its power In 1899 sincerely
desired better government. 1t sounds
stran gely now, and yet 1t 10 the fact that
they actually believed they would get bet
ter government by electing Democrats.
They were enjoying good times, but
wanted better; had an honest administers.
ton, but wanted one cleaner and moro
honest; progress unmatched in any other
time or country, but wanted greater pro,
gress. They voted for q change, and have
had two years Of It, TO say that they have
had enough is only to repeat what their
votes said three monts ago.
They imagined, these unhappy voters,
that pure purpose and faithful performs.
ance and wise understanding of great
public questions had In some mysterious
way drifted into the exclusive possession
OF the party represented by Tammany
Hall In New York, and kept alive by
fraudulent elections at the south. 1t was
u strange notion. They found. and it was
their first great disenchantment and the
root of many sorrows, that the great body
of Democratic voters had not the slight
est conception Of good government as
these unhappy voters understand it, but
actually wanted the kind Of government
which Tammany Hall had produced in
this city, and which suppression of free
suffrage had produced at the south. They
wanted q government for party and by
party, and particularly q government for
the especial benefit of their sections and
classes, and had no more idea of pure
and impartial government for the benefit
of the whole people than any Tammany
heeler has of the teachings of Thomas
jefferson.
So these unhappy voters thought they
were going to rebuke the wild extrava-
gance of u billion congress, and they
elected congress which was more than q
billion congress, and appropriated more
money than any other in the history of the
country. They wanted to put down mo.
nopolies and trusts, and elected congress
and president, both more shamefully gen.
erous and indecently subservient to trusts
and nonopolies than any in past history
They wanted less partisanship in public
office, and at the very outset were taught
by Mr.. Quincy that they were to have
more Of it. They wanted better relations
between employers and employed, and
speedy found they had secured worse, es.
pecially through a revenue law packed
from end to end with favors to the most
grasping monopolies. They wanted less
risk of currency degradation, and learned
almost instantly that desperate fight
was needed to stave off national bank
ruptcy. They wanted more prosperity
and got the most frightful reverse and tho
severest prostration of industry and bust
ness the country had seen for half CEN
fury.
There Is nothing astonishing IN the dis.
appointment Of these unhappy voters.
They expected to gather grapes from
thorns and figs from thistles. They had
obstinately shut their eyes to the entire
past history Of she party they favored, to
IT. constituenr elements and especially to
To- controlling elements, and - tho prac-
teal results of Its rule wherever it had
ruled. They expected from the Demo-
cratic party exactly what that party has
never been capable Of giving. sirce it sold
itsslf % Ne slave aristocracy and became
tie left wing of rebelliop against free
eesornmsnk-TNew York Tribune
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