New-York tribune., 1896-11-18
DEUOCPATIC DISINTEGRATTON.

The Democratic party is manfesty in bad
case, but no intelligent person expects 1t to fade
away. disappear or die. No sensible Republican
desires 1t. For two parties being necessity. it
Is much better for the country that both should
have age and ancestry. precedents and tradi-
tions and a record to be judged by. And though
the party which. under the name Of Democracy,
has Just suffered defeat. Is as unlike the De
mocracy of jefferson, its putative father, as
darkness is different from daylight. it is the
Democratic party all the same; entitled by law
full Inheritance and unbrOken succession to the
party name, organization, machinery. records,
traditions and whatever else constitutes its as
SETS When we speak Of the Democratic party
It is the organization perpetuated by the Chi
cago Convention, which had Mr.. Bryan for its
candidate and Reputation and Anarchy for It's
platform, that must be reckOned with, no matter
what other claimants there may be for the dis
tinctve title which Is, after all, the partys most
valuable asset A Democratic party of some
sort we shall have with us always. 1t changes
from year to year, drops here and there prin-
ciple or doctrine and picks up in It's place
heresy. fiction or a fad, but 1t keeps right on
doing businessmen a losing business-at the
old stand, and it never takes down its sign.
Just now the party is undergoing the process
Of disintegration, which, curiOusly enough, it
passes through at what might almost be called
stated periods and regular intervals. Whoever
reviews its history will observe not only the
regularity Of the recurrence, but the operation
Of the same antecedent conditions and COM
pelling causes. 1t has always Qubbled and
pottifogged to win; always been ready to sacri-
fee principle for votes, and the end Of 1t has al
ways been practical disintegration and collapse
from incOmpatlbility of the dlscOrdant elements,
and then a new departure That was the story
Of Its fatal weakness before slave-holding ag'
gresson, which ended in such disaster. Since
that time the party has coddled every folly in
finance from fat money to free silver; has cul-
tiyated the favor Of every crank who had con-
Stituency or q hobby; has, In short, baited its
hooks and spread Its nets for every sort Of po-
ltical Ash that swlms, from jellyfsh to shark.
In its hunger for Office and eagerness for votes
II shrank from no sacrifice, refused no conces-
sion, but was ready to profess anything or prom
ise everything 80 II gained votes Hence the
motley crowd Of cranks and demagogues that
constituted the Chicago Convention; hence the
Stiffness of their nominations the wild outgiv-
ings of their platform, and the wretched mbe-
cilIty Of their campaign management.
The result Is what we now see going on
party dsintegration. The old leaders, who had
whatever capacity there was in the party, have
withdrawn In disgust and focked by them
selves. The men now In control have neither
the ability nor the experience requisite for the
function Of leadership They are all at sea al
ready Instead Of undertaking to heal differ
ences. they aggravate them; instead Of trying
to unite their discovered organization. which Is
absolutely essential to future success, they pro-
claim their purpose to perpetuate the breach and
compel the Sound Money Democrats to organize
and act independently. Mr.. Bryan either Is. or
thinks he is, the head Of the regular organiza-
ton and the fountain Of Its authority, He does
not hesitate to say that the doors are shut against
the Democrats who voted against him at the
hte election. He gave fair warning before cleo