New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-04
FOR JEFFERSON DAY.
SOME REFLECTIONS FOR THOUGHTFUL
DEMOCRATS
THE PARTY Is NOW AT THE LOWEST POINT OF
VITALITY 1T HAS KNOWN IL ALL IT'S HIS
ToRY-sTRIKING COMPARISONS OF
FORMER STRENGTH AND PRES


ToRY-sTRrKrNG COMPARISONS OF
FORMER STRENGTH AND PRES
ENT WEAKNESS
Washington. April 3 (speciaD There is nothing
stranger or more suspicious than the ostentaton
the affectation OF gameness. with which the Demo-
cratic leaders have been doing things these three
months or so, including the literature Of the
arrangements for Jefferson Day. What could
be less reconcilabe with the facts Of the
political situation? With method and prodgality
that before seen In times OF
Democratic depression Democratic covers were
laid and Democratic courage uncorked last Janu-
airy in glorhcation of Andrew Jackson. James 3
Kerr. secretary Of the Democratic Campaign Com
mittee. wrote n wonderfully cheerful article. pub
lished in one OF the January magazines on The
Recent Election and Its Results" When Bailey
threw over his farcical leadership OF the farclcal
opposition in the House 81 Representatives n the
War Congress equally farccal competition for
the succession at once sprang up. And now, In
connection with the celebration NJ Thomas Jeffer-
sons birthday. all manner OF staggering things
have been heard about the unconquerahle strength
OF the Chicago platform ideas. OF course. there Is
settled purpose in all this bravado II IL intended
to give. and well might give to a thcushtless oh
server very exaggerated idea OF the strength OF
the Democratic party and It's chances 10 win the
election Of next year.
degree show the low stats 10 which the so-caed
party or Jefferson has come The threat ~ that
exhibition through an extra session. used 70
some effect by the Administration party In the late
Congress. But tho LVIth Congress is not here
And II T. here It would not expose fully the
helplessness Of the Democracy throughout the
land for II happens the Democrats make a
better show of strength r. the new Congress. AZ
least in the House ~ Representatives. than
anywhere else. Because not much pains has been
taken by the Democratic leaders IN their speeches
and newspaper talk ~ analyze the composition ~
this Congress and because. in larger sense
still. the State administrations inaugurated
since the row year began have been ignored in all
this talk the rank and hle Of the supporters ~
the Chicago platform probably do not realize that
their party Is ut the lowest ebb Of power It has
touched.
These orators Of the Bryan party who bark back
so 10 Jeffersonsm inevitably subject themselves
their successes failures 10 he compared with the
whole achievements Of the ante-b ellum Democracy
A single comparison will suffice to remind gray
haired Democrats how much their party has lost
In their lifetime.
HIGH TIDE OF ANTE-BELLUM DEMOCRACY.
very high tide Of the ante-b eum Democracy
In 1854 10 1856 Those the days Of the
Kansas Nebraska excitement and Of issues between
North and South OF daily Increasing intensity. and.
to say the least people in these days not
that period as the especial champion OF Northern
rights Indeed II is easy nowadays 20 forget how
strong tn party ,hen in the Northern states.
The facts may conveniently he shown by few
words taken from a speech Of a Whig leader.
The speech made IN the United States Sen
ate in August 1856 by James e. Jones from Ter
nessee Speaking OF the Kansas Nebraska act
Senator Jones said:
IF there had been a Southern Senator IN
tho worId-lf the last Of u had been engufed be-
fore the vote taken-the Northern Democrats
would have passed It al opposition II re-
ceived Northern Democrats votes enough 20 pass
It without the vote Of sirglc Southern Senator"
There were sixteen States then north Of Mason
ard Dxon's line with thirty-two Senators. and Of
those thirty-two nineteen were Democrats The
total anti-Democratic vote in that Senate from
all sections was TWEEN y-fve. In the House
there were nnety-three Northern Democrats and
only sevelty-hve anti Democratic votes from all
sections And there more Southern than
Northern Democrats in each house The total
Democratic strength was in the Senate 81 votes
and In the House l59
That was the Democracy which had an unclouded
title to Jeffersonism. Mr. Bryan finds some way
every day to say that he and his associates are
the same party and to denounce all other claim
ants to the party heritage How much pleasure
would the Bryan Democrats have in their anticipa-
ton Of the events Of next winter II in the LVIth
Congress their measure TO depend on North
ern votes alone? This IS a suggestion which does
not look TO any sectional issues. makes no ap-
peal 70 any sectional feeling. Its only purpose Is
10 illustrate the weakness Of Organism by draw
ing little more attention 20 the fact that the
twenty-nine great States Of The North-that is to
say north OF Delaware. Maryland Kentucky ard
Missouri-holding nfty-cght seats in the Senate
and 227 seats In the House OF Representatives, have
cent to the LvIth Congress Including one hodover
SENATOR two Democratic Senators and hfy-three
Democratic REPRESENTATIVES two OF the Representa-
tlves being gold-standard men who do not &C
KNOWLEDGE the Chicago platform as Democracy
And the two Democratic Senator'S there should
have hoen thr-e n the Democratic majority IN the
Utah Legislature Just adjourned had made an cleo
tom are from States in the Rocky Mountains or /
beyond Montana and Utah states when did not /
exist when the Kansas Nebraska bill was passed. /
when the war between the States was fought, or |
even when the -beum Democracy won its
first Presidential victory. in 1884 Just one OF the
now Senators-elect in the whole North is a Demo- |
crat.
DEMOCRACY's WARTIME RECORD
A still moro striking comparison may be made
with the wartime record OF Democracy. tntil tnis !
IVIth Congress the Democratic party was never
so discredited and helpless as in 1865, following the
crushing defeat OF Mcclellan by Lincoln. and IN |
1859 following the first election Of Grant Inc
Marty was hopelessy entanged with the opposition
~ tho war for tho Union or al least. Lincolns
wav Of conducting the war; and the Union sue
casses beginning in 1853. almost as fatal TO
the asnirations OF Northern Democrats as 10 the
Yet the Democratic party was never
entirely out Of power and influence in the National
congress and in the State governments or the
North In the XXXIXth Congress. elected in 1854.
,bera were from the States north OF Delaware.
MARYLAND and Kentucky eight Democratic Senators
one each from New-Jersey Connections. Penn
svlvania Indiana. Wisconsin, Minnesota, California
and Oregon-and even In the Mist tctiefess
aiacted in 1865 there fCur-one eacn from
New.Jersey ohio Minnesota and California
As already pointed out, the sixteen H2prne,h
stotes hat voted in Cons ress on the kansas
Nebraska bill will no; have Demqcra,'c repre- repre-
sentativa i'm the Senate 90 the LNlth congress
~ nan, vii, those tveity Northern States have
which voted on the NIIIth. XVIII AID EEth