New-York tribune., 1899-03-22
TUO DTNVERS AND no PRINCIPLES.

If Mr. Jones Of Arkansas. were not neglect
rul of duty. he would widely advertise Lost
"straypd or stolen, one Democratic party pat
tern of 1895 In poor condition Can anybody
romember time when so little public attention
has been paid to a political organization NUM-
herring several million voters? Nobody worries
himself about IT, and the bright newspapers
which have n gift for allotting space TO the
topics in which the reading people take an IN
tcrest consider the plans and doings or the
Democratic party worth an occasional con-
densed paragraph on an obscure page whlie
the behavior OF the so-called Cuban Assembly
occupies conspicuous columns. party which
represents or is supposed to represent any de-
fined tendency of popular thought or will, even
though Il be beaten and dilapidated. Is not so
treated The Republican party had been beat
on and was ont Of power four years ago. But
II WAS not ignored as 4 thing Of no public con-
sequence.
II is an old story that the Democratic party
has actually ceased to represent any one or the
many defined tendencies of popular thought
which in it's wandering career II has az one
time or another solemnly avowed rs cause
for which 1t would contend with deathless de-
votion Just at the present moment there are
preparations for two distinct JEFFERSON ulh-
ners at Ncw-York. Because the managers or
the $40 dinner ignored with contemptuous IN
difference the National Democratic PLATFORM
of 1890 as "a back number secession was
planned for the satisfaction particularly or the
ordinary and everyday Democrat. who Is unac-
customed to $40 repasts. 1t was desired 10
appeal with especial force to the labor ele-
ment and h politicians in that line OF busi-
ness was seized upon as a great scheme But
the managers of the 81 dinner also. after
spicy session in which ugly antagonisms were
exhibited and others caused. decided that the
81 dinner itself must have nothing to do with
the latest National Democratic platform.
Where then. Is devoted Democrat of the
pattern Of 1896 to get Jefferson dinner or
whatever sort from so down to 81!
That is the measure Of sixteento-one Democ-
racy in Ncw-York this year, and the shrewd-
est peacemakcr proposes that the Croker Club'
sometimes called Democratic, should quietly
rescnd Palmer resolution of 1896 and wei
come without any principles both Bryan ana
Hi 10 the same SO spread. But If silver has
been dropped by the wayslde as a runaway
soldier tosses into n ditch the gun which has
burst in his hands. what Is Democratic party
to represent. or profess to represent: Any re-
marks about the tariff this year. If not 80 eva
! sive and dOublc-faced as 10 excite only de-
rislon and disgust and do harm each way
would enrage the worAingmen of manufacture
! Ing sections and brngI back the crushing de-
feats which expressed popular feeling about
! the Wilson bill and Its workings There can
hardly be single Democrat who imaglnes that
his party can win on the tariff question.
Even about that most Jeffcrsonian Of all poll
ces. expansion, the Democratic party cannot
get together an opinion for itself II was that
same Thomas Jefferson who went beyond the
Constitution, he admitted. in his methods
OF contrlvlng the Louisiana purchase. adding
| TO the Union vast territory compared with
/ which the Philippines are a fleabitc. Who
| could think OF devotlng the energies Of Demo
cratic so or 81 dinners TO denounclng Jeffer-
sons greatest achievement? Even the small
| est Americans Of the Blue Light Federal va
riety have got beyond the idea that Jefferson
did wrong a century ago. though some from
Maine and Massachusetts think II wicked to do
such things now But they are not Democrats.
and the Democratic party has been utterly un-
able TO muster any thought or purpose Of its
own on that question II has been waiting for
popular expressions. but finds that more than
ninety nine out Of hundred of the plain people
feel pride that the richest gems Of the Far East
headed Democrats know that n partisan row
against mn extension of territory which was
forced upon the United States by necessity
would mean nothing but defeat for many years.