New-York tribune., 1901-12-03
DEMOCRATIC DEMORALIZiTION.

DEMOCRATIC DENOR4LTZiTION.
1t is characteristic of the Democratic party,
especially in its present demoralized condition.
that il should begin the Congressman cam
paign at Washington. as it did on Saturday
with an intestine wrangle and almost hght
Nothing else was to he expected of an organi-
z9tion in which Brvanism is struggling TO retain
n discredited leadership and CrokeriSm is seek
ing to win in national authority some consola-
ton for defeat in State and city. Nevertheless.
if is to be regretted OH high grounds of national
welfare that such should be the case. For in a
land with representative and party government
a digniffed. intelligent and patriotic opposition
is practically essential TO the best governmental
results. There are new issues arising year by
wear concerning which intelligent and patriotic
men NAV honestly differ. There are also certain
issues which have existed from the foundation
of the government upon which men are not
agreed and may never be agreed. Among these
are such questions as the strict or broad con
struction of the constitution, protective or
revenue tariff. individual liberty or govern
mental authority, and State rights or Federal
sovereignty. All of these have been considerably
modified during the century, but they still exist,
and 10 them have been added others or more
recent origin and perhaps of less lasting nature
Mr. lanes Bryce. in his work The American
cynical view that there are no real issues OF
party division and that the two great parties
are divided merely as the ms aud the Outs over
the question OF spos. We cannot conce'le the
Justice of his structures However much we
may believe that Republican principles are
right and Democratic principles wrong we are
convinced that principles exist ON both sides.
and In the long run govern party action.
In the last national campaign, 1t Is true,
the Rryanzcd Democracy pretty nearly In
Cured Mr. RrycaS taunt OF being mere
league for spoils II abandoned the distinctive
principles OF former years and trumped mp
every catchpenny fad that promised To gain
vote, and even In these was not consistent but
advocated some in one place mud repudiated
the same IN another Such an organization
not worthy to be called party. From one
point of view, of course Republicans might
exult TO their opponents thus demoralized
md debauched. From The higher md better
point of view. however. Z Is seen that such n
state Of affairs is undesirable either for party
for people. 1t would be better for t'r Republi-
can party to he confronted by an opponent ani-
mated by principle and worthy of respect and
ii would be better for the nation to have two
orderly and dicnlfed parties. rather than
party Of principle ana one piundering mob. We
was first established by William III OF Eng
land more than two centuries ago, and it was
adopted in this country at the very beginning
of national life It is TO be believed that
to it is largely attributable the orderly progress
Of representative popular government in the
two countries, willie the frequent crises and
almost inceSSant unrest OF some European
countries due TO the fact tina: instead OF two
great. responsible md authoritative parties they
have each Il multiplicity of wrangling factions
A political party iS-or should bean orrani-
Zation for the promotion Of certain principles Of
public poliy. which principles may be either
permanent or ephemeral The party which is
In power has the task and the duty of putting
lis principles into practice. i'll actual legisla-
fioh ana administration. The party which Is
in opposition should be no less IL party of prn-
cple, It's principles being contrary to those OF
the other. It's functions are not however mere
ly to object. TO obstruct and to denounce but
to criticise nielligenty to deter from extreme
action and to keep itself in readiness to assume
ut any time the responsibilities of government
it Is not good thing for the party in power
10 feel that 1t is free to do rs it pleases that
it is not subject to criticism and that there Is
40 other that could take it's place 1t Is not
good thing for the nation to feel that there is
only one party upon which 1t can depend and
that 1t must let tlnt party administer its affairs
no matter how i'll it may do it, For that woud
be practically TO abolish the fundamental Drn-
clpie or party government, and to substitute
therefor an ollgarchy which, however good its
original principles would inevitably become in
Ume deSpotic and corrupt. The evils of mon
archy arise largely from the fact that the SOW
efeign is an irremovable fixture. no matter
what he may do and the same evils will arise
when party is thus made irremovabe When
Cromwell struck down the divine RIGHT OF
kings he made constitutional monarchy poss
bic. Similar to his act is the function of an
opposition party-to strike down party autoc-
racy and TO make possible the development and
maintenance of true representative government.
ELECTRICITY IN CITY TR4TEL