The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-23
PAST AND PRESENT
DIFFERENT METHODS OF FARTY
CAMPAIGNING.
The "of Year" in Politics and How
Affairs Are Managed and
What Results Have
Been-Leaders.

Been-Leaders.
Washington Special by Savoyard.
Ours is supposed to be a Government
of public opinion, and whether 1t really ID
such Government or not, periodically it
goes through the motion of 1t. when ap.
peals are made to the people in a general
election. The will Of the House Of Com
mons Is the British constitution" Is the
proud boast of the Englishman. and he
might add that the House of Commons
reflects British public opinion. Not 80
with us in anything Iikc the same degree.
Our national House of Representatives
may, or it may not-and frequently it
does not-refiect public opinion. Exam
pies are numerous. In 1874 the Demo-
cratic Party swept the country at the
general election, The issue was the policy
of General Grants administration. The
verdict of the people was stern rebuke
of the Republican Party and its conduct
of public affairs. Was there any change
of that policy by the administration? Not
a bit. The administration continued in
the course 1t had marked out. In 1S5.
the administration of President Arthur
was rebuked just as emphatically, but It
treated the verdict of the people with Sow
ereign contempt. Such course Of con-
duct on the part of a British administra-
ton would bring crisis, and perhaps
revolution.
Our great forefathers loved liberty, but
they abhorred license and feared 1t almost
as much as they hated and feared taxes.
When they came to make Government
they provided that public opinion should
not operate on its conduct of AFFAIRS i'm
mediately, and so it came that Con-
gross does not begin its regular work OF
legislation until more than twelve
month after 1t is chosen In the old days
IL was fear of public opinion that occa-
| stoned this procrastination. In our day
| fear has given place to contempt.
"'he American people will choose a Goa
gress this good year 1902 that Will ente:
| upon its regular legislative duties In De
cember, 1908, and the two great political
parties are struggling fol the mastery,
and each is striving to receive a majo:-
lty In the Fifty eighth Congress. There
Is an erroneous impression that the party
that is victor in the elections of the inter
Presidential years invariably succeeds in
the Presidential years Our history con-
trddicts that in numerous instances In
1898 the Congress cho was Federallst'
ed. In tine middle of Van Buren's term
a Democratic Congress was chosen, but
the Wings swept the country in 1870. The
Congress that was elected In 1854 made
Nathaniel P. Banks. Republican Speak
elected President in 1856. Lincoln was
elected President in 1850, but the Repub-
licans did not have majority In the
Congress was Democratic; Mr.. Randall
was the Speaker; but Garfield was elected
President in 1880. The Fiftieth Congress
was Democratic; MI. Carlisle was Speak
er, but Benjamin Harrison was elected
President in 1888. OF course 1t would be
bad manners to cite for the benefit OF
good Democrats the fact that the Forty
fourth Congress was Overwhelmingly
Democratic, though R. B. Hayes got he
Office of President in 1871
Though 1t Is no guarantee that victory
in 1902 will beget victory in 1904, both
parties coyet the moral effect of such a
Vi there strange
political generalship suggested to the ef.
feet that the way to gain the battle OF
1904 Is to lose the battle of 1902
Matthew 8. Quay and Marcus A. Hanna
have played the part of Warwick in our
generation. Each made a President. In
1888, after Senator Platt had made the
nomination. Mr.. Quay elected Harrison
President of the United States. Perhaps
Daniel Manning did for Grover Cleveland
in 1884 what Platt and Quay did for Hac-
rise four years subsequently. Quay Is
a consummate political general: 1t was d
very simple plan and very Napoleonic.
He had the genius to see that the cleo
ton of 1888 would be decided by the vot-
ers residing within a radius Of five miles
from the New York City Hall: He saw
Brooklyn carelessly garrisoned by the
Democrats. He made gum shoe march,
deployed the veterans of the distillery,
the brewery and the saloon. equipped
while Warner Miller prepared to fall out
side the breastworks. In the closing
hours of the campaign a grand charge
was made. and Brooklyn and the Union
were Quay's 1t was all over but the
shouting. Mark Hanna made even a
more brilliant campaign in 1896 ard
gained much more signal victory.
Our Presidential elections are much like
war-too much like war. party with
out funds is party without organization,
and party without organization might
as we'll surrender in advance. Veteran
soldiery fight better than undisciplined
militia, and veteran politicians generally
get the majority over the unorganized en-
thusasts. The total vote of the country
Is more than 100000. The people must
be reached-rallied to meetings and en-
rolled in clubs, especially In the doubt
full and the pivotal States. To carry on
an effective compaign requires a large
sum, and there Is perfectly legitimate
use for it. political party can no more
live on enthusiasm than an army can
make campaign on patriotism. The