Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-12-03
IDL T. 7 A X.

Henry Watterson's paper, The
Louisville Courier Journal, in re-
cent editorial article, gives advice
which should be needed by all who
are opposed to the policies Of the
Republican party. The editorial
says:
''TO the COurier-J Journal it looks as
If there will be no change of parties in
the National Government until the
Republican party of its own weight
and rottenness-we do not mean to be
Offensive-gOes to pieces on High
Tariff as the old Democratic party
of it's own weight and rottenness-
went to pieces on the issue Of African
Slavery.
"Thc people are not rotten. They
are merely prosperous and Indifferent;
imperviOus to moral influences that
affect their business. They want
trade balance and rising price lists,
not lectures on political economy, or
constitutional law The shoe does
not pinch them yet. 1t may not in a
a long, long time. The country is
very fruitful. 1t is exceedingly rich,
1t can afford a deal of wastage. 1t
does not lack for liable hands" to
guide it in its lavish outlays, for able
tongues to encourage it in its eXpan-
sive ways, for able pens to Hatter its
self-glorifying vanity, and keep it in
good humOr with its conscience and
its Cod.
"Can the Democrats do nothing,
then? Why, yes, if they keep togeth-
er they can achieve the ends of a wise,
upright and intelligent opposition,
prepared to take advantage of snch
opportunities as the future may offer
them, meanwhile serving the country
faithfully and well. That is all they
can do. Talk about new issues and
new leaders is mainly idle talk. 1t is
but to tamper with men and to tinker
with affairs.
1.-THE people at large are for the
present very well content with the
Republican party Neither the or
ganizatiOn nor leadership of the
Democratic party is sufficiently in
contrast successfully to bring about,
or bank upon. There are too many
groups for any defnate alignment.
Nobody is in authority. DissOnance,
not harmony, would follow all at
tcmpts at cOnVOcatiOn and reOrgani-
2ation. "When in doubt, do moth
ing" is good saying; in the case of
the Democrats supplemented by the
circumstances that too often the
"dOubt" involves rancOrous "differ-
encc.
"CIcan politics, honest politics,
wise politics the good of the COun-
try-would seem to demand that the
Democratic party, much discouraged
and depressed, and thoroughly beaten,
should still hold together, seeking to
preserve its morale, and as the saying
hath it, keeping It's powder dry"
There is surely wisdom in the
words of The COurier-Journal. 1t is
useless to quarrel over dead issues,
or to seek new issues before they
arise. The one great issue,-a revis
ion of the tariff, is causing, and will
continue to cause, the party IN power
all manner of trouble. Had not the
Democratic leaders in 1896 temporari
ly abandoned that issue, and taken
false position on the money question,
the country would not in this year of
1908 have expressed a lack of conf
dence in the party and its candidates.
But we have to deal with the future,
and not with the past; aud Democrats
should simply do their duty in private
life, and in the very few stations in
public life unto which they may be
cAllnl