Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1884 — The Political Situation. [ARTICLE]

The Political Situation.

The time for election of delegates to the national nominating conventions has come, and'there is much speculation about probable and possible candidates for the Presidency. There is another point-of interest, however, which has been somewhat overlooked, but which is very significant . This interesting point is the fact that while the position or platform of the Republican party for the canvass is practically determined, that of the Democratic party is wholly uncertain. The Republicans will favor encouragement io domestic industry, and a sincere suppoifc and extension of the reformeft system of the civil service. They will need only to place upon such a platform a candidate who is known to represent it, and who would introduce character and ability into the canvass, to be fairly sure of success. But the are not only at sea, they ara drifting upon a very stormy sea. - It is now evident That they can not as a party' take the position which the election of Speaker Carlisle was supposed to assure. On the contrary, the election of Mr. Carlisle produced an immediate protest which threatened the unity of the party. From the hour of that election the party has been paralyzed. And while this situation revealed the impossibility of Democratic agreement upon a tariff policy, Democrats began to attack the reform bill in a spirit which plainly showed party hostility. The position, then, is plain. Success depends upon the independent voce. The independent vote universally regards civil service reform ns the chief issue of the election, and a large part of it, out of Pennsylvania, favors reasonable revenue reform. The Democratic party, however, has succeeded in presenting itself at the opening of the - active work of the canvass as hostile to the chi d reform, and doubtful of the otiif. It seems, moreover, inclined to suppose that there is some mysterious virtue in the cry for "the old ticket”. That is to say, it appears to think that the county wishes Mr. Hendricks for President —Mr. Hendricks, who is tlie most amiable and -unmeaning of ail political personages. The explanation of this situation is that the Democratic party has ceased to represent anything whatever but opposition; not opposition, upon a principle or a policy-; -H&eet je mere^ iW tfp|Tt3Mti6n to Republican measures because they tire Republican. It is a wholly negative party, aud this also is explicable. 11 is a political organization which has entirely outlived the situation in which it was organized, and after a prostration of a quarter of a century it is trying to adjust itself to a totally new situation, and in doing it to retain its old cohesion. In this effort it fails necessarily, because the mass of the party is inert, unsympathetic with genuine ,progress, and largely un-American. Tlie intelligent and progressive the Democratic . party does not lead the party.. 11 is obliged to follow, and even to pander to party ignorance. Mr. Hewitt’s O'Donnell resolution is the most striking recent illustration of this fact, and the defeat ..i Mr. Pendleton in Ohio, the 'Democrat most conspicuously identified with civil service reform—although the interest of Governor olevel and in the cause has been as signal and effective —snows in uuother form 1 the real pai ty servility to tiie same ignorant prejudice. It is now too late for tiie Democratic party to take a position upon either of the of the tariff or administrative reform which will- satisfy intelligent independent voters that the causes in which they are interested would be safer An Democratic tharum Republican hands. The advantage of position thus far is evidently with the Republicans*. —[Harper’s Weekly. -