Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1884 — What the Democrats Should Do. [ARTICLE]

What the Democrats Should Do.

It will bo at once ridiculous and useless for the Democrats to go into national convention and patch up a Janusfaced platform with the hope of reconciling tariff differences which have been practically proved to be irreconcilable. They cannot reasonably expect to attract the votes of the revenue-reformers

in the Republican party, who have had a plain demonstration that they can secure more from their own party than from the Democratic party. On the other hand, those who are bound up in the interests of “protection” are threatened with constant agitation without results at the hands of the Democrats. That faction of the Democratic party represented in. the House by 151 votes will not surrender to the faction represented by forty-one 'votes; but the latter have the power to prevent action. The party is hopelessly divided against itself. It can make no headway in legislation; it represents nothing but discord and disturbance before the people; its platform will be meaningless, and its candidates will be stultified. The only honest and straightforward course for the Democrats to pursue is to run two tickets as they did in 1860; hold two conventions, and nominate two sets of candidates, each of which shall fairly represent the sentiments of its faetion. This course will involve no great sacrifice, for the Democrats have already made it impossible for their party to elect the President this year. There will never be a more favorable opportunity to fight out the irrepressible conflict which divides them, and determine the relative strength of the two factions. Let the high-tariff Democrats nominate Randall, of Pennsylvania, for President, and select Converse, of Ohio, or one of the Southern Democrats who voted to kill the bill for the second place. Let the low-tar-iff Democrats take up Carlisle or Morrison, and run Hurd, of Ohio, or some revenue-reformer like Cox or Dorsheimer for Vice President on thesam'e ticket. Let the two Democratic platforms set forth frankly the ideas which the two tickets represent. An appeal to the people under these conditions will test the popular Democratic following of the men who are. now vainly striving to pull together, and there may be a reorganization of the party which, in case of subsequent victory, will convey some assurance of principle and definite policy. The spoils element in both factions will resist such a course as fatal to its hopes of office, but it will be equally fatal for the two factions holding opposite views to coalesce under a thin veneering of harmony which the whole country can see through. The Democrats have forfeited all their t hances for success this year in any case; they might better shape their affairs with reference to a victory at some later period than to prolong their contentions and maintain a condition of things which will entail defeat as long as it lasts. One thing is certain: The Democrats cannot escape popular judgment on the record they have made up. If they are content to stand by it, so much the worse for their party. It has forfeited public confidence in its capacity and its professions, It would be unreasonable for the American people to hope for anything from a political organization made up of such conflicting elements. If the factions persist in the vain effort to further deceive the people by a pretense of affinity which has now become obviously fraudulent, then they will have the poof consolation of going down together, and it will be for the last time. The Democratic party stands for no principle, and its constituent elements are incapable of affairs, so long as they are bound together simply by greed for spoils. —Chicago Tribune.