The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-28
THE DUTY OF THE HOUR.

From the n. y. World.
The very general lull in politics at present
should not be spell of inactivity on the part
of the Democrats. This is Just the time for
energetic work Again and again has it been
urged by us that the really effective work of a
political party is done between, rather than
during, the great campaigns. There is, we
admit, something stirring in the excitement
of a close political contest, with the mass
meetings, parades, banners music, and shouts
of the contestants. But all these are only
effervescent Boys can march and shout and
make crowd, but they cannot vote. To be
plain, the Democratic party needs voters,
and the one duty of the hour is to obtain
them. The means for accomplishing this
result, though so very obvious, are too often
neglected. They are comprised in one word
Organization. Just this is what is needed.
How to effect it can be explained in few
words:-
1. The Democrats in every town in the
country should organize themselves at once.
As the first step, let some one invite num-
ber of brother Democrats to meet at his house
on a specified evening" and by very simple
process president, secretary, and executive
committee can be chosen. The next move
should be to make thorough canvass of the
town, and by personal appeal induce every
voter who may be opposed to the radical
policy to join the association; by every voter
we mean not merely few men of wealth or
reputation, but the tradesmen, the mechanics,
the farmers, and the laborers. Each one
should be made to feel that he is interested
in the matter, that his cooperation is needed,
and that it is his duty to put his shoulder to
the wheel.
ii. The organization thus completed and
brief constitution (the briefer the better
framed, stating its objects and aims, room
should be secured, i'll which meetings should
be held as often as once in two or three weeks
during the interval of political campaigns. A
leading Democratic paper (such as the World
and the local Democratic organ should be kept
ON file in the rooms, accessible to all who
may wish to read them. The club, too,
should keep these papers informed of its
| growth and of any and all political movements
in the town in which it is located.
III. Such club should keep itself in COM
munication with the Democratic committees
of its county and State, in order that, at the
proper time, it may be supplied with docu-
ments for use during a campaign, we'll as
| to afford these committees the information
that they must have to make an efficient
| canvass
~. 1t is not necessary that at every meet
ing of the club speeches should be made.
They are tributary, but not essential, to its
success. Sure it is that, if the club is infused
with the vitality which it cannot fail to pos
sess if its members are wide-awake to theii
duty, there will be no lack of speeches, and
good speeches too 1t is very often the case
that plain appeal from plain man to his
fellow-townsmen will have greater effect
than an elaborate Grafton from an eloquent
speaker who is stranger.
The plan thus sketched in its outlines il
very simple. A half dozen men of cleal
heads and average intellects can carry it out
| 1t is too the only plan by which the Demo
cratic party can attain success in the States
| which hold elections next fall and in the elec
tions for Representatives in Congress in 1870
Now is the time to begin to carry it out
while our opponents are demoraized by tn
blunders of the administration and the failur,
of the policy which they have inflicted upol
the country.