Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-04-20

Bsmaftniir ;Northussi.
JEFFERSONIAN.
Brilliant Letter Of Hon. William A.
DIX Wallace.
The Power OF Organization is Neces.
sary to Make the Democracy Sue.
cessful In Political Contests.
JEFFERSONIAN.

GENTLEMEN-I thank you for the COM
piiment you bestow in my election as an
honorary member of your association. of
which am advised through your Presi-
dent, Chauncey F. Black, Esq'r.
In its acceptance renew my allegiance
to Jeffersonian principles 30 admirably
summarized in the second article of The
constitution Of your association.
Differences as to the practical appli-
cation of these doctrines among those
who avow their belief in them are the |
leading causes for that danger to a gov
ernment of the people and for that ten
dency to strong government SO apparent |
to all, and SO much deplored by ever v
disciple Of Jefferson.
Unity and successful progress can
come to our organization only through
closer following of Jefferson's own pr c.
tice.
We must err, il we err at all. on the
side of the masses of the people.
We must incur, as he did, the charge
OF sans cullottism, rather than bear the
faint OF aristocratic tendency and mon
eyed control. ~. -,
We must denouce, as he did, every
"contrlvance for corruption" and strip
ourselves OF responsibility for syste
that enables men SO to WELD official
place and so to manipulate franchises
granted by the people. as to amass
princely fortunes in decade. at the ex-
pense of their rights and privileges, and
we must attack with unbought pen and
the wondrous power of honest poverty
the use OF those fortunes to corrupt the
sources and channels of public opinion
and to pollute the ballot-box.
The Democracy" cannot be "a!l
things to all men," 1t is drifting into
that unfortunate attitude upon many
public questions. and its life aud the de.
mand spee'y return to its ancient theo-
rles; but obedience to law, honest perfor.
nance of financial and constitutional
obligations and that conservatism which
flows from undying faith in the capacity
of the people to govern themselves. are
based, upon which all may stand.
With these in view, let us go back and
learn what Jefferson taught, and teach it
to the people.
How teach it? How make the knowl-
edge efficient?
Organization is vital necessity in life.
1t is indispensable to success in business
and equally SO in politics. Close atten-
tion to details is the only safe means to q
competence in life; accurate, ernest end
systematic attention to details in politics
is the only road to triumph there.
An army OF crusaders, glowing with
religious fervor and ready to die fol
their cause, if it lacked discipline and
organization, was an easy prey to the
trained soldiers of the Turk. So, the peo.
Pile, thoroughly in earnest, pratrotic and
vlgilent, without combination and lack
ing conference and discipline, are power.
less at the polls against their enemies
who are welded as ones.man by the pow
er OF an unscrupulous administration
and whose 100000 pivot-men and drill
sergeants are found in every post office
collection district, still-house and custom
house in the land. ALI who differ with
us In opinion are marshaled by these off
clais and concentrated into an almost in
Vlnclble phalanx. Its power is reinforc
ed by enormous sums of money, furnish.
ed by those who fatten upon cooperate
franchises, by ''timid men who prefe,
the calm of despotism to the boisterou:
sea OF. liberty and speculat0rs and holders
in public funds" In its ranks there are
no differences of opinion when the hour
of trial comes. All then yield unoues
tloning obedience to the command ot
the "bosses" and the preservation of pow
er compels unity and harmony among
them.
Associations similar to yours which
with their branches, shall reach into
every election district and there teach
the gospel of individual right. local gov
ernment and pure ADMINISTRATION are
among the best means that can be devils
ed to produce that harmony of council
which is necessary to cope with such
foe. Community of interests begets un.
lty OF opinion and hence we must prac
tice what we teach. Such an organiza
ton of thinkers, speakers and writer's,
striking everywhere at centralized DOW
er and corrupt rule and acting with anC
for the masses, will speedily place III
upon fighting equality with the party O.
the administration and give us an even
chance in the great struggle of pop
ular rights.
If to these we add vitalized, ever-liv
ing, systemtic and thorough organiza
tion of all who think as we do, tina
shall find each man in his home, in ev
cry school district and combine him will
his fellows there, and then connect then
through their township, borough, ward
city, county and State organizations to ,
Federal head of the whole, who shall il
turn be in constant communication will
every part of the system, we will begir
to approach that network of detail tina,
is vital to success in practical politics
Our antagonists teach us the power O
their organization by constantly defeat
ing us. To maintain its perfection cos
official power, corrupt rule and enor
NOUS sums of money. Ours can, if w,
will it, be made more perfect, because
more reliable than theirs, without either
but here, too, we must depend upon tn
masses. Large sums of money are wors
than useless. One man who will worl
for the love of his cause is worth fiv
who must be paid for their labor for it.
The task here sketched is not hercu
lean, but it needs to be undertaken as
system and prosecuted like any othe
business calling. Al organization nov
exists, we hear of national committe
six months every four years, and o
State committees and county committee
three months in each year; the remain
der of the time they rest Our adverse
ries are never idle; the places of thei
organizers depend upon their value ant
vigilance as such.
Continuous life added to energy ant
activity will give us all that they possess
and save us the odium of bureaus b.
candidates An opened door to an estab
iished and perpetual central Office vii
relieve us from close corporations withil
the organization, and business manage
ment will summarily relieve from dut
the party official who sells his party's sc
crets, or is to lazy to give that duty hi
ernest personal attention.
IIncolfirh dnuofion 70 thu iratnroafu 4,