The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-03-30
JEFFERSONIAN.
Brilliant Letter of Hon. William
A. Wallace.
The Power Of Organization is Necessary
to Make the Democracy Successful
In Political Contests.
To the jefferson Democratic Association

OF York, Pa.
GBNTLRMEN-Ith thank you for the COM
pliment you bestOw in my election as
an honorary member Of your associa-
ton, of which / am advised through
your President, Chauncey +. Black,
Esq'r.
In its acceptance ] renew my allegi-
ance to Jeffersonian principles 80 admt-
Fably summarized in the second article
of the constitution Of your association.
Differences as to the practical applt-
cation of these doctrines among those
who avOw their belief in them are the
leading causes for that danger to gov
efnment of the people and for that ten
dency to strong government so apparent
to all, and so much deplOred by every
disciple of Jefferson.
Unity and successful progress can
come to our organization only through
closer following of JeffersOn's own
practice.
We must err, If we err at all, on the
side of the masses Of the people.
We must incur, as he did, the charge
Of sans eullottism, rather than bear the
taint of aristocratic tendency and mon
eyed control.
We must denounee, as he did, every
"eontrivance for corruption" and strip
ourselves Of responsibility for system
that enables men 80 to WELD official
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 cor
TuDk the sources and channels Of public
opinion and to pOllute the ballot-box.
things to all men" 1t is drifting into
that unfortunate attitude upon many
public questions, and its life and the
consequent safety Of our institutions
b, demand a speedy return to lCs ancient
theories; but obedience to law, honest
performance of financial and cOnstitu-
tiOnal obligations and that cOnserVa-
tism which flows from undylng 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 1t to the people.
How teach itp How make the knoWl-
edge eficient2
Organization is q vital necessity in
life, 1t Is indispensable to success in
business and equally so IN Polltles.
Close attention to details Is the only
safe means to competence in life; ac-
Vurate, earnest and 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 for
their cause, If 1t lacked discipline and
organization, was an easy prey to the
trained soldiers of the Turk. So, the
people, thoroughly In earnest, patriotic
and vigilant, without combination and
lacking Conference and discipline, are
p0Weriess at the polls against their en-
.emies, who are welded as one man by
the power of an INSCRIPTIONS admins
tratfon, and whose 100000 piVot-men
and drill sergeants are found In It's pay
in every post Office, collection district,
Otill-house and custom-hOuse in the
land. All who differ with Us in Opin-
ion are marshaled by these officials and
concentrated into an almost 1nV1nc1ble
phalanX. Its power Is reinforced Dy
enormous sums OF money, furnished by
those who fatten upon corporate tran
Ohises, by "timid men who prefer the
calm of despotism to the boisterous sea
Of liberty and spectators and holders
in public funds" In its ranks there
are no differences of opinion when the
hour of trial comes. All then yield un-
Questioning obedience to the command
Of the "bOsses'' and the preservation OF
power 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
government and pure administration
are among the best means that can be
devised to produce that harmony OF
counsel which is necessary to cope with
anch a foe, Community OF interests be-
Veta unity of opinion and hence we
must practice what we teach. such an
organization Of thinkers, speakers ana
writer's, striking everywhere at central
lied power and corrupt rule and acting
with and for the masses, Will speedily
place US upon fighting equality with
the party of the administration and give
US an even chance in the great struggle
of popular rights.
II to these we add vitaliZed, ever
living, systematic and thorough organ
iZatiOn of all who think as we do, that
shall find each man in his home, in eV-
erv school district and combine him
with his fellows there, and then con-
meet them through their township,
borough, ward, city, county and State
organizations to Federal head OF the
whole. who shall In turn be in constant
communication with every part OF the
system, we will begin to approach That
network of detail that Is vital to success
in practical politics. Our antagonists
teach US the power Of their organlza-
maintain its perfection costs official
power, corrupt rule and enormous sums
Of money. Ours can, if we will it, be
made more perfect, because more relia-
Bile than theirs, without either; but
here, too, we must depend upon the
masses. Large sums of money are
worse than useless. One man who will
work for the love of his cause is worth
fiye who must be paid to labor for it. .
T1The task here sketched is not hercu-
lean, but it needs to be undertaken as a
system and prosecuted like any other
business calling. As organization now
exists, we hear of national committee
six months every four years, and OF
State committees and county commit
tees three months in each year; the re-
mainder of the time they rest. Our ad.
versaries are never idle; the places Of
their organizers depend upon their
value and vigilance as such.
Continuous life added to energy and
activity viii, give us all that they pos
- and save vs. the Odium Of bureaus