West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-03-24

Andrew Jackson was celebrated u
the 10Th by the Ircquois ub Of
Chicago by a banquet at the Palmer
House, to which distinguished Dem
ocrats throughout the country we're
invited. Among tho guests aud
speakers upon the occasion was Mr..
Henry Wattersou oil the Louisville
Courier Journal, who in response to
the toast, The Democratic Press,
spoke &C follows:
Since .lhe days of Ritcllia and Blair a
change, and a very great change. has come
over the spirit and practice of journalism
in this country. From Jackson TO Blu
chsnan each Democratic Administrations
had an organ at the National Capital,
which got its cue from the White House
and gave laws TO the Democratic Parry
and the Democratic press. Not a yes,ile
ofihis system remains. The enormous
development of the newspaper busin, AS
has made the collection of news the drst
condition of newspaper success this col
lection Of news is, in turn. a matter of or
ganization and large and costly machi-
merry and, consequently, those newspa-
pers flourish only which respond to the
prevailing denand for information.
Again, the p,sas beng almost as much
n cresture of tendencies us of conditions.
the irresistible impetus of currency has
for a score of years been upon the side Of
the Republican press, which TO immense
energy in the collection of the news has
Joined a potent and elastic representation
of the movement and temper of the time.
1t seems, cir, necessary that | should
say this, because a fitting response TO the
sentiment yod have one me the honor TO
assign me must needs be an apology for
The Democratic Press" 1t is no Longer
a power in the land. 1t no longer issues
the docress of Administration nor unfolis
the policies Of Government, nor echoes
hes spirit of the age. II il, indeed, but a
poor relation; aiacere, loyal-full of cour-
age and hope-bSt, like the party, dlvi-
ded, irresolute snd purposeless.
If there were no remedy for this un.
happy state, | should not venture-par
ticularlY upon ali occasion so brilliant and
so joyous as this-to touch upou it. |
should hold my tongue and nurse my re-
grets in silence. But there is a remedy F.;
there is a remedy for both the party and
press; and feeling that wc have ended the
years of famine, aud seeing, or think !
see, in the future, years Of plenty and
power awaiting us, you will not, ] am SUI. d,
charge me with a disposition to chill your
enthusiasm if, in presenting "The Demo
cratic Press l dwell somewhat more on
what II ought to be than what it is. Y,u
will bear in mind that l myself am moth
ing If not a Democratic journalist, and
that l claim no immunity from criticism
upon my " behalf. On the contI ary.
no man has encountered more Of the diff
cuities of our peculiar condition thsr I
nave or is T;oro consc!ope Of short-con =
ing.
First OF AL, then, the Democratic press
must realize that there has been a deluxe
Old things have been swept away. He
who looks backward shall shsr, the fate
OF Lots wife; he alone who looks for
ward shall live, move and Fave a being
That the Democratic Party has survived
the delug- is OF good augury. IT tells ue
that it's existence has been prolonged for
some great purpose. II is for the Demo.
cratic press TO understand that within that
purpose are hound up no reactions and
no revenges. The Democratic Party can
not come Into power, and 1t ought not TO
come into power, as an svenging deity,
still less a destroying anGel. II must
come IN, if il come in at all, SIS the party
OF action, not reaction the party of re-
form, not redress; the party of to-day,
not Of yesterday, applying it's energies t.
the adjustment of the cOuntr and itself
to the new and extraordinary conditions
winch modern science, Invention and re
search nave wrought wherever the tlnkle
OF the telephone is heard and the sparkle
OF the electric light is seer.
You will say that these are but glitter
ing generalities, and lacking in spcciica-
ton. Sir, / will be SPECIFIC. / mean p
tariff for revenue only" / mean the
obliteration Of navigation laws whlch
driven our flag from the high sras
l mean The enforcement Of the civil ser.
from party service. / mean a care
tnI and just REVISION of our banking sys-
/ conceive the best laDkipp
system We have ever bad, and which, with
certain needfUl notifications, efsentiaI
10 its preservation and the equities of
taxation, | would relegato 10 the nlace r.
business where it belongs and whittier r.
should have been sent long ago. mean
the reduction Of the National debt 10 q
thousand mii.iona, where Il should 81,
unded and made perpetual. The peopl,
are being taxed too much. The debt
being paid too fast. Al taxes should b,
levied with an eye solely TO revenue. ard
no more revenue should be collected tbsn
ia required 10 support the Government and
carry the debt.
The key to al these peopositions-ne
pivot around which they are grouped and
about which they turn-is to be found In
that simple sentence, "a rARipp FOR rRv
RNua ONLY II is not my senierce. !
neither invented u nor discover-d IL.