The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-08-25
The Trouble with the Party.


The Republicans frequently make thu
charge against the Democratic party
that it IS too Democratic. They arr
fond of quoting the expression of loca
leader many years ago that he w0ult
vote for Beelzebub as q regular Demo
cratic nominee.
The only trouble about the Democratic
party is that its leaders are so often moi
Democratic enough.
The masses OF the Democracy am
sound and reliable. They attach them.
selves politically to the Democratic
party because it represents the rights Of
the people of all classes, of all nation.
alities, of all colors. Because it OPP
poses oppression in every form. Be
cause it Is, in fact, the upholder of a
Republican Government, with equal
rights for all, as opposed to an dig
archy, whether under the form of mon
archy, federalism, whigism or central
ization.
The people are Democratic enough
because they are Democrats on princi-
pie. They do not live on Office. They
covet no political honors. Party sue
cess is precious to them, not for the
patronage 1t brings, not for the spoils it
secures, but because the principles they
believe in insure the liberty, happiness
and contentment of all the citizens Of
the Republic, whether rich or poor.
We have no wish to do injustice to
the great leaders of the party. Many
of them are as pure, unseltish and pat
riotic as they are able. But it tr,lism
that the people have been for years in
advance of the leaders.
Since the party has been in mi
nority the history of its managers has
been too often history of compro-
misses, bargains and deals The
Democratic masses have been too fire.
quently sold out by their leaders to
CRAFTY personal ambitions, revenge
personal grievances and satisfy personal
greed. Factions have sprung up with
in the party, and all factions alike have
unfortunately been ready to make COM
binations in small way with their
political opponents at the sacrifice of
principle. Trades and bargains have
been arranged in the city Government,
in the Board of Aldermen, in the Legis.
lature and in Congress. In all these
the leaders and managers have shown
themselves not Democratic enough.
We have seen it time and again In
this city when Democratic factions have
entered into alliance with Republicans
for the sole purpose of gaining Offices
from opposing Democratic factions and
dividing them with their Republican
allies.
We saw It in Congress when certain
Democrats lent themselves to the Re-
publican effort to steal the Presidency,
and when the Democratic Speaker by
arbitrary rulings favored the Republic
ans to make the contamination of the
crime possible.
We saw it in the State Government
when Democrats stood mp to strengthen
The hands and whitewash the character
of the Blind-Pool gambler who dragged
he high Office of Governor through the
mud in order to raise himself from
to millionaire.
We have seen 1t time and again at
when prominent Demo-
rats, having struck the trail of Repub- |
lean crimes, have turned from the !
rack, made bargains with the Republic
IN criminals and prostituled their polit-
cal trusts.
The Democratic people have never
'een in sympathy with their false |
: leaders" in their betrayal of Demo- /
ratio principles. They have repeatedly
their disapproval by absent
ng themselves from the polls. The
eaders and their management have not
'een Democratic enough to win the con-
idence of their followers. Let the
eaders now be bold aud firm in their
Democracy and the Democratic masses
vill make prompt response. Those
masses were true as steel during the
var, when they were subjected to the
ruelest ISLANDERS and misrepresenta-
ions, and when their political affiliations
laced them in a false position. They
ave been true as steel through nearly a
uarter Of century's absence from
over. They are true as steel to-day.
the leaders are firm and faithful to-
rue Democratic principles-if they are
democratic enough-the fidelity Of the
Masses win insure the redemption of
ne country from Republican misrule. -
\. World.