Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-06-30
The POST Dispatch thinks tbs

Lie Dlspatch THINKS tnat
"There are two opinions about the
proper way of recruiting the democrat
ic ranks. One way is to hold that any
one who votes the democratic ticket is
a good enough democrat ;the other way
is to admit no one into the party unless
he car produce a passport dating from
before the Greeley campaign" Now,
we don't believe there are two opinions
on the subject at all. No party was
ever more liberal to its new recruits
than is the democratic party, and for
one, though we preferred Ward before
the convention, we r glad that Hoad-
ley beat him since Wards Incorporate
and impudent speech after the nomina-
ton. The democratic party of this
country is a great big thing. 1t does
not belong even in u state to any one
man or set of men. When its conven-
tons meet, and after elaboration select
their standard bearers, it does not lie in
the mouth of any man to arraign them
for having sighted his personal claims.
Men are little-principles are every
thing. 1t is all we'll and proper for in
dividuals of a party to have the ambi-
ton to fill the important offices OF a
state, or of the country, but in order
that the segregated ideas of the millions
of men who constitute q great political
party shall be carried out it is necessa-
ry that the interests of particular aspi-
rants be merged and absorbed in the
general, common interests. Democra-
cy has often been charged with Bour-
bonism. The accusation has rarely, if
ever, been just. Democracy, as found
ed by Jefferson, was liberal in it's de- |
sire to extend the right of suffrage to |
the masses. Democracy was liberal in
its tendency when it substituted for the
congressional caucus the popular con-
vention. Democracy was liberal when
under the leadership of the gallant
Wise of Virginia 1t fought to cnfran-
chlse the foreigner, against the know
nothings who afterward became the
leaders of the republican party. In
Missouri democracy has been liberal in
hat it has never made a single reprisal
since it came into power for the scandal
GUS treatment it received at the hands
If radical republicaniSm when !, had its |
hand upon Missouri,s lLrvat anu It's arm
Up to the elbow in Missouri's treasury.
is liberal in being for the
as against the monopolists; for
he people as against would-be task
masters. Democracy is of the people
md for. the people, and it never has
md never will ask a man as a prelimi-
lary to full fellowship that he serve in
is ranks as long as did Jacob for Ra-
hel, OF any other specified time. All
haiti does require..is, that before honors
asked atits hands the person asking
lem shall show that he is sincerely of,
nth and for the party; in a word shall
by his words and acts that he is :
a democrat. Service to the
arty will no doubt be fully recognized
'hen it should be; but where circum-
tances advance the fortunes of worthy
entlemen whose Identification with the
arty is not of long duration, there will !
e found but very few democrats to cry
ut against them and these will be either
elfsh persons, Or men who themselves
ave but recently become democrats, :
nd desire to prove their zeal by shout /,
'g, democracy! louder than do the
len who consistently and patiently, l,
ear in and year out, fight its battles
nd do its work. There is but one l
pinion as to what it takes to consti- |
lite a democrats man who believes |
l the principles of the party, talks I
lem, and votes the ticket at the polls. !
La Plata Press:-stIf the high license c