The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-02-08
PoaieIcaI Education.

expressed its disapproyal OF the
suggestion that our clubs should
prepare for at least four meetings
during the year, says:
Heretofore we have made men
vote the Democratic ticket. Now.
We mast make them Democrats, or
lose them.
The one way to make Democrats
is to teach them Democracy. Thou
sands of our citizens who call them
selves Democrats have only the
liaziest ideas of the principles of
their party. They have been train
ed TO regard Democrat as meaning
white man against negro, and when
the negro vote is obliterated they
have nothing to bind them to the
party, and are ready to be led off by
Greenbaekism or any other plausi-
Bile foolishness that may be present
ed to them unopposed.
Whatever may; be the character
of the campaign in 1884, we will
never be safe until our Democracy
is firmly founded on Democratic
principles and a knowledge of them.
The atmosphere is always full of
political poison, and the one antidote
TO it is political education. The
meetings that have been suggested
are the simplest and handiest means
to give that education.
Wehope our contemporary willre-
wise its decision and aid the Neaus
and the other newspapers that labor
to have the party thoroughly organ
lied against the next campaign, and
to give the rank and file thorough
knowledge Of the meaning of the
party watchwords, the causes of the
party's existence and the object tofthe
fight in which we engage. We want
to avoid one of the curses of South
ern politics and have our voters to
vote for principles they understand
and not to blindly follow the lead
of men who win leadership or are
thrust into it. y
Our Greenyille contemporary has
discovered that the roof of our poll
ticaI structure is ablaze with ignor-
ance; it now p1ants aladder against
the wall, and asks US to go up and
fight the FIRE. We approve the end
that the Neass has in view, but the
ladder is too short; it fails to reach
the first story windows, and We re-
fuse to scale it.
We admit the importance of poll
tical education, but what has this to
do with four meetings in an off year !?
The meetings that have been sug-
gested will not give the people the
political education they need. Who
will be the teachers How does
the Greenville Neses propose to
teach the people Democratic princi-
pies or make them more Democratic;
and what principles would it teach ?
Take the tariff question. One
Democrat favors a protective tariff;
another, tariff for revenue with
..incideRtal protection another,
tariff for revenue only; and still an
other, absolute free trade. Barrow
moves to place cotton ties on the
free Est, Butler and Hampton OPP
pose his motion. One newspaper
advocates free trade. Senator
Brown, with an able following of
newspapers, seems to oppose it.
All JeAersonian Democrats
Take the Civil Service Reform
question, and you find the same
state of affairs. One Democrat
advocates it; others denounce and
oppose it. All Jeffersonian Demo-
Gratis
When Congress, after scuffiing
with these questions for years, can
not make up its mind as to the cor
reetness of principles; and when
our political leaders disagree on the
very questions that distinguish our
party organizations, who viii teach
the people correct principles?
Yes, the ladders altogether too
.shogt. ..Li1i6 liss is there, but our
Greenville contsmporary has not
offered the means BY which we can
reach It. The HEkAID is Demo
cratic to the core, and is always
ready to revise its decision; but
you must first show that the deci-
sion is wrong. We still feel that
four meetings this year would ac-
complish nothing. Teach the people
to read and learn for themselves.
Let the press enlighten them. But
- not begin any needless and
sss political meetings and
a eheesen decided at Orange
mnsaarae may demand bis
trains b fuls of bEes srTing papers
Aston; sster. First