The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-07-12
The Trouble With the Party.

Liz hCpuuiiCduo AIC3uOuoip hiohC oh0
charge against the Democratic party
that it is too Democratic. They are
fond of quoting the expression of local
leader many years ago that he would
vote for Beelzebub rs d regular Demo-
cratic nominee.
The only trouble about the Democratic
party is that its leaders are SO often not
Democratic enough. =
The masses of the Democracy are
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 e6lors. Y Because it op-
poses oppression i'll every form. Be-
cause. it is, III fact; the tipholdef Of a
Republican Government, with equal
rights for all, as opposed to an olig-
archy, whether under the forni of mon
archy, federalism, whigism or ccntfal=
ization.
The people arc Democratic enough
because they are Democrats on princi-
pie. They do hot HYe on Office. They
covet no political honors. Patty sue.
cess is precious to them, not for the
patronage it brings, not for the spoils it
secures, but because tho principles they
believe in insure the liberty, happiness
and eofitentInent 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. Mdny
of them are as pure, unseltish and pat
riotic as they are able. But it a truism
that the people have been for years in
advance of the leaders:
Since the party has been in a ffli=
nority the history of its managers has
been too often history of compro-
misses, bargains and .sdeals.'h The
Democratic masses have been too fire.
quently sold out by their leaders tv
crafty personal ambitions, revenge
personal grievances and satisfy personal
greed. Factions have sprtifig up with
in the party, and all facti6ns alike have
unfortunately been ready to mako eofii=
binations in small way with their
political opponents at the sacrifice OF
principle. Trades and bargains have
been arranged iii the city Government,
in the Board of Aldermen; ih the Legis-
lature and in Congress. Iii al1 these
the leaders and managers have shown
themselves not Democratic enough.
We have seen it time and again in
entered into alliance with Republicans
for the sole purpose of gaining office.
from opposing Democratic factions af1d
dividing them with their Republican
| allies. t5
We saw it in Congress when certain
Democrats lent themselves to the Re
publican effort to steal the Presidency
and when the Democratic Speaker b.
arbitrary rulings favored the Republic
ans to make the consummatien of tht
crime possible.
We saw it in the State Government
when Democrats stood UP to strengthen
the hands and whitewash the character
of the Blind-Pool gambler who dragged
the high office of Governor through tn,
mud in order to raise himself from
bankrupt to millionaire.
We have. seen it time and again a
Washington when prominent Demo
Gratis, having struck the trail of Repub
lican crimes, have turned from tn
track, made bargains with the Republic
an criminals and prostituted their polit
ical trusts.
The Democratic people have neve
been in sympathy with their falls
"leaders ~ in their betrayal of Demo
cratic principles. They have repeated.
manifested their disapproval by absent
ing themselves from the polls. Th
leaders and their management have no
been Democratic enough to win the con
fidence of their followers. Let th
leaders now be bold and firm in thei
Democracy and the Democratic masse
will make prompt response. Thos
masses were true as steel during tn
war, when they were subjected to tn
cruelest slanders and misrepresents
tions, and when their political affiliation
placed them in false position. The
have been true as steel through nearly
quarter of ccntury's absence fror
power. They are true as steel to-day
If the leaders are firm and faithful t
true Democratic principles-if they al
Democratic enough-the fidelity of tn
masses will insure the redemption {
the country from Republican misrule.-
NJ y World