St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-18
TIE IRO0rOIS BANQUET.


THE IROQUOIS BAN0UET.
The annual banquet of the Ir0quois club
of Chicago held Tuesday evening at the
Palmer House was an occurrence Of anational
character. The composition of the club IN
cludes the very best men in Chicago, and
many from other places, who are noted Tor
their brains and their social and political
strength. The club is one which, from It's
location, and from the quality of the mem
bership, carries an influence which extends
to all parts of the country, and is potential
wherever it reaches.
The animal banquet is far more than
mere social reunion 1t becomes on such
occasions the mouth piece of the representa-
tive Democracy of the entire country. 1t
includes among its guests and speakers
many of the best minds, the most expert
enced thinkers, within the Democratic or
ganization. Whatever may be said by this
gathering at these annual anniversaries is
entitled to respect as it is certain that what
is then enuncated is the carefully prepared
opinions of the most respected and reliable
representatives Of the Democratic party.
There is nothing in the nature of heated
debate, to waken the passions, and elicit
hasty and ill-judged utterance. spontane-
Gus expressions, which may fill the place and
the environment, but are unsuited for uni
versal distribution, have no utterance. All
is calm. all that is said is the result Of de
liberation, and what is stated goes to the
country with all the care and finish Of ju-
dicial utterance.
Hence what - said at these banquets may
be accepted by all as the opinion OF the
leading minds of the party. 1t is from these
opinions the world can gain its knowledge oil
the real composition of the party which they
represent, and the policy which it purposes
Tor the control of political events. There is
no buncombe, no talking for mere effect, no
expressions which may mean one thing or
another, as mere policy may determine. 1t
is gathering at which no speaker can afford to
be insincere or play the part of politicians,
orspeak to the galleries, or aim to secure
mere popular effect.
Taking the speeches and letters delivered
and read at the last anniversary, it will be
found that there is a striking agree
meut in the enunciation of the duty of the
Democratic party, and that the ground thus
covered, while it includes the whole country,
presents nothing impracticable, nothing that
is not of vital interest, not only for to-day
but for the future. The points presented
are few but direct, withal and automatic.
They demand that there should be preserved
such Il balance between the states and the
federal government that the rights OF Meth
er shall be infrnged upon by the other and
that each shall be sovereign in its own
sphere. This is insisted on by Brecken-
ridge, Tilden, Doolittle, Hampton, and 9th
ers. Another point is, that the people shall
not be taxed to support few individual in
terests and this was the theme of Cox, Nor
ton and Reagan. The third principal point
presented was the absolute necessity for
fine correction of the abuses which now pre-
vail in the control of The country, in the
fostering of monopolies and corporations
and the extravaganza OF the public eXpendi-
lures.
These are the main suggestions Of the
speakers and they are sufficient for the De-
mocraic platform in the coming campaign.
were emphatic assertions that the Democracy
should make these issues squarely and fight
thelu through, and that it would be far bet
fer tor be defeated in battle, in which posi-
tive issues are involved, than to win cam
naicn in which the sole issue should be the
getting of Office, regardless Of principles, or
the destiny Of the country. There was de-
yeloped marked determination to fight the
coming contest without reference to the de-
mand of mere spoilsmcn. 1t seems to be
the opinion of the speakers at the Iroquois
anniversary that victory, it won at all must be
won in the interests of the people and not in
those of the place-hunters. Evidently this can
be accomplishment only by bold cnuncia-
ton Of principles and an adhesion TO them
to the end. There has been too much sim
uosity and suppleness in the
later history of Democratic
party 1t has neglected principle for The
sake of placating certain interests, as if, in
the words of Ex-Governor Morton, the sole
purposes of party platforms and political or
| CARNATIONS are to pursue and procure public
| positions where hOnOrs and emoluments are
| enyiable and remunerative. 1t is essential
| to drop this mere place hunting and take a
position which will command the respect of
the country and in which if defeat be result,
it will be unaccompanied by disgrace. If the
Democracy can win at all, it can only be, by
an aggressive flight in which spoils are not
at issue, and the remedy of pending evils is
the object sought for.