Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-16
A DEMOCRATIC SPEECH.

| The address Of Hon. w. >. Ray, ut the
semi annual meeting of the Democratic I'd
itorial Association of Indiana, delivered
at Lake Maxinkuckee last week, was re-
ceived with much favor by Tie democratic
editors present Referring to the work OF
democratic editors and party workers gen
orally, President Ray said:
These men are seen everywhere; 60 where
Won NAV and you will hear the unbroken
Story of lives devoted TO party service, OF
men clipging to their party with the same
devotion, almost that they cling to their re-
lipion. During the summer months these
men have gone in the broiling hot sun,
tramping from house to house and from
ward to ward, in order TO strengthen their
organization. I have seen them on election
day in the peltng rain, tired and hungry,
but never too much exhausted to go miles
to make democra vote. | have seen
them shot down, too and murdered in cold
blood, simply because they were enthusi-
astic party workers. To this class CT men
the democratic party owes everything; in
fact its very existence.
A party that does not contain these ac-
tive workers cannot long survive, and If it
has no principles to challenge hearty and
active support, the sooner it is dead the
better.
The best interests of the democratic press
should be directed in making the party en-
thusiastic; unless this can be done the battle
is lost before it has been fought. The way to
make a party enthusiastic is to reward its
leaders and tireless workers, and tell the
Miss Nancys to wait. To the former every
thing is due, and am not one OF those who
in the hour of triumph turns his back upon
his friends, but rather seeks to compensate
them for the great services they have rem
dered in the past. Let the democratic press
now, more than ever, stand by the working
democrats speak of competent, Jealous
and honest democrats who line all the aVen-
ues of life many of them are politicians who
have shaped the policy of State and nation
al campaigns in times gone by, and whose
mature judgments seldom failed the party in
emergencies of doubt and peril.
If the politicians and the party workers
are enthusiastic, you will see thepeople fall.
ing into line, following their leaders and
ready to plant their flag in the very camp Of
the enemy If they are permitted to grow
lukewarm, Indifferent, and in measure re-
sentful, you might as well procure. the ser
vices of the sexton, and select nice, quiet
place for the remains
TO prudeutly determine The duty Of the
democratic press at this time requires an in
| innate knowledge ofwhat has been regarded
immediate past The democratic party, dur
ing the past quarter of century, has ut
no time played false to its principles. At
every national convention it has proclaimed
! them, and the democratic press has advo-
Gated them. The democratic party has had
| clearly defined policy, and the democratic
| press has, with courage which glorihed
| fidelity, advocated that policy.
The question arises What has been the
| result? Before answering the question it
| will be well to estimate the formidable char
acter cf the obstacle which confronted the
democratic party and the democratic press.
The republican party, coming into power In
1861, began the work of intrenching itself
for future campaigns. 1t had purse and
sword, and officers. 1t had overwhelming
maorities in Congress-Senate and House.
1t had nearly all the Governors of States
| and ma jorities in nearly all the State Legis.
latures. Its word was law. 1t would be
difficult TO conceive of conditions better cal
cuated to impress opposing forces with
ideas of invincibility. The democratic
party out of power with limited pecunlary
resources, was confronted everywhere by
the colossal power of the republican party.
1t had only its courage, its principles its
traditions, its brains, its patriotism and its
| fidelity to truth. 1t was David lighting
Goliath, and as the David would have
been powerless without his sling and stone,
so would the democratic party. have been
powerIess without its press. The strug-
gle was of many years duration,
| hnt pfo
counties and States were wrested from
the grasp of the republican party;
the mighty influences of truth, long un-
| felt throughout the land, finally asserted,
themselves. Fanaticism, hypocrisy, chican.
cry, fraud and forgery, though never before
welded with such tremendous force, were
poweress to arrest the onward march OF
democratic principles and the arguments OF
the democratic press and finally, IN No.
vember, 1884, the people, the soverelgns OF
the republic, rendered their verdict against
the republican party and hurled it from
power.
The democratic press was potent fac
tor in that memorable struggle. 1t had
faith in the people-in their sober thought.
It has faith in the people STILL 1t has
pledged to maintain the attitude toward the
republican party which in the past has ex
posed its denominations and rescued the
country from its corrupting grasp. The
country demanded political service reform
a reform which includes civil service reform
and every other description of reform. IL
place the democratic party in power mean
to place democrats in office, that politica
service reform might be everywhere inaugu
rated throughout the land, and if that is no
done then the democratic victory in Novem
ber last becomes delusion. The demo
cratic press ought not to be content will
anything less than the most comprehensive
results of that victory. The removal of tei
or twenty thousand of those same repubii
| x1,;ll ou0hf MT 4,