The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-07-22

Il
TO some purpose. They have just returned
from the silver waters of Lake Maxinkuckee,
and their holiday has left its impression upon
the politics of the country The occasion was
the second annual reunion of the Democratic
editors of the State. They selected Maxim
kuckee because the fishing was good, but in
looking over their log book il will be found
that they did not cOnfine themselves exclu-
siyely to fishing They agreed perhaps,
with Shakespeare that
"The MISUNDERSTANDING *
To see the fish
Cut with her golden oars
The silver stream"
And so agreeing they allowed that amuse-
ment to pass for fishing. and their thoughts
turned lightly to politics. Under all the cir
cumstances, we do not know of any COM
munity of persons who have a better right to
take hand in the politics of the hour than
have these same Indiana editors The vote
of Indiana was very important in the late
Presidential contest 1t was taken into ac-
count when Hon. Thomas 4. Hendricks was
placed on the ticket at Chicago. The Demo-
cratic editors of Indiana labored With a zeal
and patriotism characteristic OF them in Sc
curing the vote of that State for Cleveland
and Hendricks and having succeeded IN
this, no one will deny them the right to ex-
press their sentiments regarding the admin
istration: The first notable utterance from
the Maxinkuckee reunion was the speech Of
W S. Ray, President of the Association.
Referring to the party workers in the cam
paign. President Ray said:
These men are seen everywhere; 60 where
you may and you will hear the unbroken
story of lives devoted to party service, of
men clinging to their party with the same
devotion, almost, that they cling to their re-
ligiOn 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 organi-
ZatiOn. l have seen them on election day in
the pelting rain tired and hungry, but never
too much exhausted to go miles to make
Democratic vote. l have seen them shot
down, too, and murdered in cold blood, SIM
ply becacSe they were enthusiastic party
workers To this class of men the Demo-
cratic party owes everything: in fact its very
existence.
"a party that does not contain these ac-
tive workers can not long survive, and if it
has no principles to challenge hearty and
active support, the sooner it is dead the bet
ter.
THE bestinterests 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 party enthusiastic Is to reward its
leaders and tireless workers and tell the Miss
Nancys 10 wait. To the former everything is
due, snd | am not one of those who in the
hour of triumph turns his back upon his
friends. but rather seek TO compensate them
for the great services they have rendered in
the past
This is the talk OF man who learned his
Democracy at the feet of Mr. Hendricks, and
las for years edited Democratic newspaper
at Shelbyville, the old home of Hendricks.
Reviewing the late campaign, Mr. Ray con-
tinued:
ssThe country demanded political service
reform-a reform which includes civil ser
vice reform and every other description OF
reform. To place the Democratic party in
power meant 10 place Democrats in office,
that political service reform might be every
where inaugurated throughout the land,
and if that is not done then the Democratic
victory in November last becomes delu-
sion. The Democratic press ought not To
be content with anything less than the
most comprehensive results OF that victory
The removal of ten or twenty thou
sand of those same Republicans from
office will not and ought not to satisfy
the Democratic press. The supreme demand
is political service refOrm-that can be had
and only had, by placing Democrats in
pOwer-sny things else falls below the re
quiements of the times, any thing else
ignores the November verdict. and any thing
less than that will Overwhelm the Democratic
party in defeat. The appointment Of a few
ministers CustOm-house officials and head:
of departments win not satisfy the rank and
file OF the party, and the Democratic pres
should be the first to sound the alarm and
plant the danger signals where all can SEQ
them.
II would keep standing at the head o.
Democratic newspapers the sentiments ex
pressed on this subject by Nice-Preaideni
Hendricks in his Brooklyn speech. be
1ieve that his..utterances on that occasion wer,
pFe-eminently Democratic, and Just toward
the gallant wheel-horses of the party, and i
adopted the party in every State in the
Union would be enthusiastic and would
be intrusted with power in this country f0
fifty years to come
When they got through with their picnic
these Hoosier editors adopted few reSolu
tons which have direct bearing upon thu
times in which we live. 1t was the judg
nent of the meeting that the offices belong
to the bemocratic party and, further
more This association deprecates any prop
ositi0n requiring the giving of any reason 70
the removal Of Republican from office othe
than that he is Republican. The will o
the people as expressed at the polls in No
vember 1854 being that the Democratic
party should take charge Of the Government
under the existing laws"
1t appears from this that the Democrat