Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-10-28
A New Force i'm Politics.

a new Democracy has appeared in the
public arena. The tOiling masses are
unitingas never before in the assertion
of their rights and powers under Dem
ocratic system of government. The gen.
eral convention of the Knights of La
hor has Just assembled in the city of
Richmond under circumstances pecu-
liar and picturesque. The great body
representing the free labor of the North
meets in the capital of the late southern
COnfederacy. The Governor of Virginia
who happens to be the son of the great
military chieftain of the Confederacy,
welcomes the Knights and is introduced
to their master workman by negro
delegate. Richmond, once the center
of a proud aristOcracy, and later the
capital of Confederacy the corner
stone of which was slavery, welcomes
the most aggressive champions of the
rights of free labor. A Virginia Lee,
representing in his person all that once
was, and is now no more, clasps the
hand of the artisan Powderly, repre-
senting the present and the hopes Of
the masses for the future.
Here in New York another working
men'smovementO of a different sort has
shaken the foundations of our local
politics as Charleston was recently
shaken by an earthquake. One man,
thinker, author and workman, has
come forward, like little David, armed
with the apparently insignificant sling
and stone Of a Labor party's nomina-
tiOn, to do battle, not with one, but two
giants in the field of politics. Unlike
Goliath'of old, the Democratic and Re-
publican giants do not view their little
adversary With indifference, but they
are gathering themselves together for
the contest. Both are looking for rich
and popular men, and preparing to fill
their treasuries for fight against con-
fessedly poor man, whose followers
propose to pay their own election ex-
penses and do their own work in a
hard-fought campaign. This sudden
uprising of actual democracy in a city
which has so long been relieved from
the task of self government Is a
spectacle as surprising as the scene in
the capital of the late Confederacy.
What will come of all this it is not
easy to predict. Powderly may lose
the grip tnat has so long held in order
of radical principles to conservative
methods. The attempt of George and
the New York workingmen to imprO-
wise political party, after years OF
popular dependence on machines, may
ignominiously fail. Labor may find
itself at the opening of another year
apparently no nearer the promised land
of plenty, where justice shall bind labor
and capital in a blessed union. But
should even this be true, no sensible
man will doubt thata new power has
come into politics which can never
again be soothed by false promises nor
cheated by one-sided bargains. Any
political party that proposes to cling tC
the issues of quarter of century ag)
will find itself beating soundless drums
and silent cymbals, so far will it be to
the rear of those actually engaged in
the battle over the live issues of the
time.
All of this fills the politicians with
trouble and the timid with alarm. We
see in the turmoil and confusion sign:
of healthy activity. The movements
now in progress are American in .origir
and method, and propose to seek thu
changes desired through the exercise
of the ballot Those concerned car
thus obtain no more than the majorit!
will grant, and the Starts Democrac.
is too we'll grounded and sincere to per
, nit it to view with terror any result
, decreed by the votes of majority o
the people.-N Y Star. ree