The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-03-06

worth darn
The same remark serves as a very
accurate description of the DISPOSE
ton of the Democracy in all time.
The Democratic party has always
been, is now, and will doubtless con-
tinue to be what is termed "a little
heady." It's individual elements are
respectively, naturally and essential
ly suspicious of the man who pro-
poses to lead. Nor will they follow
without first propounding the in
quiry, "Whither?" 1t does not mat
ter, either, that the leader be Dem
ocrat of the most pronounced type
and having the confidence of his
party. The sovereign, individual
Democrat will still, as condition
of being led, inquire, "WhitherT'
He never goes it blind. He never
surrendcrs his province to be the
judge of his own course of conduct,
and seldom shrinks from the respon-
sibility of his own acts. He, the
Democrat, is very good sample of
zone of the sovereign people"
Moreover, while the average Dem
ocrat is very unhandy animal to
lead, when it comes to driving, the
perils of the undertaking are i'm
mensely increased. He then. be-
comes kicker of the most expert
and terrific kind, and woe be to the
man who gets in the way of his
heels.
All men must respect the indie
pendent, self-reliant spirit which
marks out its own course and has
the courage to stand by its conyic-
tions. But the individual elements
of the Democratic party have always
been too Incorporating for the
good of the party. When men ally
themselves with an organization
such as a national political party, it
is folly for each individual to expect
to have it more exactly his way; il
is childish to pull out and say 81
wont play" when fairly outvoted on
an issue within the party, and it is
absolutely essential to the existence
of such an organization and to its
power, that where no principle is
violated and conscience approves, the
individual members stand by the de-
cision of the majority and cheerfully
and earnestly sustain the represen.
tatives and leaders of the party in
all that the majority has decreed
There must be spirit of compro.
mise as the basis of every solid
and effective party organization.
The difference between the Repub.
lican and Democratic parties in this
regard, has been the difference be-
tween victory and defeat. The Re
publican party has whipped the
Democratic party repeatedly when
the Democracy was numerically the
strongest. The Republicans were
administering the government fol-
some years while the Democrats
were in the majority at the ballot
box. The reason was that Republic
cans marched in solid phalanx under
their chosen leaders, while Demo
Gratis were engaged in kicking theil
leaders to death.
Look at the present situation, and
we find in it only faithful reflec-
tion of the history of the past: The
Republicans in Congress, although
in the minority, massing their
strength and standing to their guns
to man, in an organized, malicious
and purely party measure, having
for its purpose the destruction of a
conscientious Democratic President;
while Democrats, although not dis
posed to fall in with Republicans to
help belabor the President, are new
ertheless finding occasion to flank
and weaken him in other directions
by unnecessary divisions upon such
questions as silver currency, silver
coinage, civil service, &c, &c. In
other words there is ostensibly a
greater division between the Presi-
dent and the Democracy than be-
tween him and the Republicans of
Congress, although not quite so noisy
and deficient in the former as in the
latter case.
What the Democratic party in
Congress wants is leader who can
marshall the rank and file on a we'll
defined policy, and to let up on the
disposition to kick each other to
death.
"Old Monongalia Academy" the
leading article on the first page of
this issue, will be read with unusual
interest by men and women all over
the country. The author, Mrs. E. I.
Moore, principal of the young ladies'
seminary in this place, is better
qualified, perhaps, to write of that
famous old school than any one else
now living. We deeply regret that
very .hasty proof-reading under ex-
tremely unfavorable circumstances
allowed a few mistakes to pass
through the entire edition. The
date at which Prof. Woods entered
Washington College should have