The Washington critic., 1888-09-12
WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 70, 1888
THE DISTRICT DEMOCRACY.


THE DISTRICT DEMOCRACY.
Tho Democrats of the District Of CO.
lumbia-the most loyal in principle and
liberal in purse of any organization which
has ever taken part in the politics Of the
country-will assemble this evening TO
ratify the nominations made by the Dem
ocratic National Convention at st. Louis.
and to declare their abiding faith in the
principles and policies of the Democratic
party as exemplified by the Administra-
ton now in power.
We refer to the District Democracy as
entitled to peculiar distinction because of
their loyalty to the interests of the party
and the generous assistance which they
have always extended to the support Of
its candidates.
With no votes of their own to be re-
corded in the electoral college, and with
comparatively little to expect in the dis
tribution Of Federal patronage, and
much of that little usually distributed
upon the outside, they have, neverthe-
less, pursued the tenor of their Demo
cratic ways with zeal unabated by ad.
versity and contributions to the cause
measured in no sense by the expectancy
of returns on the investment.
1t may occur to many people that all
this self-sacrifice upon the part of the
District Democracy is waste of zeal
and waste Of funds. But there has
never been a time in our political history
since the close of the war when the part
taken in Presidential contest by both
organizations of the great parties of the
country at the National Capital has not
possessed a certain barometrical value to
the party leaders, which they could not
well do without in estimating the direc-
ton and pressure of public sentiment.
The drift of party feeling at Washing
ton is necessarily of value, because to a
greater or less extent 1t is representative
expression of party opinion and inclina-
ton elsewhere, and it carries especial
weight with it when accompanied by
tributes of substantial aid to the necessi-
ties of doubtful States and const ituen-
cies.
1t may not be that this political ardor
or expenditure on the part of non
voting community is always wisely or
profitably spent. So far as the District
Democracy are concerned, they have put
up many thousands of dollars on which
they have realized nothing beyond the
satisfaction of doing that much for OBJ
jects which they believed to be desirable
and just
in more than one instance their honest
dues have been ignored and repudiated.
They have not been fairly nor gratefully
remembered in all cases. They have
little to look forward to in the event oi
Mr. 'Cleveland's s reelection. The 'spoils'
that belong to the "victors'' do not al
ways fall to them.
The District patronage, at best, ever
if 1t were all placed where 1t belongs
would not be worth what it costs to get
ii. Hence our Democratic friends Of the
District of Columbia would be fully justi-
fed, if not in renouncing their devotion
to principle, at least in maintaining an
attitude of indifference as to candidates
and campaigns.
But such is not the stuff of which the
District Democrats are made The fact
that they are dsfranchised does not dis
possess them of an interest in politics,
or in the disposition of public affairs
and believing as they do, in Democratic
principles and the desrability of retain
ing the present Democratic Administra
tion in power for the general benefit oi
the whole country, they propose tc
make their preferences known and, as
usual, will back up their declarations
with their money.