The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-10
THE DEMOCRATIC CLUB
A Cut and Dried neutrality-suspicious. to
the Party.

ChicdCo Exchange.
The gathering OF the Democratic club
in Baltimore is pronounced by the senior
Democratic organ in this city a failure
The reasons given may be summed NJ
thus: First, nothing Of the kind was
necessary. 1t was plant without roots
in the soil Of the campaign. Second, it
was cut-and-dried affair, Senator Cor
man and Congressman Scott, Cleveland's
right and left bowers, running every
thing without appearing before the loot
lights. A delegate could not get recogni'
ton by the chairman unless he sent up
memoranda stating who he was and
what he wanted to say. The commit
tees, even, were made up in advance by
the star chamber. Third, the result oil
these two causes was general dissatistac'
ton and disgust. The members, we are
told by this same authority, will go
home feeling that they have been used
as marionettes in a dumb show"
All this is Democratic comment upon
the convention at Baltimore, which was
expected to give the Cleveland cam.
paigp a fine send.oyer. The idea OF
such meeting was good, and If the par.
ty had been in good fighting order 1t
would have been brilliant success.
The trouble is the Democracy is ham
pered by its own record. -Four years
ago It's latest National record was over
twenty years old. The statutes OF limi-
tations afforded relief. The Democrats
fought the campaign OF 1884 upon the
record OF the Republican party, and es'
peciaify upon the love OF change which
Is innate in average human nature.
But now they havea fresh record OF their
own, and it serves as q wet blanket upon
popular enthusiasm. The Baltimore
convention Endorsed both the Presidents
free trade message OF last December and
tho Mills bill, framed in accordance
Herewith, and had to do so, but there
are none the less hundreds of thousands
OF Democrats in the country who would
be personally injured by the carrying
out OF the Cleveland idea, and by the
passage Of the Mills bill. Knowing this,
II was simply impossible for the Saltl-
moro gathering to enthuse over their
endorsement.
As the campaign progresses it will be
more and more evident that the Balti-
more club was fitting opening. The
difficulties which were encountered
there will present themselves in every
manufacturing district OF the United
States, and prove chilling to the enthu-
siasm OF the workingmen Of the party.
Time will not make It any better, either.
Gradually the voters OF the country will
come to realize the bearing the Mills bill
would have upon their individual inter
ests, and pass from generalities to per-
sonalities. There are thousands OF shops,
some large, others small, scattered over
the country, that would have to shut
down under the operation OF that bill,
and before November comes those whom
it most concerns will know about the
matter, in its bearing upon their respcC-
tive interests. The instinct Of self-pro-
lection will take good care Of that
feature OF the campaign, aided, OF course,
by the dissemination OF information by
the Republicans. The several localities
will seize upon the part which has to do
with their prosperity, and get at the ex-
act facts in the case, letting the rest go,
and in that way the campaign in behalf
OF the party q protection will be gen
erai by being specific. It will be con-
Quoted on the principle OF "natural Sc
lection" each section, branch OF indus
try, and individual taking lively inter
est in what bears directly upon its or
his own welfare. German and Scott
can pull the strings OF convention,
and in many ways manipulate the cam
paign wires, but no power on earth can
SO juggle with the whole American peo-
ple as to divert attention from the prac-
teal issues of the campaign.