Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-18
PA, November ls. 1889.
YKat Is Needed.

clup OF LeavenWOrtn, hAnsas, upon tne
occasion of its celebrating lastWednt siay
his seventy sixth birthday: 1t is now
over sixty years since made my first
Democratic speech, and ever since then
i have without faltering given the best
support of which 1 was capable to our
noble cause. I thought 1t was good
cause when ! first spoke. / think so
yet when the shadows of life are dark
ening around me, and / shall no doubt
think so when l am called to my final
account. Allow me to congratulate you
on your Frightening prospects, and to
remind you that the Democratic party
is the natural party of free institutions,
and that as long as liberty shall exist In
America it cannot die"
Mr.. Thurman's sixty years ofunsefsh
and intelligent devotion to the service of
the Democratic party and the free insti-
tations which he declares to be its mis-
sion to establish and protect-a devotion
which has long earned for him the first
place in the consideration of the Democ-
racy of the country-afiords lesson TO
those who aim to become leaders of the
party, which they will profit by study
ing. He Is an example to be copied.
We maintain that the rank and file of
the Democratic party Is more indepen-
dent in its thought and more disposed
to demand and reward virtue in its
leaders than the party in opposition to
1t has been at least since the day when
a rag, tag and bobtail of men have led
the fragments of parties and people that
succeeded the Whig party as the Dem
o;ratic opposition; and Allen q. Thur
man is man TO whom we point in Illus
tration.
He has had life of sixty years in
service to his party and his country, and
in all this time has done nothing dis
honorable and he Is the party's prime
favorite at this day. Had he the vigor
Of younger years, no leader would dis
pute his command. He has not been a
self-seeker. He has not been supplinnt
supplier of offices TO hungry seekers. He
has always been a simple, straightfor-
ward, honest defender of the political
principles that he considered to be sound,
and an earnest and steady advocate Of
the political party that he believed to
be their true defender. Who has ever
heard of him as the instigator of party
dissension for his aggrandizement :?
Though he has always lived in the most
turbulent political state in the country
and one where the Democratic party has
been very lily treat, d by time-serving,
selfish and even corrupt men, who
sought TO use its power, Mr.. Thurman
has lived through their Vaccinations
and survived such associations with
no one to say that he was assolled
by them or that he was ever other than
the sturdy friend of honest politi-
cal methods and the devoted SER
want Of the lurest political truths.
He has suffered with his party
from the leprosy of leaders, but
he has never proiited by It; and
now that old age has come to seal his
career, II stands as beautiful exam
pie of the conduct that wins demo
cratic reverence and love; and as a
warning to the practical politicians of
the day who think that they can find
in devious ways of self seeking aud in
envious detraction of their betters, IA way
to establish their lead of the Democratic
host. 1t cannot be done in any such
way. The man who wants to be a
Democratic leader for more than II day
must show that he thinks more Of Demo-
cratic principles and of the Democratic
party than he does of himself; or sc
will have none of him.
AS we have said it does not seem TO be
SO with the opposition party. 1t seems
that with 1t leadership may be won in
foxy and fraudulent ways, and
maintained by the distribution OF
plunder and the prostitution OF
power. Surely Pennsylvania other,
wise would not have been so long
Republican under leaders so notorously
corrupt and unworthy and who have
now come to be national leaders. And
where is there Republican Thurman
We are moved to say these things
to-day because we are evidently
on the threshold of a complete
Democratic control of the country
and because we want to see Penn
sylyania Democrats start out in the
triumphal procession. 1t is a possible
accomplishment but to reach il
there needs TO be more of sci
sacrifice and less of envy than
the Democratic politicians of the stat,
have lately shown disposition for. Evi
IDENTIFY there is no Democratic lelder o
conceded preeminence in Pennsyl
vania to-day; and not very hopeful
variety to select one from. We will neet
to get along without one for a while
which we can do very well in party
where the voters are the real leaders.
We are about TO nominate candidate
for governor, and what we nee,
to do is to select the strongest man
and what the politicians nee,
to do is TO seek the opinion
of the party upon that question
with assiduity and to accept it Will
equanimity. With sixty thousan,
majority to break down, il is not prob
able that there will be many capabl,
candidates pr,ssing themselves upon tn,
party; and there ought to he /,
fair chance offered to select tn,
very strongest man, aud to command fo
him harmonious support. What i.
needed is the surrender of prejudice, tn,
conquering of jealousy and the birth an,
growth of an earnest desire, all aroun,
10 put the best foot forward in singh
aim for the glory and success Of tn
party.
Chance for the " Greatest Statesman