Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-01-02
FOR THE NEXT CAMPAIGN.

The executive committee of the National
Association of Democratic Clubs. which
now represents about 8. 900 associated local
clubs, has issued the following address to
its constituent bodies:
To the ASSOCIATED Clubs of the United
States: Your executive committee since
the election has been in receipt of COM
munications from your general committee
men and from the clubs aud societies form
ing tho association in every part of the
country. 1t is its pleasure to be able to
report that there is no falterlng from the
issues of the last campaign, and no hesita-
tion as to entering at once upon the con-
test of 1892.
The national association was formed and
its members organized too late for the most
effective campaign work during the past
presidential contest. 1t failed to stem the
tide of republican Misrepresentation and
the effect OF enormous sums OF money
handled by the most corrupt and. efficient
partisan organization ever known in this
country: but with all our disadvantages
success was barely missed. The great
manufacturing States of New Jersey and
Connecticut were carried. In New York
and Indiana, in Massachusetts, and Rhode
| Island, the workingmen stood firmly by the
democracy, as may be seen by careful
examination of the returns from manpfaot-
| ing centres Where the people understood
| the real difference between republican
plutocracy and democratic equality their
verdict was true. Had the active club or
eanization of the democracy permeated the
agricultural districts as well, Cleveland and
Thurman would have had an electoral as
well as popular majority. The honest
and intelligent farmers, who suffer the most
and gain the least from the present excess
| of taxation, would have come forward IN
blocks of so to meet the mercenary and I'M
patriotic floaters in their blocks of D.
The campaign upon which the democrat
| ic clubs are now to enter is not an easy
one. We cannot safely rely for a victory
| in the next presidential election upon the
twenty States which elected Tilden in 1876,
and which elected Grover Cleveland in
1884. The admission of the Territories, to
which each of the great parties has solemn
ly pledged itself, and the Encouragement
consequent upon the next census IN the!rep.
resenta ton of the present States will
change tho relative power of each single
State and group of States, and will broaden
the national contests. To win we shall
have to fight the whole field, from Maine
to California, as holly as New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut and Indiana were
fought this year.
The democratic party proposes to fight
this entire field and upon the same issues
as in the past campaign, upon the same
principles which were inaugurated in the
framework and foundation of our assocla-
ton at Baltimore on July last. They are
the principles OF Thomas jefferson, the
great and FIRST preceptor OF the principles
/ ;,.t ntrU
every true and enlightened democrat who
has lived since our birth as nation, our
objects still bsing:
| To preserve the constitution of the United
States. the autonomy of the States, local
sef-goverument, and freedom OF elections.
To resist revolutionary changes and the
Capitalization of power.
To oppose the imposition OF taxes beyond
the necessities of government economically
administered.
To promote economy in all branches of
the public service.
To oppose unnecessary commercial re-
strictions for the benefit of the few at the
expense of the many.
To oppose class legislation, WHICH de-
spoils labor and builds up monopoly,
And to maintain inviolate the fundamen-
tai principle of equality be-
fore the law"
The democratic party will continue, in
the future as in the past, to oppose the
base republican scheme of reducing the
surplus of the federal government by ex-
trayagant expenditures and By increased
taxation upon the necessaries of life. We
, firmly adhere to the principle that unneces-
sary taxation is unjust taxation: that it is
premium upon extravagant aud corrupt ex-
penditure; that the United States govern
ment should, therefore, raise 10 more
money than is necessary fof its own eco
pomicai support; tina. the just and constitu-
tioual way to reduce revenue is by lower
ing taxes. and that they should BIO lowered
upon the necessaries of life rather than up
on the Injuries, and, finally, that in the re-
! duction Of tie revenues to point where
they will meet the needs of the government
economically administered, American labor
shall not be exposed to any injurious com
petition of cheap foreign labor, but the de
mocratic party will still continue its fore
most champion. It has been our purpose
to bling about the necessary reduction oil
the revenues and the necessary simplica
ton and reform of the tariff without harm
to the businers interests of the country and
without injury to any working Lap, but il
manner by which all should be benefited
no one injured In any degree whatsoever.
; This we have maintained in the face of The
!! most persistent misrepresentation, and t.
0 bringthetruth of these issues plainly before
every voter will be one of the laboIs of ou
association during the next four years..
No less an object will be tho overthrow
of the money power in elections, which has
y undoubtedly resulted in defeating the will
!, of the people, and which has grown TO be
j. national disgrace. The two arms of mo
q nopoly-bribery aud acknowledgements b.
struck down. Laws securing the mos
p absolute secrecy Of the ballot must be en-
= acted and enforced, and the crime of brib
n cry must be made odlous and punished al
r it dererves.
=, During the past campaign the republican
managers, political and pecuniary, stopped
q at nothing to accomplish their end; sec
o. tional prejudices were aroused to warp thu
Judgment of the tinid; audacious bribery
was resorted to to complete their purpoa'
of debauching the people 80 that they
& might wrench the government from thu
!, hands of clean administration and for {
s time riot in an immense surplus draw.
from the toll of honest labor. But the re
publican organization lacks the moral pow
VI er necessary to continued success. Whel
o reason resumes its sway and another cleo
q ton occurs. the democratic party will agsil
. rise triumphant. and thoss who believe il
class legislation and corruption Of the cleo
u toral franchise will again be driven fron
y power. The party which has truth upol
v its side never fails of victory when tn
y :, truth is once made known. One argumen
is worth dozen fallacies. One organiza
ton campaigning for the truth and homes
government in a four-years' contest j
@ worth dozen armed only with prevarica
tions and with money.
- With an abandonment of every mino
l. motive and steady application to the &C
d mplishment of the great ends and tn
- establishment of the great principles TO
y which our party was founded, as early a
the republic itself, we need have no fear O
g the result. We look back with self respec
}. and pride to the battle waich we have wag
r. ed, and with confidence to the ones t.
- come. Let US lose no time in preparation
~ Tho pov% ctr,rnla for contro1 of tho nation