The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-27
CLARKsON'S WARNING.
The Insidious Growth of the Democratic
Press,

PITTsBuRG, Pa, April 26.-At the fourth
annual dinner of the Americus Republi-
can club in commemoratiOn of the eighty
eight birthday Of General Z. S. Grant,
which was given at the Seventh Avenue
hotel in this city tonight, Hon. James S.
CIarkSon arose to speak in answer to the
toast ''The Republican Press"
He said: ''The consideration of the
party press daily grows more and more
transmission somewhat as to party
modes. Mr.. Brice was much derided
for his phrase in 1888 that
the campaign in that year was
an intellectual one, yet his statement was
true. The campaign OF 1892 will be largely
a newspaper campaign, and it has already
begun. Let US be frank and say that the
Democrats saw this before the Republi-
cans, for any close observer must have
seen with interest and almost astoniSh-
ment the marvellous manner in which the
Democratic party has been strengthening
its lines in the newspaper and magazine.
They did not use to care as much as the Re-
magazine. In latter days it has
been boiling us in our own game.
In the large cities of the east
they have captured nearly all the
magazines and illustrated papers. All the
mercenaries of press and literature have
been lured into their service. The rein
forced Democratic press is a startling
thing for the Republican party to face, and
it must face it with courage and wisdom.
In New York City !, 100000 copies of daily
newspapers are printed daily. Less than
100000 of them are Republican. This
means that two-fifths Of the Republicans
of New York City and its environments are
reading Democratic papers, taking the
Democratic version of things, and the
young people of the household being edu-
Gated unconsciously against the party of
their fathers.
''In Boston the papers of greatest circu-
latiOn are Democratic. New England has
largely gone from the faith of the days of
the war in its newspapers. The same is
true of nearly every large city IN the coun-
try.
Democracy has also pressed its con-
quests to the agricultural press, and in the
last three or four years many of the farm
ers' papers in the west have become advo-
Gates of free trade. 1t was largely through
this line, and that of the Farmers ALI
ance, that the Democrats first based
their claim that the northwest was e.
for free trade and changing to the
Democratic party. Even as good an
organization as that of the farmers was
utilized and Farmers Alliances estab-
liShed Systematically with all the Demo
Gratis and the weak kneed Republicans in
Iil6 SdJneTeu lHJO us IOlti.
Then they were supplied with free trade
literature secretly and constantly. Such
propaganda has never been known in
America as that of the Democrats in their
hunt in secret and through a changing
press in behalf of free trade in the west to-
day, and | submit to you as Republicans
that it is time for our party to take notice
of what the opposition party IS doing by
increasing and ndstrengthening its press. Our
own press is loyal and it is virile and
mighty in power TO do, but it needs
to be increased in circulation. Republi-
cans everywhere should at least take Re
publican papers first. have recently had
some canvasses made on this subject. |
give the result in one county (and it is the
same in many, a county in Illinois, near
Chicago, where $50 Republican families |
are taking Democratic papers and only |
families are taking Republican |
papers. These are significant facts. The /
Republican press stands ready to cover the |
land with the true gospel. 1t remains for !
the homes, to supplement the labors of the |
loyal press and all the time to extend their |
circulation and influence"
Continuing, Mr.. Clarkson spoke against |
life tenure in office and for pure elections /
the Australian system IL that |
was a good one. In the south let there be
an Australian system for voting and an /
doctrine of pure ballot and an honest
count should supercede all plans IN the
platform.
The affair was the most successful in the
history of the organization. The guests
from abroad included Hon. Thomas B.
Reed, speaker of the house of representa-
tives; Hon. James S. Clarkson, assistant
postmaster general: Hon. N. s. Quay
United States senator from Pennsylvania;
Hon. James ~ Beaver. governor
Of Pennsylvania; Hon. John Dalzell,
Hen. Thomas VI. Bayne, Governor Arthur
L. Thomas of Utah, and number Of other
prominent guests from abroad. Three
hundred and eighty covers were laid.
After having feasted on the delicacies OF
-he table toasts were responded to as fol-
ows: Our guests absent, by Colonel J.
VI. shoemaker. of this city; Grant"
was by Governor James A. Beaver; The
party" By Hon. Thomas 3.
Reed, speaker of the house Of representa-
ives.
Hon. R. W. Taylor responded TO the
oast The Young Men of the Party"
Hon Thomas NJ. Bayne spoke Of The
ways and Means and that ended the lit
,rarv feature of the banquet.