Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-01
MR.. BLACKS LETTER.
SOME JACKsONIAN ADVICE FOR THE
DEMOCRATS.

The Nestor of the Democratic Societies
Writes to Chairman Brenner-He Hopes
for Success in the Campaigns Now I'm
der Way.
| YORK, PA, September 10, 1891.
| Hon. William j. Bremen, Vice President Demo-
| cratic Society of Pennsylvania, Pittsburg, Pa.
| DEAR SIR-Official duty in connection with
| the national Democratic organization
| obliges me to be in distant part of the
| country at the time of the meeting of the
third annual General Assembly of the DEM
/ ocratic Societies of Pennsylvania, at Pitts
! burg, and, as you have been advised by the
Secretary, the Executive Committee at its
late meeting designated you to discharge
the duties of President.
As the result of my experience in the
office which L have had the honor to hold
| since the formation of the Democratic
| Society of Pennsylvania, L beg to offer
| through you few practical suggestions.
| The Democratic societies have become
vast, powerful and indispensable auxiliary
| of the regular organization of the Demo
| cratic party in the country and i'll the State.
| This is the Judgment of the National Demo-
| cratic Committee and of the State Commit
| tee of Pennsylvania, as it is of the regular
| committees all over the Union. The soci-
| eties are Incorporated with the regular Or
| ganization and operate in conjunction with
| and in subordination to it. They take the
place of voluntary associations of Demo
|
| by the legally appointed authorities of the
| party. This plan of organization insureS
| club or society in every neighborhood which
| shall be just as regular and reliable as the
| party committee, and which shall be as
much entitled to party confidence and sup
port as the committee itself 1t eliminates
all the
INCONVENIENCES AND DANGERS
which have hitherto arisen from the irregu-
lar and voluntary formation of clubs de-
signed to promote personal ambitions or
factions within the party. For these rea-
sons and many others, too numerous to men
tion here, we have been advised by the
Chairman of the National Committee and
the Chairman of the State Committee
that a uniform system of Demo
cratic societies, duly incorporated
with the regular party organization,
is not only greatly to be desired, but that it
is in fact the only system upon which the
great conflicts before uS-Whlch are, in the
language of Chairman Brice, "tO be largely
conflicts of clubs''-can be successfully
fought out on our part. There is no instance
in the entire country where q regularly or
ganized and permanently esta blished Demo-
cratic society has not increased the Demo
cratic vote With the State of Pennsylvania
completely organized under this regularand
uniform system, there Would in my opinion,
be no question whatever about our carrying
it. In the present campaign, for instance it
must be obvious that the full Democratic
vote in November will elect our candidates,
and that vote would certainly be polled If
there should be, by the middle of October,
an active and earnest Democratic society in
every district doing its full duty as an en-
lightened and obedient auxiliary of the
regular party committees.
The Democratic Society of Pennsylvania
WAS the first organiza ton of the kind i'll the
Union. 1t occurred several months before
the Baltimore Convention and the formation
of the National Association of Democratic
Clubs in which it took, by its representa-
tives, prominent and useful part. Our ex-
ample has been followed in many States
and the main features OF our constitution
adopted. The Democratic societies on the
Pacific slope are numerous and aggressive,
and we are promised that many of the new
States, carved from the Louisiana purchase
accomplishedb by Mr. jefferson, the father of
the Democratic party and of the Democratic
societies, will be made Democratic within a
brief period by the patriotic labors of those
societies. We expect to meet at Spokane
Falls representatives from the entire slope
at the second annual general assembly of
the Democratic societies of the State of
Washington on the 23d of this MONTH
The growth of the Democratic societies in
this State has been almost spontaneous.
The organization has had
PRACTICALLY NO MONEY.
Its expenses have been mainly borne by
its officers. Fortunately they were not |
heavy OF such could not have been the case. |
But the time has arrived when some provis- |
ion for stated revenue from |
the membership itself should be made. |
Our constitution provides for no fees,
Dues assessments or other means of raising |
money. Accordingly the society has never |
had any money, except a few small sums
contributed by public-spirited and liberal
members of the party and they covered but |
q small PARTON of the moderate expendi- |
lures we have been compelled to make. Had |
this society been able to print freely, to put
and to keep one or more organizers in the
field, to say nothing of many other
highly practical and important serv-
ices, its usefulness would have been
enormously enhanced and its power i'm
1nensely increased. suggest that the Gen
eral Assembly be advised to consider and
mature some efficient means of revenue.
Besides the contributions of the benefic-
iaries of tariff taxation and of the other
monopoly policies maintained by our op-
ponents-contributio upon which they
can always rely implicitly-the Republican
League assesses definite sum of money
upon every club as an enrolment fee. But |
Democrats, a rule, being individually |
poor, and having class privileged and
enriched by Government, upon which to
draw, the question of finances with us is not
one of easy solution.
The General Committee provided for in
our constitution has proved a totally useless
piece of machinery. Each primary society
is entitled to member upon it, but it is
next to impossible to induce them to ap-
point the members. They should do so at
the General Assembly, put, IN the pressure
of more important matters, it is overlooked
and postponed. There has never been a
full committee and it has never held a meet
ing. l would suggest that it be abolished
and the affairs of the society, in the inter- |
walls between General Assemblies be left, as
before in charge of the officers and the Ex-
ecutive and Finance Committees.
The successful campaign of last year was
at the General Assembly of the ,
Democratic societies ut Reading, and hope
and believe that history will repeat itself
this year. Our strength and aggressiveness
should be greater now than then, and look
forward confidently to the day when this /
organization will present an impregnable
am irresistible front to the enemies of pure
government in our State. With the contem-
plated uniform system of Democratic socie-
lies well established, and the secret ballot
IN the hands of the people, the day is prob
ably not distant when our great Common
wealth will resume her ancient position in
he politics of tie Union and be again worthy Z
If the commendation bestowed upon her by
he founder of the Democratic party and of
he Democratic societies who encouraged I
he friends of republican principles in !
,ther States by pointing to the steady ex-
nipple of 'ever faithful Pennsylvania"
Very respectfully yours,
II r ETACE 7