The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-29
AN IRREOLAIKABLE PARTY.

The Sentinel has what might be called
a ringing editorial on the duty of the
Democratic party to purge and reform
itself. The subject is suggested by the
miserable record made by the late Leg
islature. "The party" says the Senti-
mel, must carry the State in spite of
the record, and there is only one way to
do it. We must make q determined
fight against the errors of the past. We
must make a determined effort to pre-
vent their occurrence in the future"
Warming to its theme. and picturing
the Democratic party bravely fighting
against Its own inherent cussedness, the
Sentinel says cit will demand that the
majority shall govern, and it will find
some way in which to enforce its de-
mand. The Democratic party need
never despond so long as it's principles
are written deep in the hearts of the
people," etc.
The Journal fully sympathizes with
its esteemed contemporary in its effort
to induce the Democratic party in this
State to reform itself and to do works
meet for repentance. The Journal has
been engaged in that missionary work
good many years, and candor compels
the admission that it has not
made encouraging Roadway. Its ex-
perience and observation are that
the Democratic party in Indiana
resembles the devil, who. when he was
sick, wished to be monk. but who,
when he got better, was decidedly anti
monkish. The Democratic party in In
diana is party of reform when out of
power and between campaigns; at other
times it has no use for reform. The
people have taken it at ita word great
many times, and have always been de-
ceived. They took the party at its word
at the last election and gave it the con-
troll of both branches of the Legislature
In the belief that it would redeem its
campaign promises and do something to
relieve their burdens and reduce the ex-
penses and improve the administration
Of the State government. They have
been disappointed again-grievously.
dreadfully disappointed, and they have
about reached the conclusion that the
only way to reform the Democratic
party is to reform 1t out of power per-
manently.
The Sentiners declaration that the
Democratic party twill demand that the
majority shall govern and will find
some way to enforce its demands" looks
very fine in print and sounds very fine
to the ear, but in view of the
facts is very ridiculous. Without
referring to national politics, in
which all hope of Democratic sue
cess depends on the prevention
of majority rule, we may say that it has
been a minority party in this State for
many years past. in which it has con-
trolled both branches of the Legislature,
shaped the legislation of the State, elect
ed its two Senators and large majority
of it's Representatives in Congress. They
have done it by force and fraud, by GER
rymandering the State in plain violation
of the Constitution in such a way as to
disfranchise thousands of legal voters
and enable minority to ride rough
shod over majority. Yet the Sentinel
has the audacity to say the party will
demand that the majority shall govern,
and it will find some way in which to en-
force its demand" The day that the
people of this State can be brought to
vote in favor of genuine majority gov
eminent will witness the end of Demo-
cratic rule in Indiana. The only way to
reform the party is to turn it out of
power, and that, we think. is what the
people of Indiana will do the next time
they get a chance.