Birmingham age-herald., 1894-11-25
CHAIRMAN TONPKINS Of the State Democratic Executive
 Committee
APPEALS FOR ORGANIZATION,
And Calls for Loyalty to the Democratic Party in
 Alabama.

In response to a communication addressed to him by Hon. E. D. Nillett of Pickeus county, Hon. H. c. Tom pkins, who is chairman of the state democratic executive committed has written the following let ter:
 MONTGOMERY, Ala. Nov. .2 1894. Hon. E. D. wileit house of Representatives, Montgomery, Ala. =
 DEAR SIR Your letter of the 19,h in- stant was handed me on that day just prior to my leaving the city, ana an earlier re- sponse has been prevented by my absence. 1 fully realize that the condition mentioned by you exists to a considerable extent, that there are many democrats who are de- spondeut Of the party's future, and that unless checked this condition is apt 10 lead 10 party dsorganiZation. There is really no good ground for great despondency on the part of democrats. Our recent defeat was overwhelming, 1t is true. but no greater than we have sustained before. In 1872 the republicans swept the whole couD- try. They then carried every northern and a majority of the southern states, and our proportiopate strength in the federal house of representatives was not as great as it will be in the next house. Two years after wards, in 1874, our victory was as great as had been that of the republicans in 1872, and the small minority of democrats in the house in 1872 was changed into an over whelming majority in 1874. Twoyear ago large jorty of the American people in- dorsed by their votes the policy of our party. Every man who voted for our didates knew that They were pledged, if elected, to reform the tariff, and to
 
 enue basis. Our platform declared in lam guage that could not be misunderstood that such was our purpose, aud the people voting our ticket knew for what they were voting, and do not doubt that majority of the American people today indorse the democratic policies and principles.
 Unfortunately, immediately upon our party's coming into power, the business depression which had already begun under the republican rule, the result of republi can legislation, reached its most acute stage, and men overwhelmed by its extent did not stop to It fleet aud determine its cause, but finding the democratic party in power laid the blame at it's doors, forget ting that the condition was but the neces- gary result of years of republican egisla- tion, and that 10 change it the remedies which we might apply had to have time in which to operate; they forgot that it would be no more unreasonable to expect the patient whose system had been thoroughly broken down by the mistreatment of the quack to recover immediately under the treatment of skilful physician than it was to expect that the country should recover in a few months from years of republican misrule. They forgot that at the time of our greatest depression, when the panic was severest in the summer of 1895, there was not upon our statute books single federal law on the subjects of taxation or finance which had been adopted by democratic votes. Now that the smoke of the conf ct has blown away and we view the field, we findthat it was not the increase of re- publican votes that won for that party its recent victory, but it was apathy or indif- ference on the part of our party friends, that our defeat was caused by democrats remaining away from the polls. You ask me what is the remedy for this. l do not know that my views are entitled to much weight on this subject, but I have such views, and most decided ones. The rem edy is organiZstion-thoroug organiZa- tion. Such organization, 10 be thorough and to insure success must begin in the beats in the country and in the wards of the cities and towns. l would have dem- ocratic club in every precinct and in every ward in the state. If we believe in the principles of the democratic party and wish 10 see them triumph, must see to it that those who agree with us are thor oughly organized, and when that orgauiza-. tion speaks let it's voice be the voice of every man who believes in those princi- pies. 1 know that men frequently feel hva ho q in m and conven,ions-sometim with cause and sometimes wIthout-but we are bound to recognize that no great cause. not even that ot religion, which we believe has al its head Divinity itself, has ever attained any degree of success without organiZa- tion. For the love we have for the prnci- pies in which we believe, that they may succeed, we must rise above our personal grievances and petty disappointments and stand by our organiZ ition. We must vote for those principles by voting for those who are put forward to represent them, however objectionable those men may be to us per- sonalIy. There never was day in the history of Alabama when there was greater necessity for this organization on the part of democrats than there is today. There was never time when it was more incum. bent upon the individual to rise superior to self, to lay aside his feeling of personal wrong for the general good of the party than now. The recept success of the re- publican party in the country has embold- ened its leaders to hope to restore 1t to power even in this state. And we find k coming to the front the same leaders who Fed that party in the terrible days of recon kpction, and we find them appealing to
 same class of voters that they, with
 ger and others Of his kind, appealed
 m 1868 10 1874. And in their meetings
 WI aaueame 1T, famlnatory harangues,
 he memory
 memory of
 pnot afford
 0by the re-
 isgoverned
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