Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-25
SATURDAY. AUGUST 25, 1894.
The Democratic Party.


Unquestionably there are dlssensions in
the Democratic party as this party is CIR
Cumstanced Just now. These dissensiops
originated In a peculiar condition OF
things. which obtains all over the coun-
try. and which has caused some Of the
leading men of the party to fall out with
the acts OF others OF the leading mon Of
the party, not to say with one another.
The Democrats. II we may use that ex-
preston. are so strong numerically that
they cannot realize their weakness. They
believe in the sober second thought of
the people," which is never wrong and
always efficient" and. so believing. some
OF them are disposed to "cavil on the
ninth part OF n hair whenever they find
representatives In Congress disposed TO
wander away from the path along which
for so many years the Democrats as the
peoples party. have walked without wish
Ing TO turn TO the right or to the left
All of us recollect when there were only
seven Democrats In the United States
Senate, one Of them Allen G.. Thurman,
1.-THE noblest Roman Of them all
The dissensions in the Democratic party
IRE the natural results Of the new issues,
IL new issues they may be called, which
have been brought to the front. The
declaration of the Chicago platform IN
favor Of "a tariff for revenue only" was
an issue for which the Democratic party
was scarcely prepared. that party. espe-
cially in the South, having been reor-
ganizod after the war rather upon issues
growing out Of the reconstruction mea-
sures than upon the issues which had
separated the old Whig party from the
old Democratic party in ante-beilum
times. Again. the declaration Of the chi
cago platform on the silver question was
so worded as to allow Of two construc-
1ions totally Inconsistent the one with the
other. Up to this day-and we doubt
moi IL will be so up TO the November
elect,on-day-State and congressional dis
trict conventions endorse the utterance OF
which we speak. even when they Know
THAT two different constructions are going
to be put upon 1t.
The question as to raw material is
another one that divides the Democrats.
If however. the Democrats need good
advice in the premises, let them heed
that given to them in Mr.. Speaker Crisp's
letter to the Georgia State Convention OF
August LIST. Hear him:
when we came into power we found
bankrupted treasury. We found IMAM
cial system which was ruinous 10 the
masses of the people. We FOUND tarih
laws which had strangled trade and com
merce. which had built up trusts and mo-
nopolies which taxed the many Tor the
benefit of the few, and which had ue-
stroyed the general prosperity OF the
country. As a result of these laws we
found bankruptcy. panic. and distress
This is an indictment of the Republican
party which cannot be too carefully con-
sldered. Mr. Crisp says that If any Demo-
cratic representative has failed to vote IN
accordance with party pledges. he, ana
not the Democratic party, is to be aoah-
doned. But he reminds Us that absolute
unity of sentiment is rare\t found In any
political party" and also says:
Legislation Is the result of compromise
We cannot expect in one year To undo the
work OF thirty. We are confronted anu
fmpeded at every step by trusts ana tho-
nopolies and large interests, when nave
been built up under Republican laws ana
which must die with the destruction oil
those laws. Necessarily our progress Is
slow. but we are making progress. Inc
Democratic party has not faltered nor
failed in It's efforts to redeem the pledges
made TO the people. We have not on all
questions, agreed as to the best methods
OF redeeming those pledges, but we are
honestly endeavoring TO do so, ana J, 'ne
people will continue the night on the INES
laid down In our party PLATFORM suo0eS'
must ultimately crown our eiorts'
So we repeat. II our Democratic speakers
need campaign material. let them use MT
Crisp's letter