The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-09-05
SfsEl h. Dem

! says LnaI 'tle TWO great paTLleS OF LNlS
country are TIE Democratic party and
the Republican party. For years these
parties have been nearly balanced, and
the popular majority is on The side of
| Democracy. For years the Democrats
| have waged war upon the policies of
the Republican party, and twice in the
past decade have trlumphed at the polls
| in a Presidential election. The last
time the Triumph extended not only to
! the Presidency, but to both Houses Of
Congress, and for the first time in a
generation the Democrats have control
of the legislation of the country. But in
every party there are those who do not
coincide fully with the advanced Ideas
| of the platform, and lean to more con-
servatiVe teachings, and sometimes &C
tuaily favor certain tenets Of the oppo3-
| ing party. When therefore, an issue
| comes up in which these policies are to
| be voted on, and the two parties are
evenly divided. it is not matter OF
great surprise that compromises have
to be made, aud concessions allowed to
| those men who Go not go to the full eX-
| tent that their party goes On certain is
sues. Such has been the expert
ence of the Democratic party in
its tariff legislation. But the ex-
| istence Of these men IN the party
with views at variance from the maJo-
rity is 20 reason for Democrats repudi-
| atinG the party, but seems to offer a
| reason why they should stand closer to
the party and elect sufficient number
of Democrats next time to legiSlate in
dependently of these conservative
members. They certainly cannot justify
themselves in going to the Re pulican
party which they have fought all their
lives, and they are giving up the sub
stance for the shadow when they pro-
pose to 20 to the Populists. Everything
that is material ard desirable IN the
Populist platform is Democratic. What
is good in it is not new, and what is
new is not good. Democracy has
always stood for lower taxation
for the masses against classes;
against combinations and trusts;
and for A free ballot and a fair
count. "Eq ual rights for all and
special privileges to none" is not new
doctrine of the Populists, but has been
the Democratic motto for gen erations.
Why should an honest Dem mocrat, even
though be be dissatisfied and disa ppoint-
ed by the work of the present Congress,
from which possibly he expected too
much, turn to aparty which Is in a
hopeless minority and expect it to &C
complsh what he desires any sooner
than the Democratic party can? The
expectation is preposterOus, and as
Democrats who go to Popullsm cannot
possibly accomplish anything by that
means, they are simply strengthening
the hands of their old enemies, the Re-
pubiicans, by weakening the ranks of
Democracy. Democrats who prefer
the reign of Republicans rather than
Democrats are acting in way to bring
Republicans back into power by con-
sorting with Populists. That Republi-
cans realize this is plainly shown by
the Republican found sent into Ala
bama to help kolh. Senator Hoar cares
no more about kolb than he does the
king of the cannibai islands, but when
kolb made him believe that he could
Grip pie Democracy in Alabama and
break the Solid South, he quickly re.
sponded with the Republican Doodle to
dSSlSD IL lllS
join the ranks of Popullsm are simply
increasing the strength OF Republican,
ism just by the amount they reduce
the strength of Democracy. Democrats
have been disappointed in not getting
all they wanted, as fast as they wanted
it, at the hands of the Democratic par
ty, but that is no reason for kicking
out Of the traces, and joining party
from which they will not get what
they want in hundred years. W Use
Democrats will stand true to the party
and rest assured that in its trium ph
lies their only hope of accomplishing
the reforms for which they have fought.
There Is a hope of obtaining them in a
few years if they will only keep their
own party in power, but If they let
the Republicans get back. into power
they will find that they have abandoned
the ship of state for little cat-bost of
Populism that has no chanca wahteyer
of making the harbor. Stick to the
Democratic ship"