Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-09-28
Cleveland Democracy.
Observer amt Gorman.

Centrevillc Observer (Anti Gormanl
The term cleveland Democracy"
is a term perhaps much misunderstood.
Cleveland Democracy is only that
kind of Democracy that stands for
good government, and opposes rings,
bcs>es and political jobs and jobberS.
II is the kind of Democracy that
would keep the old party safely 10 its
moorings, and not allow it to drift
away and get into foul water. 1t be-
lieves in adhering TO party principles
and party promises rs made in plat
forms and on the hustings. 1t believes
that it is wrong, sinful. criminal to
deceive and disappoint the people.
1t claims that whatever is promised
should be carried out, as faithfully in
politics as in business. or in the family
circle, or anywhere else. That is
Cleveland Democracy, and it cannot
be denied that it is good kind TO
have, and it is the kind everybody
ought to have.
But Cleveland Democracy does not
mean Republicanism. a man to be a
Cleveland Democrat must be a Dem
ocrat, not Republican. He must
endorse Democracy he must subscribe
TO Democratic principles, and he must
vote Democratic tickets, not Republi-
can tickets. The man who votes Re
publican tickets cannot be said to be Il
Democrat o: the Cleveland stripe, nor
of any other stripe. He Is simply not
Democrat at all. He is member
of no party, but only votes for such
men rs his fancy leads him 10 vote for
such men perhaps as he may think fit
for the place they aspire to, and he is
as liable to be mistaken in his Judge
ment OF men as anybody else. He may
vote for men who are not rs fitted as
the men he votes against. 1t is quite
a nice discrimination for the average
man to make, and he is just as liable
to he in error in his conclusions rs the
convention tha, does the nominating,
and perhaps little more so. Cleve-
land Democracy does not advise men
to make these determinations to the
dctrment of their party. 1t may be
done in primary contests, when we are
simply deciding in favor of men in the
same party, brt we should go slow
in deciding against men of our own
party and in favor OF men in the op-
posing party. 1t is quite serious
maiter-this thing of voting against
ones party-and it is matter that
men must approach with caution.
Democratic success means Il spoke III
the wheel of National Democracy, and
that great party can scarcely expect
to succeed in keeping the country IN
Democratic hands If Democrats in the
State organizations determine to sup
port Republican tickets on slight pro-
vocations Cleveland Democracy does
not advise them to So act. On the
contrary Cleveland Democracy is
Democracy. not Republicanism. Cleve-
be made at the primaries, AMI ii fairly
debated there, to turn in and support
the ticket a the choice Of majority
of the members of the party Being
the choice of majority of the mem-
hers Of the party, if fairly asCertained,
then il becomes the ticket OF the whole
party, and rs such is entitled To the
support OF all the members OF the
party, whether they he Cleveland
Democrats or any other kind. Cleve-
land Democrats believe that the ma
jority should rule, and believing that
they necessarily feel bound to yield
obedience to the voice Of the majority
when fairly asceriained, and To sup
port the ticket placed in the field by
that victorious majority. That is
Cleveland Democracy, and that is
pure Democracy. kind that nobody
can object 10, and kind that nobody
ought to object 10.