Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-17
Danger Ahead !
Atlanta Constitution.

The result of the recent elections in the states where an effort was made to se- cure democratic indorsement of an ad- ministration policy based on republican practices ought to be a warning to the democrats of the southern states. In the states where the party conventions made such indorsement the democracy was so completely wrecked that it will re- uuire years of hard work to reorganiZe It.
 The result makes it clear to every in telligent and impartial observer that not even the democratic voters in the eastern states will consent to stand on such in- dorsement and that they will not approve the effort to compel the democratic par ty to accept republican legislation and embrace republican principles. The men who manipulate conventions, the of1ice- holders and others of their kidney. were able to control many democratic state conventions, but when the matter came before the people at they.balot box Inc result was the practical annihilation of the party. The honest voters, placing principles high above party names. re- fused 10 approve the actions of their sup pie delegates in the conventions and eith- CT refused to vote at aII,or indignantly voted against their own party.
 Only in this way can we account for the collapse of the democratic party in the state elections last week. No other theory, no other explanation will fit the case This being true, 1t is the duty Of the democratic leaders of the south to take the matter to heart and to act ac- cordingly. The time has passed when the voters of the south can be drummed into line by the mere name of democracy That fact has been Illustrated on more than one occasion and in more than one state. The call of democracy must have some thing more substantial behind 1t than mere name. It must nave pehind l.a,,,O i. Tl1-
 We predict that whenever and wher- ever a democratic convention is manip- ulated into indorsing policy contrary 10 the principles of the party the people Will repudiate the indorsement. Wherever the experiment Is made. whether in Georg1a, Alabama, Virginia or t1orlda, the result will be the same,
 We should not like to see the experl- ment tried in any southern state. We should feel that it was the beginning or the disruption of the old party which has won so many victories.
 The great body of the common people prefer the old principles under the old name hut they will care nothing for the name unless 1t represents the old prln- ciples.
 The Constitution hopes, therefore, that no democratic leader in the south so Tar mistakes the temper and attitude Of the honest voters of this section as to imag- inc for a moment that TepuDjCaD pi' ciples and measures can be crammed down their throats under cover of mis- leading indorsement. The experiment would be ruinous and those who inaugu- rate it will pay dearly for their temerity.
 And yet it is to be tried. There is no doubt of that. It Is to be tried in Geor- gia. it is to be tried in Alabama and 1t is to be tried in every state where the office-holding element Is weak or vicious enough to believe that it owes its ale glance to the administration. Fortunate Iy, however, to try Is one thing and suc- cess Is another: and the two do not al- ways meet and shake hands. It sue ceeded in Kentucky and resulted in the demoralization and defeat of the party; in Maiylan. too, with a similar result: but we do not have the slightest idea that 1t can succeed in any southern state where the honest democrats are alive to the peoples and the party's interest.
 Nevertheless the people in every south ern state must be on the alert. The most unscrupulous efforts will be made to compel the democrats of the south to in- dorse republican policies. principles and measures All the officeholders will be roped into the scheme. All the clements that work only for personal and selfish ends will rally to those who are trying to compel democrats to ,indorse republi- can principles and measures. It is only by means of the energy and patriotism of the honest voters of the country that the vicious scheme can be scotched and