Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-09
NEW LEADERSHIP
Predicted Democratic Change in the
Southern States.
Old FELLOWS HAVE FAD THEIR DAY
The Party Must Redeem the Pledges
~ 1t Makes.
BALLOT REFORM NECESSARY

IA new democratic leadership in the
| south Is assured without taking particular
ly into account any late phase Of populistic
growth and discomfort in that section"
I This opinion was expressed to repre-
| sentative of The Star today by democrat
| Of national reputation, who claimed not
| to be limited in his views, either by the
| present status of the financial question or
| by disappointment felt at the party's TALL
ure to satisfactorily revise the tariff.
1.-THE change will come in the nature OF
things A chapter of party history has
been closed. A new chapter is about to be
| opened. New men are absolutely essential
| to a new order Of things. The old fel-
| lows have had their day and their course
in power stands disapproved. Some CT
them while in the minority achieved great
| regulations. Some of them performed
really noteworthy things. But all Of that
is past. The party now has need to look
out for the future, and this calls for new
plans and new men. Even the old cries
can no longer be conjured with, and espe-
| cially in view of the fact that those who
responded to them have been most woefuliy
disappointed in the victory achieved in
| their name"
Two Notable Exceptions.
| But Senators Morgan and Harris have
Just been Endorsed by their people" was
suggested.
"They will prove to be exceptions to the
rule was the reply. There was a sound
and sufficient reason for the retention OF
| both OF those veterans in office. No young
| er man appeared in either case recognized
| as altogether equipped to step into the
| elders shoes. MIR. Morgan stands 1or a
great fund OF valuable Information on pub
| lie questions that still are pressing, and
| Mr.. Harris possesses both ability and par
Mamentary experience. Besides, when their
| claims came to be passed upon, 1t was not
possible to successfully charge upon either
| Of them any lukewarnness or change of
| front on any important matter OF party
faith or promise. Both had stood firm for
tariff reform and free coinage of silver,
and both pledged themselves anew to the
party's best interests. But changes else
where have already taken place. and others
| are certain to follow. A reorganization of
| the party is inevitable"
Young Men of the South.
| Are younger men of the proper caliber
| within reach?" was asked.
! There are a great many very capable
and promising young men in the south, and
an opportunity for distinction will speedily
| develop them. The rapid rise of Marion
| Butler in North Carolina, although he is a
populist. will act as incentive to the
younger men in all Of the southern states.
| The passion for politics controls in the
south fully as much now as 1t did before
| the war, and soon as the fact becomes
| generally recognized that new era is at
| hand and that new hands at the bellows
| are necessary and have now their oppor-
| tunity a competent new leadership will APP
pear.
IF the old leaders are doomed, and the
old party cries are no longer effective. what
| cries will the young men adopt?"
| well, / don't know that the cries will be
| altogether new, but in future they must be
more exact. They must carry a definite
| meaning. The present tumble of the demo-
cratic party has grown largely out of the
| eXtravagancfes INDUCED in on the stump
| and in platforms. This evil was carried to
most reprehensible extent in the cam
| paign of 1892 The platform adopted at
| Chicago that year committed the party to a
policy that no man in his calm and serious
| Inconsistencies subscribing thoroughly to
free trade-ever believed would be or could
| be carried out. The democratic party is not
| for free trade, as that term is employed
and properly understood. The utmost ever
desired or expected by the wiser leaders
| was a plain, businesslike revision of the
| schedules and judicious and moderate en-
| largement Of the free list. But the free
traders took the field and succeeded, I'M
| fortunately for the party, in attracting at
tention
Campaign Pledges Come Back.
| 1.-THE campaign was one of general en-
| thusiasm on the part Of both the orators
| and the audience. Then came victory and
the time for business, and then our plat
| fern and our stump speeches rose up to
| plague us. Legislation could not take ex-
IRENE shape, and when halt was made
| far short of what we had promised we
| found ourselves between two fires. The
| free traders charged g. betrayal Of trust,
and the republicans charged US with a
cowardly bungle. We were told on the one
| hand that had we set about full redemp-
| ton of our campaign promises all would
| have been well. while on the other hand
| every specie of business depression and
embarrassment was laid at our door as the
result Of bill which really satisfied no.
| body. That is the story SO far as the tariff
| is concerned, and nobody can truthfully
deny it. AS for silver, the difficulty was
| even greater there. The southern wing of
| the party believed in one thing, the north
| ern wing another. straddle, made up
| largely OF denunciation Of the republicans.
| resulted. and now when some definite
| remedial action is necessary the party is
| helpless"
How will the new leadership express
| itself on these subjects?"
II shall not undertake to predict. Some
expression WILL of course. be necessary.
The questions are far from being settled.
The country still needs and demands a re-
vision of the tariff on revenue lines. and a
settlement of the financial question which
shall give to silver its proper duty to per-
form as a money metal. This is the demo-
cratic platform today, as 1t has been for
years past. But We must specify now what
we mean Generalities must no longer be
employed We must give more heed in
future to performance than to proclama-
ton. Or, put in the phrase of the more
successful of the showmen, we must paste
fewer allurements on dead walls and put
more attractions under the canvas"
RnIIct Reform Needed
How about the cry for ballot reform in
the southv'