The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-20
TO REORGANIZE THE PARTY.
Mr. Bethany Thinks Democrats are Too
Much Divided
WILMINGTON, Y. C..Noy. Is.

To the Editor of the News and Observers
| wish to emphasize my answering
and unalterable allegiance to Democ-
racy, but at the same time to suggest
that now while we are at sea, it is the
occasion and the opportunity to cor
rect our chart, and lay down a course
for our future guidance.
The great disasters which have be-
fallen our party of late, have cause,
flor such effects cannot have been
brought about except from most po-
tentiai cause) and the reflections
which | have had upon the present
status, are the promptings of this ar
ticle.
The Democratic party in its incep-
ton and in the days when it welded
such strong and beneficial influence
on the country was party of princi-
pie and not OF eXpediencY, and in its
main tenets still is a party OF great
principles, to which it has endeavored
by hard struggles within it's ranks
closely to adhere, but by reason ofthe
reconstruction measures consequent
to the late war, and the united deter
mination OF our Southern people to
secure good government, there focked
litical opinion, who came thther as
the only road to secure that necessary
and vital end.
BY reason of this flight to our ranks
Of all classes, without regard TO for
mcr political affiliations, we had be-
come a party of no fixed principles 9th
er than the law of self preservation
and that great nightmare which made
US cling so closely together, the negro
question, has passed away and we
have become "a mass of heterogeneous
elements"
We, the present Democratic party,
have practically the bulk of all the in
telligence Of our people therefore in
our ranks, the Republicans having the
ignorance.
We are now composed of old line
Wings, high protective tariff Demo
Gratis, Democrats opposed to popular
education, Democrats fayoring a
strong central government, others
fayoring still strict construction of
the Constitution as to the delegated
powers of the general government,
some believing and advocating sin
gle gold standard, others believing
and strongly advocating bimetallism,
the most momentOus question, other
than secession, which was ever agi-
tated in our country, and even other
diversity Of views, and each having a
large and respectful following, though
not organized into a distinct faction
as yet, but rapidly crystaizing in that
direction.
Can any man therefore wonder at
our want Of unity Of principle and in
ability to carry out the genuine and
true policy Of our party? 1t is for
those who are Democrats in principle
and purpose as we have been taught
them by our forefathers, and recur-
ring to those principles to reorganize
our party.
That is not a healthful state Of poll
tics for practically all the intelligence
Of the people to be satisfied in one
party that battles for the administra-
ton Of the government, while practi-
cally all the ignorance of the country
is arrayed against it in the other
party.
All the charges of election frauds,
all the tendencies to ring rule and its
attendant evils are attributed to this
condition Of affairs While, if the in
telliRence of the people was more
equally distributed, a more generous
rivalry would be created between OPP
posing candidates, the line of public
discussion would be elevated, and local
good government would be secured
which ever party was successful at the
polls.
Let then those followers Of Jefferson
and Jackson, those Democrats who arc
believers in
LIST. A jealous protection of the re-
served rights of the State from the en-
croachments of the, general govern
ment.
2nd A tariff for revenue only, with
such incidental encouragement to in
FAINT industry as a tariff for revenue
will admit.
Bird Who believe in bimetallism, re-