Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-23

cratic convention is an act of confidence
which cannot be forgotten. The fact
that you have drawn upon one of your
country precincts for your presiding Of
ficer refutes the idea that the approach
Ing campaign Is to be run by cliques or
rings 1t is not my purpose to weary you
with any speech. but perhaps it would
be well enough at this time for US to take
our bearings. This Is a year of condi-
tions. OF affiXes and suffixes, of sound
money democrats and free silver demo-
Gratis. OF Mckinley democrats and Bryan
democrats, but far above all these.
grander and more sublime, stands the
unfalterlng: plain, simple democrat,
mandates of his party.
Doubly blessed Is our country in the
fact that we have yet remaining enough
of this latter class to successfully con-
duct the affairs of the democratic party
and at the same time attend memorial
services over the blasted political aspira-
tions of the Mckinley democrats. In this
campaign democracy is confronted with
a new element as an aid to her old-ti
enemy, the republican party. This new
adjunct is composed of men-be 1t said
in a whisper-who once held the title of
democrat. but-be 1t proclaimed aloud
who were the drosS of the democratic
party. The republican party, reinforced
by its recently acquired possessions. la
boring under the delusion that its gains
have been material, challenges us once
more to do battle. Our bugle blast has
been sounded-shall we falter? The chart
book by which the old democratic ship is
to be guided is placed in our hands, and
we have but to select our captain; her
course, SO far as the nation and this state
is concerned, has been settled-and set
tied by the regular. highest tribunal of
the party-and in the absence of fraud it
is i'll becoming in any democrat to gain
say the verdict of that tribunal 1t is not
Ion, IL tO nj tudividIa1 Vipus nd
personal ambition higher than party die
tations. No man claiming to be demo-
crat has the right to say that the demo-
cratic party has departed from its faith
and promulgated undemocratic prihci-
pies. The democratic party is a party of
principles, and the fundamental princi-
pie underlying its entire superstructure
Is that the majority shall rule, and when
the majority have spoken 1t becomes the
duty of the mnority-and especially
when that minority had a voice in say
ing who should compose that tribunal
to cheerfully acquiesce and accept the
result; and il they do not they are prop
erly dubbed "bo1ters,' and should be so
branded With what burning eloquence
did that vampire of the democratic party
impress these lessons upon us in 1892. So
truthful were they, and so deep were the
impressions made, that there are even yet
some of us who dare to decline his bidding
to forsake now the principles ne taught
cratic candidate for governor; now he Is
the Mckinley democratic candidate for
the senate. Hear what he said four years
ago as being applicable to the present sit
uation:
TT is anticipated that some men. call
ing themselves democrats, will initiate
the republicans in Alabama and set up
an opposition meeting next month. 1t Is
sincerely hoped that such will not be the
case, but If it should be done those who
bolt the action of the party will injure
themselves more than they will the par
ty. They will put political stain upon
themselves which years cannot efface.
The men or set of men, who would at
tempt to divide and rend asunder the
white race in Alabama in order to satisfy
selfish personal ends could meet no fate
commensurate with the offense."
Men are not expected to plead the
baby act and, after submitting their
claims to recognized tribunal, draw out
and declare that they will not abide
decision because 1t Is not according to
their wishes If such a spirit prevails
there win be no use in future for tri-
buna1s to decide upon the conflicting
rights that may arise"
THE present movement against the
party. in whatever shape it may be dis