Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-04-18
THE DEMOCRATIC CENTEN
NAL.


Democratic party. The party came
into existence rs national organiza-
ton in 1896. 1t was founded by Thorn.
as jefferson, who was the candidate
of the party for President that year.
Jefferson called it the Republican par
ty, but in lis first national campaign
the organization was called the Demo-
cratic Republican party by the masses.
The Tammany Society, which was in
existence at that time, has ever since
retained the name Democratic Repub-
lican organization.
There was only one regular organ
lied political party prior to 1896; that
was the Federalists party. All those
who opposed IFS policy were classed as
anti-Federalists, but they had no or
ganization and no platform. The
Democratic party, as it is now called,
was the outcome of differences on
financial questions in Washington's
Cabinet, beginning in 1871. Jefferson
opposed Hamilton's plan for the es-
tablishment the United States Bank.
He was a strict constructionist and
held that the Government had no con-
stitaiional power TO establish bank.
The construction Of the Constitu-
ton later became the line of demarca-
ton between the two great parties and
has remained so to this day. The
Democratic party has always stood for
more or less strict construction of the
Constitution, liberal power for the
States and limited power for the gen
eral Government. The Federalist,
and later the Republican party, stood
for liberal construction.
Jefferson first applied the name Re.
publican party TO the organization
founded by him in letter to Presi-
dent Washington, in which he CLASH
fed under that name all those who
opposed a general government as well
as those who favored republican
form of government rather than a
monarchial one, or one which they be-
lieved tended toward a monarchy.
During the 100 years of its exis-
tence the Democratic party has been
At one time or another on both sides
OF nearly all great national issues.
The first protective tariff, that Of 1916,
known as the Calhoun tariff, was a
Democratic measure. From Jack.
sons administration to the present the
party has in theory, il not in practice,
opposed a protective tariff, and in 1892
said in its platform that such a tariff
was unconstitutional.
The Democratic party dropped the
Republican hyphenated name in 1882,
when il held its first national conven.
ton, and has since been known by the
one name. In the same year the Ma
tional Republican party, which later
became the Wing party, came into
existence as national organization.
In the Democratic National Con-
vention Of 1892 there we're $40 dele
gates, and under the two-thirds rule
6O4 votes were necessary to choice.
Cleveland received 6l7l votes on the
first ballot. The addition of Utah to
the list Of States will add four dele
gates this year, making a total Of 81 4,
and 6l0 will he necessary to choice
if the two-thirds rule is maintained.
The total number Of votes in the
Republican National Convention of
1892 was 906. Since then Utah has
been admitted to Statehood, adding
four votes. making total of $40. In
the call for the convention this year
Chairman Carter Of the National Com
mittee directed all Territories seeking
Statehood to elect four delegates at
large, the question of their admission
to be decided by the convention. II
Arizona, New Mexico and Oklohama
each elect four delegates-at- large, and
they are all admitted, the total num-
Der of votes in the ST Louis conven-
ton will be 1922.