The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-03-19
A SERMON FOR DEMOCRATS.

formality of an election be required to
retire to some secluded spot and talk
sense into themselves.
1t is about time for Democrats to quit
wearing crepe on every occasion, public or
private, and raising fearful lamentations
whenever the past, present or future is
mentioned.
The News DEMOCRAT begs to remind
them that il takes an election to make
Presid ent, and that the road between st.
Louis and the White House is rough.
Tires have been punctured on that
trip before, and this may be banner
year for tacks.
Let us talk this thing over little
brethren.
If we at once proceed to tie up the
prize III a pale.blue ribbon and hand it
to the enemy on a silver platter, then
this proposition must be taken for
granted: that any man the Republicans
nominate will meet the approval of the
people everywhere.
Now, the most optimistic Republican
and the most lugubrious Democrat will
hardly assert that broad claim. Sup
pose, then, we put it in even narrower
terms and see where we are led: OF the
present admitted Republican candidates,
is any one, no matter which, sure of
election if nominated?
The News DEMOCRAT is of the opinion
that neither Mr.. Reed nor Mr.. Morton
would be successful as against any one
of at least two men whom the Democrats
might name.
Take the case of Mr. Reed.
Upon which of his personal attain
ments does he base his right to ask to be
made President of this Republic?
That he is brainy and brilliant is not to
be denied, but is his mind broad and
conservative, well balanced and circum-
spect? How would the people feel to
have him President in the event of war
with England, for example? Remember
how the revered Lincoln bore himself in
war, and imagine Mr. Reed under like
circumstances.
The fact is that, outside of the same
intellectual possessions which belong to
hundreds of men in this country, his
prominence in the present contest is
based on the cheap popularity his bitter
partisanship aroused among certain
element of his party. If not, upon what
else?
Now partisanship is poor material
upon which to build successful cam
paign.
We are lovers of fair play before we
are partisans, and the name of Gear" is
odious 20 Republicans as well as Demo.
Gratis.
If man should he made President
because he knowslhow and has the dis
position to browbeat other men, we
might as well go farther and pick our
! simmonses.
Would Mr.. Reed, if President, treat all
Democrats, that is, one. half of the peo-
J pie under him, with the same unmanly,
. unrelenting, un. republican contempt and
abuse that he used toward their repre-
sentatives in the House?
Such things will not stand the plain,
common-sense test the people will ap.
ply after the reaction which follows con-
vention fever, has arrived. That is the
time when a candidates measure will be
taken with cold calculation, and Mr..
Reed is only broad at the waist.
And how about Mr.. Morton?
Outside the question of age, he is bet
ter fitted to be President than Mr.. Reed
He would think and act without the in
; tense partisan bias Of Reed, and would
be safer man on any question that
came before him.
But there is one class of measures
upon which Mr.. Morton's judgment
could not be trusted to do the best
for the whole country. His natural
training would lead him to make an ally
OF Wall street in treasury matters and
up to date there is no evidence of that
thoroughfare being in business for its
health.
Recent examples have indicted that
New York financiers are, as rule, as
ready to prey upon the country's neces-
sity as upon her prosperity. The wrath
of every loyal man rises against that
sort of money-making. Mr.. Morton
may not be party to such transactions
and only a victim to his associations;
but, right or wrong, share of the gem
eral denunciation falls upon him.
On this account his nomination would
be received by his party in the Central
and Western States with dismay at first,
and then with open reputation.
He would be vigorously and almost
viciously attacked by Republicans as
well as Democrats from the western
line of Pennsylvania to the Pacific coast,
and the result would likely be com
plete overturning of the usual political
complexion of the Electoral College.
Thus, however worthy Mr.. Morton
may be of the nomination, his selection
would certainly be mex pedient at his
time and his election impossible
Therefore, to repeat, the News Demo-
crat believes that the Democrats can
nominate a man who will defeat either
Reed or Morton.
And then, there are others.
So we get back to our original injunc.
ton to Democrats to cease wearing
mourning-at least, brethren, smother
your grief enough 70 put a little laven-
der in your costume A bunch OF vio-
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