The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-15

LOUISVILLE, KY, July l4--At the
state convention OF the National Demo-
Gratis. OF Kentucky to-day, Hon. Henry
watterson addressed The gathering. He
said IN part;
The internal history OF the Democratic
party the last three decades has been
markod by an almost unbroken struggle
against the forces OF reaction. Those
forces arrayed themselves first upon the
eide OF visionary scheme to upset the
three last constitutional amendments
and thus to alter " not TO reverse the
resultB OF the war. He who opposed this
visionary scheme was denounced as a
traitor to the south and a radicai tn dis
guiss Tho scheme itself played directly
into the hands Of the radicals. II helped
them to make their case against their
the loyalty OF tn south and
10 solidify the north. It confused and
perverted Democratic counsela. IL de-
layed the day OF deliverance. But no
sooner had II vanished from the scene,
an exploded bomb, than II was sue
ceeded by another device equally mis-
leading.
This was plan for paying the nation
al debt In greenbacks and for flooding
the country with an irredeemable paper
currency. There being nothing back of
it.ihoweyer, except fallacy and noise, II
speedily came TO an end. Yet 1t held It's
own long enough to consolidate the Re-
publlcans. 10 divide the Democrats, and
TO retard the coming OF that better un-
Outstanding between the sections OF tho
Union. which good men were so earnest.
ly seeking. Whilst 1t lasted Its votarie1
stigmatlzed everyone who opposed II aa
a bloated bondholder and an enemy OF
the people.
Finally, brought back to power In
spite OF It's reactlonary elements, the
Democratic party had TO face the re-
sponsibllities Of government. But the
impracticahles who had done their ut
most TO keep II out of power forever and
had greatly obstructed Its progress,wera
neither extlngulshed nor subdued. They
proceeded with their work OF party dis
memberment. They defeated the party's
declared tariff policy. They defeated Its
conservative. fiscal policy, Then fully
organized, they devised n scheme hay
ing all the evil advantages OF the two
which had preceded II, with something
10 spare. This was nothing less than the
abandonment OF the high ground which
the Democratic party had always occu-
pied In fighting the battles OF the people
and the concentration upon lower level
of all the disaftected elements OF society.
II was something more than n new de-
parture. II was TO all intents and pur-
poses revolution. II took no account
of the party'B origin and nature, It's or
derby antecedents and deliberative char
acter. Precipitating national conven-
ton Into q tumult. II proceeded In a
frenzy OF excitement 10 adopt n platform
subverslve of Democratic principles
constructed TO meet the requirements OF
the Silver ProtectionisB on the one hand
and the Populists on the other--and
nominated ticket which depended
wholly for its election upon the success
of It's appeals TO class hatred.
Then followed such a campaign as
patriotic men may well wish never TO
see again. And 10 what purpose. To
this simply: that over a divided Democ-
racy. the Republicans might march TO
easy victory; that the revolution, ar
ranged so carefully and forced with such
q high hand, was fixture; that the
combination OF PopuliSm Free-Sllver
Republlcanism and Reactionary DEM
ocracy was not strong enough TO carry
the country; In one word that these
oversanguine gentlemen had perpe-
tratod a dreadful mlscalculation, split
ting their party wide open TO make flu
tile fusion with the winds; and. In point
OF fact, selling their birthright for n
promised mess OF potage they failed to
get.
gent Democrat TO say whether this is
not truthful report OF the proceedings
down 10 the occasion which has brought
US together.
The same Old Crsw.
For thirty years the men who headed
this disastrous movement have been
seekIng Intellectually to defect the party
policy from the higher TO the lower plnno
Of political thought and action. During
the sixties they were shouting down
with the constitutional amendments"
During the seventies they were shouting
down with the bloated bondholders"
In the saddle Mt last. It was down with
the courts of law-down with the money
of the people and the credit Of the nation
and up with the red banner OF repudl-
alton and anarchy"
would do no man injustice. / would
misBtate tho position OF no set OF men.
But submit that the whole warp and
wool both OF the organization and the
argument OF the Bryan-S ewnll- Watson
campaign OF last year led 70 this con-
clusion, and nowhere else; and contend
that II there DO not enough of eHlght-
aned conservatism IN the people to inter-
pose between the warning extremes Of
agrnrinnism and rnpacity tho strong
arm Of Democracy. unterriflcd and I'M
def1led--Htill true 10 tho spirit OF the
fathers and the traditions OF tho past
the country will presently be reduced to
q condition where the good Of the many
Is wholly subordinate 10 tho viii Of the
few, and II win mnttcr little which of
the extremes the few may In reality rep
resent
AZ good Democrats--as men, who lovo
their country and their party, and
would faln do something to rescue the
one from destruction and to preserve
the credit and order OF the other--we
arc here this day. We are here to ap-
peal. II may be for the last time, to tho
serious sense aud judgment OF our fell
iow.D0mocrata. We are here to pro-
test agalnht tho vagaries Of body OF
incompetent leaders, who have prosti-
tuted tho name and the principles of
the party, and who seem more than over
bent upon pursuinE tho course which
has wrecked III, yet who con present no
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