The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-22
Is Democracy National or Only Local9

Is Democracy National or Only Local?
The State Convention of the Virginia
Democracy to nominate a candidate for
Governor was called by the State Commit
tee yesterday for Aug. IL, at Roanoke.
Meanwhile there Is much discussion Of
the propriety and logical necessity Of
ratifying the Chicago platform in the
convention. 1t Is the same question
which has been raised here in New York
and in Virginia, as also in New York, 1t has
been brought up by the opponents of the
Chicago platform. They say that the issues
made by national platform have nothing
to do with a State or local election, and
should be ignored as impertinent.
Those who take this ground virtually
assume that the Democratic party is not a
national party, but only q State party, with
distinct principles and purposes in each
State. At best, they would create two sorts
Of Democrats, State Democrats and Fed
eral Democrats, SO that a mar who rejected
association with the one could consistently
enter into cordial fellowship with the other.
That is a new view of Democracy. 1t
is a new principle, which the so-called gold
Democrats would introduce into Democ-
racy and of course it cannot be accepted
or tolerated without disintegrating and de-
stroying the historic national Democratic
party. Instead of being "a body of doctrine
and principle applicable throughout the
Union. 1t will vary in its distinctive char
acter according to the idiosyncracy Of Dem
ocrats In different states. The plorv of the
marty Of .~JrrrrRsoS will he gone.
This conseouence of "iunorinp" n ma
t;on.l Democr,t;c nlatform ia exnln;ned
yerv cooentlv bv nron,incnt Virginia Demo-.
crots ,vbose eynressions of oninion unon
the nronosition are unfinished Inv the Rich
,nond .S,otc For examine. the Hon. ]. C.
PApKrp of Franklin nuts IL in this wise:
y,r.,,,.
.,oro II "a notionoI n,rtv and "a sucb mu.t have
national principles, and IL the Virginia portion wishes
to continue to be a part of the national party we must
stand by national principles. And where viii some
S n p,.Se e..,n m an.a SnA =, ,e ~ ,sa u ch,o"~o n,,,s y ~ .
If that does not contain them the party has no princi.
pies. But it does contain them. and Virginia Demo
rrats, If they desire to be a part of the great party.
must uphold these principles. This argument would
no.t 's v,s.,n,a =, ~ 49, ,,a cs,."an u.o ;, Il
Wv.
Inc non W.. WHITE u eueii'hsoui
eays .nao -"
poiioies ue'ia,eu ny iu
eo nou apply " Il I, p"i,y n%u
ues' 70 ona S'"N "Ao
ihon' \ ! u D'il,e' na'
Us many pfonuanVos ,sno,ink VI
Jec'inS 'he pia'iof,h niaue W 'he supreme
council Oh our party II So our oisaniZa'
'ioh WIN pe d pa'cneo'up affair." ih'iins
ahu ueiea
iosicot 'nese
VI COURSE u 'hefois nA'ionai parry
'here ,nus' oc Sonie au',ofiIy " eApfess
anu ueciare l's Poii'icai prihc,pies, anu
'hese pfino.p.es MANI up 'ne uous 20
oefa.i' uOe'fihe 81 iohs As 'ne PLATFORM
anu in.y Il Il y, neho
Iaoy eVefy"nefe anu az al eie.'iohs UNI
'hey = uispia'su q ma uoes ~. az.
een' " 'ne s.anuaro . ne'no.ra'
according 10 'he Official uesienaeioh' o.her'
WEE 'neie can oe ho par'S, onqueStiona
Wy ~ III oeins 'he ohioaeo P ia'ioi
10 ~ u Regular ne-
no'y. .ho ChaSo ""S
repIeseh1a.ive OIL 1he democracy IN al .ne
6'a'es' anu !, was ehipo"eieu oue.efhine
DeraI,o uoc.fine iof eH.h anu al,
.he 'irsihi" oemocra'ic olaVe eohVen'
.ion uoes ~ eAPiioi.is iepuuia.e 'na. pat
10TH anu 'hus put i'seii ou.siue oi lne ma
Iona o parry ~ VIII