Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-04-26
partisan support from the proceeds OF
increased burdens of taxation placed

partisan support from the proceeds OF
increased burdens of taxation placed
| upon those already overladen.
In the meantime the mllied forces Of
calami V. encourag d by the malign
sive. They confidently speak OF the
encounter IN which they failed of sue
cess, Is only the first battle and gladly
hail every outward incideot and every
added pretext for passion and resent
meut as new and we'come allies in
the continuance of their crusade.
they are unwillingly wicked and
stupid no believe that disaster awaits
upon the ascendepcy OF those forces
and yet turn away from the lain ,vi-
dence of their dangerous strength.
l began by saying that This was an
assemblage for patriotic purposes. l
hope my sympathy with its high aims
and disinterested efforts will not be
! suspected when l confess that | have
brought here sturdy partisanship and
q devoted interest to the principles of
true democracy. l should, however,
; not he here to make this declaration If
| by pertisanship means adherence to
party organization merely tor the pur-
pose of comprising government control
; and the distribution of the spoils OF
party victory among greedy claim
ants. The partisanship l mentioned
means the support of certain principles
and theories of government and a
cooperation and association in political
| effort and activity with others who be-
lieve in the same theories and princ-
plies for the purpose of accomplishing
! their practical application and enforce
ment. Out of such an association
grows party discipline and organiza-
ton. The limits Of their proper oper-
alton are easily fixed, ana it is an i'm
parchment of the intelligence of the
mem bers of any political association to
say that party management and dlsci-
pine should at all times command i'm
plcit obedience, even when such obe-
| dience leads to the abandonment or
radical perversion of party principle.
Mr.. Cleveland then explained at
length his meaning of the term "true
| democracy" and spoke Of the achieve
| ments of the democratic party. True
| democracy, he said, "epjoins the ut
| most personal liberty consistent with
pence aud order 1t defends the hum
bic toiler against oppressive exactions
| in his home and invites him to the Ut
most enjoyment OF the fruits OF indus
try, economy and thrift; and in his
interest, and the interests of all
where all are equal, true democracy
denies that in the American scheme OF
equality before the law there is limit
beyond which the legitimate results
and accumulation of effort and enter
prise should be denounced as intrnsi-
ca!ly criminal and their po>sessors be
treated rs proper subjects Of govern
mental discrimination and coademna-
tor. The people whom true demccra-
cy would serve are all the people OF the
land Those whom it would restrain
are on the one hand the vicious and
turbulent, who defy the laws, and
on the other hand those who
with CONSCIOUSNESS greed and in
abuse Of their opportunity, wronglully
oppress their fellows and eat out their
substance. Above all things, true democ
racy insists that the money OF the people
should be sound and stable, neither
shriveling in purchasing power in the
hands of the poor nor by its uncertain
value driving enterprise and productive
energy into hiding. Those who be-
lieve that a crisis Is at hand can hardly
fail to see that the party in power is so
joined to its idol of mad protection and
is so completely doomed to popular
condemnation that it is a useless ill.,
strument of defense against the in
pending peril.
l do not fear that shall be accused
of sinister designs, united to tie at
mosphere of this occasion, if | insis
that the path OF duty and the best hope
of safety lie in an immediate and earnest
attempt to accomplish the rebsbilita-
tion and regeneration of true democ-
racy. In large part of the country
where financial error is most general,
the name democracy can best arouse the
political sentiments Of the people, and
there, as everywhere in our land, The
people can be trusted TO arrive at
correct conclusion il they have adequate
opportunity for examination and infor
nation. Let Us devise means to break
through the influence OF the mischievous
leadership that surrounds them and,
without arrogantly assuming that no
rights or hardships ell CT them and
that no reform in their conditions are
needed, let us meet our countrymen face
to face in argument and coun-
sci. Let true democrats meet the
passion and bitterness Of their
former associates who have assumed
the leadership of anti democrats wan
derings with fine expostulations, re-
minding them that democratic convic-
tions and democratic conscences cam
not he forced to follow false lights,
however held aloft; and let us, at the
same time, entreat them in the name
OF honorable political comradeship and
in the memory of glorious victories
won by united democracy to turn
from the way that leads o party de-
feat and destruction.
The task is not an easy one, but
surely it is rot hopeless. The better we
appreciate its magnitude the less will
be the danger of ineffective and mis-
guided effort. The work has already
been inaugurated by the creation of an
organization founded upon the declara-