The Saint Paul globe., 1897-03-04
1893, MARCH 4, 1897.

NO Democrat who loves his party be-
cause he loves his country, whose safe
ty, he is profoundly convinced, lies in
the conduct Of it's affairs in concord
with the principles of Democracy, can
turn from regarding the present condi-
ton Of his party to that of four years
ago today without feelings of chagrin.
modification, humiliation, verging on
dispair. He recalls how grandly it arose
from its defeat in 1888, with courage
unabated and confidence unchecked. to
resume the contest where it was closed
on the night Of election. He recalls
with glow of pride the steady sweep
of the party on to victory in 1890 and
1892, ending with the legislative and
executive branches of government in
it's absolute control for the first time
in generation. He recalls the issue
upon which that long struggle Of five
years was made, the increasing accen-
tuation of it's vital principle; the as
surance with which speakers and writ
nation because the cause was right
and the memory Of the high exulta-
ton that filed his breast when. at
last, the party had overcome its long
exile from national confidence and re-
ceived power to write another article
into the schedule of the rights Of man.
stabs him with it's pain.
Never before had party so magnifi-
cent an opportunity, and never before
did one make less use Of it. 1t was
in its power to stem and turn back the
tide that had, for thirty years. been
steadily if insidiOusly carrying the in
stitutions Of our republic backward
towards a feudalism that differs only
in form from that out of which the
race had fought It's way. 1t was its
mission to stop this continuous trans
mutation of Individual freedom into
governmental regulation 1t was it's
solemn promise, solemnly accepted.
that hereafter no man should be given
permission to use the taxing power Of
the government for his own enrich
ment. And this great party, its rank
and file hopeful, confident, proud but
helpless to act. was thwarted, defeat
ed. Inundated and disheartened by the
recreancy, the treachery, the weakness
or cowardice Of their representatives
charged with the execution of the
party's high purpose. Democrats have
since seen their party majority in the
house turned into a pitiful minority.
the control Of the senate lost, and to-
day they see their president retiring to
make place for the man who typifies
the cause against which the party
fought and over which it SO magnifi-
Gently triumphed.
No wonder. later, that hopelessness
turned into desperation. No wonder the
rank and file lent ready ear to crafty
demagogues who told them that it was
the money power that had encom-
passed their defeat, and that they must
destroy that power even If, to do if.
they pull cut the pillars that support
the temple and precipitate common
ruin upon ALL No wonder party man
ayers, caring more to win than what
winning signifed, said the cause Of
1888 and 1892 was a lost one, and some
new one must be invented or found.
and turned readily to the one that
promised to unite incompatible ele-
ments for q common end. No wonder
looking back to '92, maddened by
the success of Vaccinations against
which they were powerless, rendered
dsperate by their very helplessness.
that the Chicago convention spoke in
the language Of men frenzied by des-
peration. And pitiful, but not surpris-
ing, was it to see these baff1ed and
frenzied men turning to deride the one
man who, through all the black trea-
son, amid all the violence, had stood
by his post at the helm, even when the