Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1898-11-23
Missouri Democratic Leadership.

Some little time will be required
for Democrats to realize the cx-
tent to which their party has been
split by the election of 1898. The
ground lost is clearly visible, but
the results of the smash-up will be
felt by degrees. One of the most
distinct evidences of general DEM
ocratic disaster will be seen when
the next Congress meets. In the
returns of the recent election. all
the opposition members Of the
House have been grouped as DEM
ocrats. But the difficulties of class
flying the House minority is plain
enough when the list is examined.
1t is composed of Populists, silver
Republicans, gold Democrats, to
say nothing Of a considerable num-
ber who. will take sides according
to the drift of sentiment. Then
the Senate will present the novel
spectacle of a majority for sound
money, aud the parties in favor of
dcbasing the currency will find
their old stronghold in Republican
hands for long period Of years.
Democrats pretend that the elec-
tons of 1898 were indccisive. They
will soon be undeceived in that re-
gard. The complete loss of all
branches of the government should
of itself show the sweeping nature
Of the reverse.
A symptom of Democratic divi-
sion crops out promptly in Missou-
ri. In congratulating the party
that this state is again Democratic,
though by a reduced majority, the
Republic takes pains to emphasize
two points. One is that Missouri
intends to assert leadership. The
other refers to a dominant Demo
cratic combination in the South and
West. Missouri sis Democratic
through and through" says the
Republic, ''and she fitly represents
the great West, middle West and
the South, under whose powerful
organization the Democratic party
will march to success in 1900" This
is notice to the Democrats of the
East that they must fall in at the
rear again. They are outnumber
ed in the national conventions, and
party regularity demands their sub
mission. Such is the Missouri
view, and it is true that Missouri is
about all that remains of Democra-
cy outside of the South and few
small mining states. But there are
sound money Democrats in Mis-
souri,, as we'll as elsewhere, and
they will be heard from in an at
tempted repetition of the campaign
of 1896.
1t is quito rhetorical flourish in
the Republic to call upon the Demo-
Gratis of the ''great West and the
middle Vest to follow the leader
ship of Missouri, but what states
of the sections named could be in
duced to accept the invitation? Let
them be named. Ohio Indiana,
Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Iowa and Minnesota are solid on
sound money. The Dakotas, Kan
sas and Wyoming are on the same
side. California, Oregon and
Washington have taken a firm
stand against any debasement Of
the dollar. Nothing remains of
the great West to stand with Mis-
souri,, except Nebraska, a doubtful
state, Colorado, Montana, Idaho,
Utah and Nevada. The border
states will not reverse their verdict
of two years ago. What the Mis-
souri, Democrats have to say about
sectional leadership merely reveals
the disrupted condition of the par
ty and the certainty of factional
strife in its conventions and eau
euses. The insidous quarrels of the
Democracy for the next two years
will break the record.-Globe-
Democrat.
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