The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-16

Our highly-prixed contemporary. the
Eilensburg Locaiizer. casts IT prophetic
eye toward the future. and tells how the
campaign Of 1900 is 10 be won by the
reformers. In making our prepara-
tions, there are three things TO be con-
sidered," says the Kittitas oracle, III
we hope to wage a successful campaign,
viz. principles. party organization and
name" And also the overwhelming in
ciination of the average voter to rush
to the mourners bench and repent in
sackcloth and ashes that he was ever
led astray by false gods. alias false re-
formers. To continue:
There was a time" says the I.ocaiizer.
when you could arouse the reformer al
most as much by shouting calamity as
you could a Mexican bull by Haunting a
red flag In his face. But that time lis past.
OF course, there are some left whose Only
stock Ia trade is, and has been, shouting
calamity. who viii resent making a cam
paign on principle But they are so few
and far between and their influence so
limited. II is not necessary to take them
into consideration in the formation Of a
party: but the views OF the other elements
cannot be Ignored The platform should
embrace few well defined. live issues
the fewer the better. IL you can rally the
forces on them.
This Is rank heresy. 1t is a cruel.
cold biooded proposal TO undertake re-
form by kicking the reformers over
board. Reform OF that kind would be
unconstitutional. We can prove 1t by
the reformers themselves.
Our contemporary goes ahead to give
it's own peculiar notions of platform
and finds that IL ought to have three
principal planks, viz. opposition to
trusts. the money question and the in
come tax. 1t Is difficult TO reconcile
these suggestions with the previous
a few weil-defined live principles" ex-
cept on the ground that the Democrats
understanding OF live principle IS
that any principle must be considered
alive even after death and burial. and
as long as there Is the faintest hope OF
resurrection. How about expansion? IT
is certain TO be a very lively issue in
1900. and We apprehend that the re-
formers viii have some trouble crowd
ing IL out of any platform they adopt
or platforms, as the case may be.
Having followed our esteemed con-
temporary in its examination OF the
situation, we may not be unpgepared for
its conclusion. II finds that the reform
forces cannot be united under either
the Silver Republican or Popuiist ban
ners. and declares:
THE Democratic rarfy-that old. much
maligned ant much sgnned organizati ton
having at Chicago In 1896 scraped of the
barnacles that have - often in the last few
decades forced III. old ship on the rocks
OF defeat. and having Differed Ii with true
reformers. With a gallant crew 10 10 their
bidding: with A thorough organization
national. state and county--inyitss ali true
resormers TO step aboard and sail to vic
tory In 1900
In view Of its recent war record. we
should think the Democracy would be-
ware Dewey's fate and make a Her
euiean effort TO be consistent and avoid
sailing to victory Of any kind. II seems
already 10 have taken warning how
ever for IL has turned its back on and
cess in 1900 il ever might have had.