The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-05
PEOPLE AND POLITICS.
BY AN OBSERVER.

II Is a cruel game the people are play
ing on the politicians these days Inc
people are busy with their own ah"lIs'
prospecting. paying debts. making invest
ments. lno politicians are hopeiessly az
sea. and the people VIII not indicate the
way the currents are running. Your
average politician IS not even Virginia
corsin fo the man who "sweareth % his
own hurt ana ehangeth not Nhdt ne
wants % know is how the people reel on
such and such a question, ana then ne
can make no his mind. lie IS very mucn
Ike that department clerk az Washlng-
ton who said, when they told MN tnar
the administration would soon cnange
hands. that he "deded any administration
10 change quicker than ne could Inc
Republicans have cast in tner-iorluhe5
with President Mckinley. IL he makes
mistakes they know their party has 20
suffer for Il. Hence, they are throwing
behind him all the support Of this great
political organization, and whatever he
and his Cabient officers say or do, they
can rest assured that all partisan Repuo-
leans will find some means. some ingen-
ious way Of defending it. But 10 IS very
dmerent with the Democratic party. VINO
Is looking after the future OF this or
eanization? The voters who make up
the strength of the Democratic party are
leaving their s0-called leaders 10 shout
and asseverate that they Will never ue-
sert William jennings Bryan and the
Chicago PLATFORM and yet II the people
should decide that they do not desire
those issues 20 be. fought over again, the
politicians and so-called leaders Will ran
over each other In their efforts TO keep
up the appearance OF leading instead or
followisS the procession Hence, Ten the
people r.member that no man, not even
Mr. Bryan himself has any right % COM
NIT them TO either n candidate or plat
form in 1900. The rank and file of the
Democratic party dcvotedly followed the
plan Of battle mapped out by their dele
gates in tho '9G convention. but thepeople
will send another lot of delegates 20 an-
other convention On 1900. and they may
be q different lot of men from those VINO
assembled in 1896 70 is time conservative
men in the Democratic partyAWere at
least getting themselves I'm position
where they can have some discretion In
devisiug "a platform 10 meet the new is
sues before the country and to illustrate
Democratic truths. The noisy and pro-
fessiOnal politician should not be allow
cd 10 beat the tOm-toms and make "a
great hub bub and excite the people Unto
believing that there is a general and
widespread demand for a roiteration Of
the Chicago convention Of '9i. Such is
not the case. All man has 10 do these
days is 10 go among the people and he
can find ont that they are casting about
for new leaders 20 rescue the party or-
ganizati0n from IT'S great mistakes In 90
The same question is now before the
American people which started mp the
first political parties in this country:
and that same question is likely to come
up continually in the life of our republic.
We are so hung together. a body of noble
States I'M one great Union. that tho re.a-
lions OF those States 10 that Union are
sure TO be a perennial fountain for de-
bate. Interpretation and conflict. IN.
Republican party was born t0 advocate
the right of the federal government 20
cross ar Will the borders OF the American
States The Democratic party was born
90 Gefend the rights of the American
states 20 look after am equality OF OPP
pOrtunity for every citizen I'm the Union.
These imper0listlc tendencies which are
being so publicly paraded by the Mchin-
ley administration are challenge 90 inc
old Democracy 20 come forth again tO
battle. 1t is the very challenge tnat jCi-
ferson took up, which Pa.rick Henry
foresaw. TO which John Randolph of hoa-
noke. dedicated his life, upon which An-
drew Jackson wagcl relentless VaI. luer
instead Of chasing about after few
single ideas and coinage vagar'os. why
not have "a revival and reiuyenduln OF
the spirit Of the old Democracy and lct
the American citizens come forth ana
express themselves amt lake Shoes On he
question of Imperialism or the question
Of the perfect adjustment 1f tne State
10 the Union. We need Democrats. we
need them here in Virginia; We need them
an over this land OF ours. There was
never "a time when the Democratic party
was needed more when its raison etre.
its right to DE. was mOre ODD Question.
How ir would rejoice the hearts of many
men who are now disguised with politics
90 see real Democrat leading the hosts
of the Democracy with "a genuine Demo
cratic platform in hand.
The Republican party is utterly demon
allied On regard to its old protective
tariff arguments. It has used the federal
government to enricn tne few and rob
,he many 20 Cypress the sovereign states
by unequal and special legislation. ms
hi"it history lr ID history OF treas Ift-
raidlng and perversi0n of the taxing
power. And now they stand in the house
OF protection which is tumDlIng down Of
its own decay about their heads. and
their only salvation consists in the fact
that the Democratic party has not utai-
ity enough In 10 90 charge them and put
them 20 an open rout. The action OF inc
Democratic majority iu the American
Senate IN allowing the Oingley BIN 20
become law was not only silly but %
was as treacherous TO time-honOred D-m-
Ocratc principles as anything We have
ever seen done I'm legislative bodies in
this country. There sat q Senate that
could have defeated the Ding.ey hlu 0y
its Democratic majority. and get BE- both
Silly and treacherOusly allowed tlat bun
20 become a law, ia order. as 5en1for
Jones of Arkansas said. 20 show inc rco-
pie that prosperity could not come eX-
cept through FREQ silver" he Thought .
was good politics to let The Republicans
have their Will and tax the ife-D.o0d ont
% the people and favor a few se.t
manufacturers. i'm order 10 show tne 9eO.
PIE that they could not be pros oar Dos
under a hio-n tariff law bflf ON rnn cone