Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-10-29
SEI GHTEEN PAGES
OCTOBER %. 1899,
WHAT rs A DEMOCRATIC

4 I'VE are told that n Democrat in VIZ
a ginia to-day must be an obsequious
88snnd unauesuoning follower and SER
want OF the official organization which
\ he and others created yesterday 10
4 aerye him and them. What this or
u Eanization may do, must be approved.
what 1t says, must be accepted as In
); falllble truth, by the Democrat. though
1T be said or done in utter negation and
SsBubVersion of the principles and pur-
II poses which the organization was
4 formed to represent, and in usurpation
y and despotism over the individuals
&; Who are The real party whom the or
sganization was designed to obey, and
not L to master. According TO this
8 teaching, which Is Clevelnndism, and
n crncies are those of New York, city and
s State. now consolidated under Tam
4 many With Tammany under the abso-
Elute control of Croker, rs in the days
81 of Tweed. The case is no better
ION the Republican side. where
& Platts. Hannas and Quays are abso-
4 lutte rulers in their State parties.
ss The Harrisonbufg Spirit of the Val
81 ley (Republlcan) says:
The Spirit of the Valley has often
SCALED the attention of it's readers to
rs the fact that there Is really no Demo-
cratic party-that is If Il party is COM
,sDosed of n large body Of citizens hold
sing homogeneous views as 10 principles
II and policies OF government. The ag-
sSgregation which now assumes the
name of Democratic party is the most
= heterogeneous body of people who ever
s attempted to march under one banner.
The Spirit knows we'll that it can as
Il truly say the same thing of the Repub-
sslican party-so- called-wliich is the
-,Wefst ring and -less-fidden organiza-
q ton ever known among civilized men:
y The Spirit Of the Valley itself. at this
moment. being In n war to the knife
with the usurping elements of its own
y party. in its own county, as it has been
!. for years. And these elements with
which our respected contemporary is
Z at war, no matter what he may think.
II are the real ruling elements OF the
Republican party throughout, from
sgcentre to circumference, in all public
Democratic party is or has been what
Sthe Spirit describes It, the Republican
4 or Hanna party, is a Heterogeneous ag-
& gregation OF voters who are equally
/ FOR anything. or nothing, as they are
5tbld.-havtng no actual voice in chos-
q ing men or directing measures-candi-
Mates and platforms being dictated to
/; Chem by their rings and bosses, who
y represent Reorganization as tyranny
Ssts the subverslon Of government to
Il nisrule.
s AS l5or5 some years previous to 1896 both
I Rational parties were subjected to the
4 sams evil influence and governed by
& the same or similar policies: emulating
Il each other in their servility to the
iSrnoney-powere: but in 1896 the Ma
x henal Democracy revolted, threw over
i cleveland and his crew, and returned
$40 the principles and policies of Jeffer-
Saon and true Democracy under VIII
Ham J. Bryan. Even if this revolution
made mistakes (Which we deny), it was
IsHSH great ana good movement, in the
right direction, and threw off an in
Enbns which was fast depriv!ng the
sDSmocracy Of all its convictions ana
SEentimeats that made it the real party
ut y the psopie. From 1884 to 1892 the
& Democratic party of the country was
4 but but The under study" OF the Repub-
& q lean party. It's second fiddle"
5sf,naer the inspiration Of Bryan. the
ssl lole party discarded this humiliating
II fgss and once more assumed an hide
s s esnd dent stand and part as became the
81 sS1 eepte ana ls1 IN fr freedom.
Eye i1ss State parties did not share
a this syn sncipa ton; certainly not oil