The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-20
pEMocEAcY,s STRENGTH.

the brooklyn democratic iuo, when was
printed In full in yesterdays Times, used
this significant language:
Besides. none of US can close our eyes
to the fact that the Democratic party is
only formidable in its own strength. Its
power to win victories has always been
found to depend upon sturdy and con-
ssistent adherence to its time-honored
principles, which have proved sufficient
to meet every emergency of our national
life. Whatever successes may have at
tended party OF opportunity with sails
spread for every transient breeze of popu-
lar sentiment or excitement, experience
has abundantly demonstrated that Demo-
cracy is so constituted that it is only
strong when coura geous in the right and
only victorious when its forces are mar
shalled under its old and well-organized
standards.
Mr.. Cleveland is not in good standing
with the party regularity men, because
in 1885 he refused to go along with his
party when it broke away from those
great principles to which he refers in the
above. He has been hooted and seorned
by the free silver Democrats, and al
though few years ago he was the mos.
popular Democrat in the United States
and recognized as the greatest living e2-
cmplar of Democratic principles. to-day
any utterance of his on this subject falls
upon the deaf ears of those who follow
William ]. Bryan. But Mr. Cleveland
speaks the words of truth, and the leaders
of the Democratic party will ignore them
at the party's peril MIR. Cleveland has
nj q
plain truth and he was never more happy
of expression than in the paragraph which
we have quoted from his Brooklyn letter.
The great mission of the Democratic party
is to preserve the Republic, and its work
goes on just as surely, if not just as sue
cessfully, in defeat as in triumph. Inc
natural drift Of the Republican party IS
towards monarchy; the natural DRIFT oil
the Populist party is towards Socialism.
The Democratic party, and that party
alone, represents the true American prin-
chile and holds these other parties in
check. The Republican party and the
Populist party believe in centralized
government: the Democratic party pc
lieves in local self-government. The Re-
publican party believes in class ieSlsla-
ton, in special legislation for the few at
the expense of the many; the Popui'st
party believes in paternalism OF another
kind 1t does not believe in class lesisla-
.tion as the Republican party represents
that idea, hut it believes in treating the
people as a family of children 10 be fos-
tered and cared for by the government.
The Democratic party is unequiVocaily
opposed. in principle at least to any sort
of class legislation. 1t believes in just as
little government as is consistent with
the good of society and in complete per-
sonal liberty, with the single proviso that
no man shall trespass upon the rights OIL
another. So long as the Democratic party
stands by that principle it is fulfilling its
great mission whether it be in power or
NOT, and it will always rally around its
standard the thousands and hundreds of
thousands of Americans who believe in
the principles which it represents. There
fore. Mr. Cleveland well says that the
Democratic party is only formidable in
its own strength.
When the Democratic party begins to
compromise and consort with Populsts it
turns aside from its great mission. and
inevitably and invariably weakens itself.
driving from it many of its friends and
discouraging even those true Democrats
who for party regularity sake stand in
with the organization.
Nothing could have been better said
than that 'whatver successes may have
attended party of opportunity with sails
spread for every transient breeze of popu-
lar sentiment or excitement, experience
has abundantly demonstrated that Demo-
cracy is so constituted that it is only
strong when courageous in the right and
only victorious when its forces are mar
shalled under its old and well-organiZed
standards" Democracy will never rule
this country again until it taxes that les
son to heart, and when it does take it
to heart nothing can keep it from trium-
phantly carrying the election and coming
into and remaining IN CONT OF of the gov
eminent. But, perhaps more notable than
Mr.. Cleveland's letter. was the address Of
Ex-Governor Campbell, of Ohio, when
he said that the Democratic party cannot
survive half Democratic and half Popu-
list, and that while many true Democrats
voted for the ticket in 1886, thousands OF
them would desert the party this year,
and desret it forever, if the experiment of
1896 is to be repeated. There has been no
str,cter and more loyal party Democrat
than Gov. Campbell. and if this warning
from such Democratic leader as that
is not enough to open the eyes OF the
Democrats politicians, then we fear that
there is no hopes for the party as yet.
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