The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-11-16
REORGANIZATION NOT NECES-
S4RY.

SARY.
Since the morning after the election
as is always the ease, a talk was
started about the reorganization of
the Democratic party. The most OF
it as is also quite usual comes from
those leaders. who by their treachery
sold the whole country into McKin-
leyism and all it carries with il, for
the next four years. This indeed is a
pretty class to talk about stepping
forward and taking the leadership o,
the party that they have just dragge'!
down to an iuglorious defeat. If they
want to know how they stand in the
estimation of the rank aud file OF
those who, true 10 their faith, follow
ed bravely on fighting an almost
hopeless battle, let them put mp one
of their number as q candidate f"r
President. He would have neck to
neck race with the Socialist Labor
nominee for last place.
We admit that grievious errors Were
committed both in the campaigns OF
1896 and 1900 and from the. e errors
we have lost two glorious opportuni-
ties for victory. But who made the
success of our opponents possiblef
These very men who are now so active
in the reorganization. Any man who
refused to support the Democratic
.aIy ~k Al,1 n,{
true issues which had been brought
most prominently to to the front, does
not deserve to be numbered with the
party any longer. In order to rein
state himself he will have to array
his person in coarse linen and dust
himself in hickory ashes for Il longer
time than the conventional period OF
forty days. We expect a victory in
1904 as a natura! sequence Of four
more years of misrn but this class
need not expect to ride in on the high
tide. If they do they will find them
selves wrecked upon the shoals OF
Hannaism and fostered trusts.
What the party wants to do is to
quietly hide its time, we have plenty
to spare, and wait to see what oppor
tunity will afford us. Things will IL
doubt shape themselves in Il manner
very ,.ifferent from what we now eX
pect. On this question The Sun has I
very apt article. 1t says:
political gossips and quidnunci
are taking much pleasure in specu
lating upon the future OF the Demo
cratic party and the necessity fl
piecing up its shattered fragmen
through an immediate attempt at re
organization. A lot Of regular and o
hating leaders of the party have al
ready given their views us to wha
ought to be done, and many other
will be following their example fol
some weaks to come.
Then the gossips and the public
alike will become weary of the sub
ject and it will be dropped for some
thing newer.
The Democratic party from a per
iod commencing not later than eigh
or ten years after the Civil War hal
been the majority party of the coun
try. Never has it been more largely
in the majority than in 1896 and agair
in 1900. Republican managers in tn,
highest prominence are conceding
with the utmost frankness Mckin
Al a
tic aid, just as was his first election
four years ago. No one disputes OF
doubts this. Had the party beel
united in 1896 Mckinley would not
have been in it, nor, of course, woulC
there have been any show for the Re
publican nominee this year.
A party is not in such hopeless con
dition when it can poll 1000, 900 votes
all white, and spare million or s;
more to elect the candidate of the
other side. The Democratic party i.
one of the few political parties which
was not born to die. 1t has alreah,
outlived several opposition parties
and it will be alive and fourishint
long after the Republican party pass.
es out of existence.
The darkest days of its history wer,
through the period of the Civil Wa
and the years Immediately succeed
ing, when at one time it had not NOR,
than half dozen members of tho
Senate and perhaps not more than A.
in the House.
There used to be a good deaf of tail
about reorganization and all tina.
sort of thing, but nothing came of it.
The party went right straight along
and in due time its glorious rank am
file brought it on top, just as thcy
will do again. The men who ar,
talking about reorganization and air
ing their views with so much preteps,
of wisdom and foresight may deliglI
to hear their own uGterances, but j,
they live long enough they will fin,
how little they knew about it. The.
may as well settle down. Snoul,
they really undertake any seriou
movement, as is the intimation thrown
out by Mr.. Dickinson, of Michigan
they would only expose themselves Il
ridicule, But they will not do it; tn,
encouragement will be too feeble. tn,
Democratic party needs rest, not re
rgsnization. Two years hence, wher
the Congressional elections are agmi
on, the party will show itself ant
make itself felt. 1t will have II,
national platform but the part>
in each Congressional district cal
make its own declaration of priu
ciples and conduct the fight on it,
own lines.
There will be 10 national organiza
. tions to help it or hinder it. Tn.
chances are 90 to the party will ger
fairly on its feet again, and when 1901
rolls around will be in as good Il cou-
dition as it ever was in its whole hik
tory. This will come through tn.
logic Of events, naturally and inevi-
tably. The best thing for all the
leaders to do-those who supported
Bryan and those who did not-is to
take back seats for season and lei
the pot boil slowly. The Republicans
have absolute control of every de-
partment of the Government. They
are going their own way, and Demo
cratic policy is to watch and wait.
Let 1904 take care of itself.
S
Ona ~ rh. ,,nur ,,i,.t,,rasr,a aoo,o,