Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-12-20
CLEVELAND 'SCOUNSEL
What the Ex.President Would Do
to Strengthen the DEM
ocratic Party.
HIS OPINION GIVEN IN ExTENso
Keynote of What He Says: The Party
Must go Back to First
Principles

| Philadelphia Dee 2O-Grover Cleve-
| land contributes to this weeks issue
| or The Saturday Evening Post. of Phil
| adelphia, an extended article which is
! copyrighted on the situation in the
Democracy and the remedy. Cleveland
begins by reviewing the history of the
party. and he discusses its defeats since
1864 in detail In taking up the Ques-
tICn or the present conditions of the
Democracy he says that the success of
| the party in 1892 was so decisive and
overwhelming that a long continuance
OF its supremacy was anticipated. Then
came 'the fallacy of free silver and
POpulism." Cleveland then proceeds
as follows: THE elimination of Demo
cratic Woe was reached when its COM
pact with these un-Democratic forces
was complete, and when our rank and
file were summoned to do battle under
banners which bore strange symbols
and We're held alOft in unfamiliar
hands. The result of such a betrayal
was fOredoomed.
Cites Three Democratic Defeats
The disaster of 1872, Invited by
similar mad adventure, was quickly
followed by a return to the professions
y
the extent and persiStency of our wan
deringS in 1896 is Illustrated in a most
astounding way by the command, is
sued on the day of our rout and dis
comflture. that 4 second battle should
lie fought on the same field with the
same false war cries and the same
leadership. that had brought us to the
surrounding gloom Of defeat"
Thus in 1900 the lesson of the 1896
1
cry hope of Democratic success was
suffering rank and file. whose loyalty
and obedience deserved better things.
We're sacrificed in cause theirs only
in name: and again il was demon
Sirated, but more clearly than ever
before. that the only forces that can
win Democratic success are adherence
Ia recognized Democratic principles
and reliance upon Democratic councils
and leadership.
Plea Tor IA Return to First Principles"
why should we NOT return TO these
and in their name again achieve vic
tories no less glorious and removed
than We're ours in the days OF courage
Gus advocacy of our time -honored
faith2 Are our principles SO shop
Worn or antiquated aS to require re
novation. or their displacement by 9th
crs more fashionable? Az
new conditions arise. our principles
must be applied tn them: hut in the
creed that has guided us through n
century of party existence We shall
find the key to every such application:
Dor shall we need the lexicon of Popu-
ism TO aid us in interpreting this
creed"
Give the Rank and File n Chance.
Cleveland touches in turn on free sill
yer and the federal courts, and be-
lieveS that Democrats are against con
demning ''the general government for
protecting itself i'm the exercise of its
functions against violent obstruction
within a state. Further on he de
clarpS: Il believe no Democrat will
have the hardihOod TO deny that we
have fought our last two campaigns
i'll alliance with un-DemOcratic forces
and that this alliance was immensely
costly in defeat. l. there not good
reason to suppose that even i'll success
such an alliance wOuld have proved
and dangerous?
Reorganization iS not necessary: but a
return from our wandering is abSO-
lutely essential. If l should
attempt 10 opitomize what ! have writ
teu. by suggesting Il plan for the re
habilitation and restoring of true
Democracy. | should embOdy il In
these words: Give the rank and file
a chance.