Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-06
LET THEM HAVE THE PARTY.
divide tho Plates into rwo Parties While
Reformsrs Fight In Party OF
Their Own,

flnences is announced from Detroit
apparently upon the authority of Don
M, Dickinson, The report states that
Il meeting will he held in few weck'
in New York TO outline plan of re-
organization and promulgNte decla'
ration of principles, Some of he
names mentioned in connection with
this movement are enough TO damn II
at the start with all declaration OF in
dependence democrats, Among them
are William c. Whitney and Abrnnl s.
, Hewitt. Whitney IS one of the
Standard Oil trust party, who not
only draws II vast income from the
earnings OF nm impoverished people,
hut advocates the pcrpctuatioR OF
every law and institution that makes
his unearned fortune possible, Hewitt
never was and is not now able 10 dis
tinguish democratic principle from
a government bond, A pro-slnvery
nun when his party, under the dictR'
tion OF the slave power, dcfcd the
declaration Of independence, he has
never changed, but still clings to the
notion that robbery of the poor by
the rich, II upon large scale and by
authority Of ancient law, Is sound
democratic doctrine The meaning Of
this proposed reorganization of the
democratic party is plain II looks to
making of the democratic an@ the re-
publican parties two office seeking
factions Of dominating plutocrntc
Comblne.--rhe Public,
A cOnsmmnton much TO he de-
sired and TO he furthcred IN every
possible manner by all reform voters,
Is the division and segregation Of the
plntocrats of the nation into two
opposing political parties of their
own, As matters now are, there are
sufficient number of bcnriicinries Of
special privileges and men identified
with conditions relormers are trying
to overturn, who ARE oStensibly mem
bcrs Of the democratic party, to keep
republican reformers out Of the
party and to carry it down TO defeat
on election day.
There never will be victory won
for reform principles by the dem
Ocrntic party, If the conservative
Umtocratic) wing Of the party re-
gains control of the party organiza-
tlon, the platform adopted by its next
national convention will contain no
reform principles. II, on the other
hand, the liberal, or popuist wing Of
the party retains control AM formu-
lates n platform acceptable to re-
formers, the trust mngnutes, public
utility cNploitcrs and llumiltoninns in
the party will compass It's defeat AT
the polls.
What Is II that those who are now
Clnmoring for reorganization of the
party demand? Simply that every
Vestage of "IlYNnism" populsm and
socialism shall be east out and repu-
eliated Particunrizing, they demand
an abandonment of these issues;
The demand for free coinage Of
silver and substitution of grcenbacks
FOR bank currency.
The demand for cessation Of gov.
eminent by Injunction
The demand for direct legislation.
by the initiative and refcrcndum
The demand for graduated income
tax,
In short, they demand that the plat
form of the party shall be emascu-
lated Of every principle that is likely
TO attract the reform voter Indeed,
many Of the democratic papers de-
Glare that the party must nominate
candidate and formulate platform
of principles that no "Bry0nitc," pop
nIst or socialist will vote for. And
this agitation is not confined to the
eastern or New England states, but
is in evidence from Maine TO Culifor-
mai, and from North Dakota TO the
Gulf Of Mexico. Why then should re-
formers any longer desire TO main
tain such an mholy and uncongenial
alliance?
The democratic party is one of me-
cation, not Of construction. Under
the control Of its old-time, homo ed
leaders, II will make It's campaign
four years hence, principally NJ ON
the mistakes of the present admins
trntion, coupled with revivication OF
the tariff chestnut and demand that
the southern states be allowed he
right TO dlsfrnnchise as many of their
citizens ms they may think fit and
proper. The party Is not and never
was progressive party but cirgs
80 II dead past and does not keep up
with the radicalism of the times. The
reorganization ugitators are right
when they declare that all that is
vital and progressive and of con
structive nature in their present dec
laratiCn Of principles is simply an
injection, or grating on, as it were,
of the live issues of populism TO The
dead and inert body Of democracy.
Why should populistS wish to fight
under the banner of an unfriendly AID
opposing power rather than fight in
a manly way, under their own flag,
for their own principles?
Let the democratic party go its way
and return to the flesh pots of Egypt
and TO the leadership of those who,
rather than vote in the interests Of