The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-12-31
Democratic Leadership.

which must stand for the Importance
tho democratic voters of the country
may choose to give them.
The battle for democratic leadership
viii. of course, run along with the eff
forts of the democratic voters TO place
themselves where they can be most eff
fective. The voters have been baked
by defeat. but wherever a compact
mass of 100000 men is TO be found.
coming within fraction OF being the
majority. the majority for the time
being will be uneasy, while men who
sat upon the fence rs well as those who
fought in the ranks will hasten to get
within the limits of probable success.
The man who sleeps i'm battle receives
the same treatment in cOurtmartial
with the one who deserts. military law
recognizing no difference i'm conditions.
1t is not often that a draft is made
upon the enemy for a leader. or that
the one who furnished aid and com
fort To the enemy is exalted above the
men i'm the trenches. There are today
two sets OF men in the country. the
defeated democratic hosts. haggard
with loss of blood and not yet recOv-
cred in spirit Their depression Of
feeling is honorable 10 them, since II
has come as the result of a good fight.
aud marks the political party as
wounds do a soldier. The other class
is formed of the enemy and Of the OPP
portunist. the one fought us openly
and the other screaming out the de-
risivc taunt Of Il told you So" Very
well let that be the extent OF their
service. The taunt may be unpleas-
ant. but it neither disposes the fighter
TO surrender nor improves his opinion
Of the dodEer.
As Mr. Bryan has declared. demo-
cratic principles still live Tried I'm the
battle. true TO his party. he is entitled
TO an the honor accorded by tradition
70 tho nominated chief Of the party.
Another who was not found where
fidelity and gratitude demanded that
he should be. sentont'ouslv says Give
the rank and Gle q chance Placing
these two opponents side by side for
the present purpose their expressions
amount 10 the same thing in effect
Democratic PRINCIPLES cannot be set
aside by opp0rtunists. hut in the hands
OF the rank and file they viii be up
held on every proper occasion. The
defeated nominee for the goVernorship
Of Indiana speaks for the democracy OF
his state. and I'm The same spirit viii
the answer come from all along the
red line marking the conflict Of oppos-
ing forces. But there is one
point which would be we'll 70
Keep in mind. and that is the dem
ocratiG lige IS now all file. Tho
rank stands wide open for promotion.
Whether those who have heretofore
stood I'm the favored places shall con-
tinue 10 do 50 depends altogether upon
the will of the file. There are distin-
guished democrats entitled to respect
ful consideration because Of past SER
vices. and who may be entitled TO 9
AGAIN If their services continue TO be
effective
This tlTngs MS to-thc point which we
desire SO much 10 emphasize. Under
orr form Of government, every popular
movement is from the ground floor m.
Tho file is on the ground floor. and &c Is
. cOmnosed OF the men who have sup
ported the party action. II matters not
that they may have differed I'm policy:
that some would have preferred one
f course and some another-the test is
the donosited ballot In every state
this file will move ia ITS own way n
unit up0n basic democratic principles.
but divergent more or less I;pun tenn
f porary or current issues. BY and ny
f these leaders viii be called into nation
al convention. to which they must
bring their works as the best claim to
I q hearing. There an agreement must
+ be reached I'm which all cannot be Sue
Z 4 ar
cherished opinions for the public good
but the sacrifice viii be on the altar
of Darfv for the good of the country
which can best be served by that party
In 1892 the democratic presidential
candidate. in letter TO the editor Of
The Constitution. claimed as his right
the personal support and vote Of every
democrat. Notwithstanding their Onpo.
sitiOn 10 his financial views. The claim
made by him was that the party had
acted. and that the success Of the gen
eraI principles of the party was OF more
( importance than the success or the de
feat Of some personal view held by the
candidate. Answering this appeal to
party loyalty. the democracy Of states
intensely free silver in tone. voted for
Mr.. Cleveland and elected him The
fact that Mr. Cleveland. intbe election
following. failed to stand by his own
declarations as 10 what constituted
party loyalty is his personal misfortune
and does not affect the principle at IS
sue. There will be another movement
among the democratic hosts. in which
democratic principles viii find express
sion In language best suited TO the par
~. and upon which democrats holding
the confidence Of the masses will be
called into leadership. That the views
so expressed will be to the liking OF
every voter is a mental as well as 4
physical impossibility. but il will be
the duty OF all democrats to stand by
the platform and the nominees, wheth-
er such act brings victory or defeat
The Constitution is a democratic
newspaper. It supported the ticket as
ardently in 1892 as it did in 1896 The
file which rendered possible the cam
pa:gns of both these years was behind
that of 1900. and will lead up to and
control that of 1904. The man who
seeks TO demoralize this force. to scat
ter IL before the day of battle, or to
ioa1 INV mart OF ii into revolt against