Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-22
MIR. cLEvELAND's DELivERANcE.

TIC NUSlnlun-IllOt read with no III
tie cagerness Mr.. Cleveland's cate
chism OF the Democratic party as at
present constituted, his statement of
what he considered its past blunders.
This, because Mr.. Cleveland is held up
III season and out. by the dissatisfied
elements of the Democracy as at once
the Moses and the Joshua of the Demo-
cratic hosts. The Virginian- Pilot has
from time TO time called upon sundry
contemporaries that were engaged in
bewailing the partys departure from
time honored principles" to point out
in what the departure consisted; to
state what the deserted principles We're
and how TO get back 20 them. SO
far, of all those crying aloud in the
name of the old faith, none has under
taken to give anything more authorita-
tive than it's ipse dixit in substantial
ton of its charge of desertion OF princi-
pie.
From Mr. Cleveland, at least, n def
mite statement of the errors committed,
a bill of particulars in the Indictment.
was to be expected. Here is the near
est approach Mr.. Cleveland makes to
it, unless his reference 10 government
by injunction" and free silver can be
SO considered:
The only forces that can win Demo
cratic success are adherence to recog-
nized Democratic principle and reliance
upon Democratic councils and leader
ship.
Why should we not return to these,
IL IN, t1Nst..
tories no less glorious and renowned
Than We're ours in the days of coura-
Seous advocacy of our time -honorcd
t3nth? Are our principles so shopworn
or antiquated as to require renovation.
or their displacement by others more
fashionable? There is not an honest
Democrat in this broad land that will
concede these things, nor is there one
VINO would NOT hail the proclamation
OF tie old faith with that fighting en-
thnsiasm that foret tokens Democra tic
triumph. AS new conditions arise, our
principles must be applied to them;
brs in the creed that has guided us
lhfouSh a century of party existence
we shall find the key to every such
application; nor shall we neod the lexi-
con of Pcpulism to aid us in interpret
ms this creed"
Is declaration in favor of bimctal-
lism al Democratic article OF faith?
Up to 1873 the country was on bimet-
allie basis In all that time the Demo-
cratic party made no effort to establish
the single gold standard 1t was finally
established by the Republican party.
IN view of this can IL be contended that
gold monometnllism was a part of the
old faith? The Democratic party at
Chicago declared against the shameless
abuse by Federal judges of tile writ of
injunction. Thomas Jefferson declared
that the Federal judiciary was the
grayest menace to liberty in all our
system of government. Was the Chi
cago declaration. therefore, un-Demo-
cratic?
Mr.. Cleveland has done little more
than revamp tile charges of the dis
sruntled elements of the party in the
campaigns of 1896 and 1900 He cries
'desertion" without showing what was
deserted; he cries get back" without
stating what there is to get back to-
lie wants reliance on Democratic
councils and leadership" but the coun-
cllors and leaders to whom he refers
are now mostly in the Republican
party. He says las new conditions
arise our principles must be applied
to them" New conditions have arisen;
have the principles been misnppied?
What different application of Demo
cratic principles could have been made
to Imperialism or Trusts than was
made?
Mr.. Cleveland and his followers ig-
more the fact that the two parties could
not 80 on forever waglng quadrennial
battles on the tariff. particularly when
about the only difference between the
tariff measures OF the parties had come
10 be that the Democrats put the tariff
up on one thing and the Republicans
put it up on another. The campaigns
had settled down TO little more than
bid by two groups of politicians Tor
the support OF the fiscal ana manurac-
turing interests of the country. The
politicians who made the most salts
factory bid got the support. This could
not so on forever, and when. in 1906
The delegates to the Chicago conyen-
lion, Under instruction of the rank
and file of the party, adopted 4 Plat
form mat drc0 the Inc c,cd,}y bcfeccn
Democracy and republication, the politi-
| clans. Who had been doing the bidding
for the Democratic party, promptly
| bolted, and set up n mighty lamenta-
| ton for time honorcd principles"
whereas their real regret was for the
I tg,,,s.