The Washington weekly post., 1900-11-13
That Proposed ReoreanIzstlon.

IN the balloting OF Tuesday last Mr..
haps more, perhaps less. but that is very
nearly the fguTe-and now come Messrs.
Don Dickinson. John G. Carlisle. and a
handful Of former Democrats who IN
their bolt four years ago poiled less than
200.cO votes. proposing 10 step in and
"reorsanize the Democratic party" The
proposition Is so grotesque that We have
rot heretofore mentioned IT, nor DO We
row intend 10 take IL seriously. IL view,
however, OF the controversy that has
arisen We feel moved TO say word or
two In the connection.
In the first place, the idea or having
65o0.O00 voting Democrats ''reorganized'
By bakers dozen of soreheads and re-
calcitrants is too ridiculous for words.
We recall the campaign OF 1892. when
all these prophets were in line and when
their united ecstasy produced for Mr..
Cleveland nearly million less Demo-
cratic votes than Mr.. Bryan, against
their feryent and vicious opposition, real
tied four years later. II is true that Mr..
Cleveland was elected over Gen. Ha-ri-
son, but il is equally true that he won
by the aid Of Republican detection ana
not by Democratic strength. He did not
bring oat more than a respectable minor
ity of the Democratic vote. He was elect
cd by Republicans. At the end of Mr..
Cleyeland's term the party was in state
of chaos. He had dislocated and paralyzed
the machinery OF the organization, and
the very men who are now offering them
selves az leaders ana reconstructors were
his chief coadJutors in the achievement Of
that calamity. They were agents Of
feebleness ana discord then They would
he guarantors of disaster new.
Perhaps the most useful and explicit
contribution to the reorganization" SYM
postum is to be found in this quotation
from the New Orleans Picayune:
''Ths Democratic party, notwithstanding II has
hid 10 carry so many 'isms,' that it has allowed
all the disappointed enlist under its banner and
at once become active directors in the party, has
poIled about 100000 votes
abandoned or the devoted men OF that organiza-
tion should be dismissed OF retired is poor policy
and VIII never meet with SUCCESS. 1t is the duty
If the party 70 calmly abide by the result and
vail for events.
Il no more believe to-day that the Republican
party is right than / did the morning OF the lth
OF this month
In many things the Democratic party has been
wrong but its members are the liberty-lovEg peo-
pie Of this country.
The election has proven that the commercial in
terests Of the country are paramount, Whether the
commercial instinct viii submerge all others is to
be shown Business interests must be regarded and
values be unm0lested, but the general government
must rot be forgotten.
Il believe as party We should remain quiet.
let the excitement Of the moment pass and later
consolidate the opposition to the Republican party
under conservative leaders. but not under selfish,
personal politics that may be labeled with the
name Of any one man. j. R. MLEAN."
The Picayune has others. but this ut
terance by John r. Mclean strikes us as
being the most intelligent and direct of
all. Why should the Democracy fly into
a panic over this defeat and reinstate as
their leaders the men who abandoned
them four years ago. and without whose
aid they have on two subsequent occa-
sions polled more votes than the party
ever before received in ali its history? In
1892, the Republicans encountered an
overwhelming defeat. Did they. in con-
sequence discredit and dethrone the lead
ers who had stood by lhem and call in
a lot of deserters and malingerers 10 take
charge of them and point the way to vic
tory? No; they did exactly what Mr.
Mclean now advises the Democrats to
do, They waited for the excitement and
depression 10 subslde, kept their organ
ization intact, and waited for develop
ments.
In our opinion, the Democracy will be
wise to stand fast, keep up their ma
ehlnery OF political warfare. and leave
future events TO shape their course and
inspire their policy.