The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-26
TO BE REORCANIzED
FORMER COMPTROLLER ECKELS
SAYS PARTY STILL HAS A
FUTURE
NEW LEADERS ARE NEEDED
Tariff Reform and Reciprocity the
Issues Which Democrats Will
Urge in the Next Cam
psign.
FROM THE GLOBE BUREAU,
Washington, ID. C.


WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 14.-Among
those who believe that the Democratic
party is about to be reorganized on new
and more suspicious lines is former
Comptroller of the Currency James H.
Eckels. He is one of the most prominent
among the gold Democrats who refused
to follow Bryan in 1886, and who has since
been so closely identified with the cause
of sound money as to be counted almost,
if not quite, Republican.
mot at all!' replied Mr.. Eckels, when
asked if he were not about ready to
count himself a Republican. II am a
Democrat. l decline to be read out of the
party
us there a Democratic party? Most
assuredly. The Democratic party has
suffered much from bad leadership, but
it is party which has in the past SHOWN
a capacity for developing new leaders
when they are needed. There are and al
ways Will be certain Democratic prin-
ciples for which the party will stand. The
party has sinned, and before it can COM
mand the confidence of the country it
must repudiate and repent of it's sins. /
should not be surprised if this were done
in the next national platform. 1t might
contain a paragraph congratulating the
country on the establishment of the single
gold standard,
he DcIIIOCIdllC PAL QO
thing to gain the confidence of the con-
servative people of the country. There is
no reason why it should be a party Of
radcaliSm. There is no reason why the
business interests of the country Should
be unsettled every four years by CAM
paign which threatens to put dangerous
extremists in control of the government.
The party must be built up in the North,
not entirely in the South. Its platform must
;al,, oo,fo oloox o+o 40 +
tract to it the thoughtful and conserva-
tive; not merely the disconnected.
In reply to question as to what is
sues were in prospect for the party in
1904 Mr.. Eckels said:
Tariff reform and reciprocity are like
ly to be made issues by the failure of the
Republican congress to meet the demands
of the present industrial situation 1t
,, may seem early to predict that the Re-
publicans will fail; but there are some
indications that the. interests which OPP
pose revision will prevail with the Re
publicans. There is a great opportunity
now opened and it remains to be seen
whether they will see it. There Is an OPP
portunity for the Republican. party to
attract to itself a large number of voters
who are not welded to the idea of high
neutrality-suspicious. for industries which
no longer need it-protection which
amounts to subsidy. Some of them are
nominally Republicans, but at heart they
are in favor of reforming the tariff. And
there are many Democrats who are will
ing to- go half way and would enroll
themselves in a party which would take
| a middle ground. The tariff has sub
served it's purpose in certain instances
and has built up industries which are
amply able to stand without any arti-
fetal support. This support is drawn
from the people Of this country it means
additional taxes; yet it rebounds often to
the benefit of the foreigner; the peo-
pie should not object to the reduction of
taxes. That is what tariff revision comes
to.
This being the situation it remains for
congress to act. The tariff must be re-
vised. The Republicans say, it should
be done by its friends. If it's friends fail
to do it, there are others who will not. The
Democratic party will not overlook an
opportunity to correct the mistakes of
the party in power and to represent the
real interests and desires of the peo-
pie.
1.-The money is piling up in the treas
ury. This calls for a reduction of the
revenue taxes. A large surplus is men
ace. 1t is standing temptation to ex-
travagance and corruption
Abiding to the paramount issue" of
the last campaign Mr.. Eckels said:
In regard to the new possessions the
people have spoken. 1t cannot be an is
sue whether to hold them or let them 60
But the Democratic party will have to
insist en- an honest and conscientious adj
ministration of the affairs of the colonies
Exploitation is a temptation which is
likely to prove dangerous to party. in
power. The affairs OF our possessions
must be administered for the benefit of
the people who live there, and not for
us or for lot of political carpetbaggers
who may go to Them
Bryan and Organism are regarded by
Mr. Eckels as dead He expects that the
next congressional campaign will do
much toward reviving and recognizing
the Democratic party. Congress this
winter will make the issues for the con-
| gressional campaign.