The Wilmington Democrat. (Wilmington, Del.) 18??-19??, 1901-01-12

DeFsnAp-FehAty TO flattOrm ana
Candidates.
There have been several ebullitions
from Princeton, and there have been
speeches delivered in Lincoln, all Of
which must stand for the importance
the Democratic voters of the country
may choose to give them, says the At
lanta Constitution.
The battle for Democratic leadership
will sof 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 a fraction Of being the
majority. the majority for the time be-
ing will be uneasy, while men who sat
upon the fence, as well as those who
fought in the ranks, will hasten to get
within the limits of probable success.
The man who sleeps in battle receives
the same treatment In court martial
with the one who deserts, military law
recognizing no difference In conditions.
1t is not often that 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 In the trenches. There are today
two sets of men in the countryside
defeated Democratic hosts, haggard
with loss Of blood and not yet recover
ed in spirit. Their depression of feel
ing is honorable to them, since 1t has
come as the result Of a good fight and
marks the political party as wounds
do a soldier. The other class is form
ed Of theenemy and OF the epportunist,
lthe one fought US openly and the other
screaming out the derisive taunt of 81
told you So" Very well. let that be the
extent Of their service. The taunt may
be unpleasant, but it neither dlsposes
I the fighter to surrender nor improves
his opinion of the dodger.
] AS aar. Bryan has declared Demo.
cratic principles still live. Tried IN me
battle, true to his party, he is entitled
to all the honor accorded by tradition
to be nominated chief Of the party.
Another, who was not found where
fidelity and gratitude demanded that
he should be, sententlously says, Give
the rank and file a chance" Placing
these two exponents side by side for
the present purpose, their expressions
amount to the same thing in effect.
Democratic principles cannot be SET
aside by opportunlsts. but in the hands
of the rank and file they will be up
held on every proper occasion. The
defeated nominee for the governorshiI
of Indiana speaks for the Democracy
of his state, and In the same spirit will
the answer come from all along the
red line marking the conflict of oppos
ing forces. But there is one poln1
which would be well to keep in mind
and that is the Democratic line is now
all file. The rank stands wide oper
for promotion. Whether those wht
have heretofore stood in the favored
places shall continue to do so depends
altogether upon the will OF the file.
This brings us to the point which W.
/ desire so much to emphasize. unde
our form of government every popular
movement Is from the ground floor up
The file is on the ground floor, and 1t II
composed of the men who have sup
ported the party action. 1t matters no
that they may have differed In policy
> that some would have preferred on
, course and some another. The test i
1 the deposited ballot. In every stat
4 this file will move in its own way.
unit upon basic Democratic principles
I but divergent more or less upon ten
: porary or current issues. BY and b
: these leaders will be called into natior
. : al convention, to which they mus
bring their works as the best claim {
+ a hearing. There an agreement mus
4 be reached in which all cannot be sue
: cessful. Some men must surrende
cherished opinions for the public goot
e but the sacrifice will be on the alta
of party for the good of the countr
/ which can best be served by that part,
In 1892 the Democratic presldehut
candidate, In a letter to the editor c
, The Constitution. claimed as his rigf
/ the personal support and vote OF ever
}. Democrat, Notwithstanding their opp'
sitlon to his financial Views. The claiI
:; made by him was that the party ha
. acted and that the success or the gel
= eral principles of the party was OF NOR
:, Importance than the success or the d'
feat of some personal view held by til
candidate. Answering this appeal
party loyalty, the Democracy of state
intensely free silver in tone voted fo
Mr.. Cleveland and elected him. Th
: fact that Mr. Cleveland in the electio
n following failed to stand by his ow
. declarations as to what constituted pa
y ty loyalty is his personal misfortun
y and does not affect the principle at i
sue.
10 There will be another movemeI
" among the Democratic hosts in whie
d Democratic principles will find EXPIRE
le sion in language best suited to the pa
ty. and .unQn Yhto& Democrats .holllin