The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-02-22

equal opportunities under government
for all, without favoritism for either
individuals or classes. These things
with him did not resolve themselves
into mere sounding phrases running
trippingly from the tongue to catch the
ears of the groundlings. They were
living principles by which political ac-
ton was to be guided. and political
aims and aspirations to be determined.
Though revolution in our form of
government may not yet be on foot,
the plain tendencies of the policies and
measures of the dominant party since
the outbreak of the Spanish war is to
destroy the ideals which were once the
peculiar glory of the American people,
and the loss of which makes govern
mental form of but slight moment
THE Democratic party, at this hour
and at a critical stage of the national
life, can in no other way deserve so
we'll of the country and of the human
race as by reaffirming it's allegiance to
the vital features of our American pol
icy and by declaring its unwavering
opposition to every attempt to elimin-
ate or emasculate them"
William ]. Bryan sent a deep express
sion of regret and in a postscript added:
Enclosed editorial on 'Steadfastness'
will serve as a sentiment in case you
desire one"
The first paragraph of the editorial
said:
"A party must have principles or it
can have no claim on public confidence
and how can it commend its principles
better than by standing by them?
Who will have faith in the creed of a
party if the party stands ready to bar
ter away its creed in exchange for a
promise of patronage? A hating, hest
tating, vacillating course not only fails
TO invite recruits, but it alienates and
drives away veterans. The party that
has no higher purpose thar to save it's
own life will die because it deserves to
die; the party that is willing to die. if.
need be for the saks of a great cause,
will live because it deserves to live"
David B. Hill sent an eulogy of Til
den and declared that the party should
profit by his great example
Following brief welcome by Chair
man Metz, Ex-Governor Pattison, the
first speaker, deprecated the policy of
the Republicans in their treatment of
Cuba, Porto Rica and the Philippines.
Congressman De Almond spoke in the
same strain, and Lewis Nixon. Tam
many Halls leader, asked for a united
Democratic party in Brooklyn, New
York City and state, so that victory
in future contests would be assured.
Bourke Cochran came next.
1T seems to me- began Mr.. Cochran,
that at this time when many men be-
lieve the disasters which have over
taken the Democratic party pOrtend it's
final collapse we will honor Tilden's
memory most fittingly by recalling how
he led it from disasters more crushing
thirty series of bril-
liant victories and a long season of
patriotic usefulness. If there be any
difference in the conditions of the Dem
ocratic party at the beginning of 1902
and the condition at the close of 1872 it
is that it's present prospects are now
less desperate than they seemed to be
then. In 1872, the Democrats made an
alliance with an off-shoot of the Re
publican party called the Liberal Re-
publicans-and the renewal of the ex-
pertinent has resulted in repetition
of the experience.
The defeat of the party then was so
overwhelming that its final destruction
was anticipated by the opposition, just
as Republican orators and newspapers
affect to believe that its extinction has
been irrevocably decreed by recent re-
verses.
Republican ascendancy seemed so
secure that in 1874 it was difficult to
find candidate who would accept. The
campaign proceeded amid an apathy
characteristic of foregone and newt
able conclusion; hardly a meeting was
held, scarcely a bet was recorded; the
utmost that the most sanguine Demo-
crat hoped to accomplish was the re-
duction of the Republican majority, yet
when the votes were counted at the
close of a very. peaceful and apparently
listless election day, it was found that
the ground on which Republican con-
fidence appeared to- rest in absolute