The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-31
a H,HT 70 EEMuEaAGi-

Soun after the election last NoHe1aoei
Ma directed attention 10 the fact, a:
shown in the returns, that the Socialists
poIlea over 10000 votes as against $500
yo,es in the Presidential election Of 1900
That number OF votes does not make a
seat political party, but The increase IL
two years III the Sociaiistic 'so'e from
5000 to aoo.0o0 is significant. ana We re-
marked on 1t at the time.
1.os.,.,s Weekly is now Impressed, and
.r.o- citing the figures and showing That
i the Socialists made gains not in one
s,a,es hut IN many States, declares thai
Il .a,I this has q portenuous siSnlhcance.
TT <u,tfer asserts that Socialism IS here
IN STAY and that its natural ally is the
,,a,,ocracv. But that is not all.' 1t pro
leeds:
when David B. Hill put his coal ma
ttona liza on plank in the New YORK pat
fo.,n IN the recent canvass ne sa" ,he
srift OF Socialism and made bid foI
the Socialist vote for his party re was
.onIv L:t!e ahead Gt the Democratic
National Convention Of 1904 Soc.alish.
vii pet into the Democratic national
nlatfoj,n then but not enough OF IL can
be accepted to d,rert many votes froih
The regular Socialist tichet Wnlch WI.
be put up in that year Inc CleVeialio'
Shepard and Carlisle section OF the De-
moc.acy Will fight against the fl.asioi'
IF Scaism in the convention OF 49,
as that element did against the incursio.l
~ r,onuIIsn, and tree silverism IN LEU
Is,,,+ t1ev VII probably be beaten to
sufficient extent to send many OF them
over to the Republican SIDE, as Ii thai
wear and in 1850. There Is not the lal!tr
e., chance. however, that the Socialists
,,-;l, be satisfied with anything that the
democrats dare offer them in that year.
/ And so Mr.. Hills Socialstic plank hobs
mn again. II was put into the New York
-,latfo-m for purpose. It was put there
to catch the SociaIstc vote. to cater IL
+he socialistic sentiment OF the time. 1t
was the most dangerous step that the
party in New York ever took, and it has
. dangerous significance. In 1856 the Ma
+toaai Democratic party went after the
Populistic vote and attempted to make
& platform 10 suit. The tariff question
was Laid aside. and, IN fact all other
live questions, except those which suited
the Populists, and all TO eaten the Pop
4,listic vote. Most OF the Populists did
vote for MIR. Bryan. but there was
greater less in Democrats estranged thar
I'm Pspul SITS gained. 1t viii be the same
thing, only worse, if now the party at
tenpts to curry favor with the Socialists
The Socialists will not be conlented witt
any halfway measures If the Demo
cratic party expects 10 gain and keep til,
Socialist vote it must so to the whol'
length OF Socialism. surrender its plat
form Of PRINCIPLES and swallow the whoi.
lump OF Socialism,
The Democratic party must decide and
decide early what course it VIII take
whether it will cling to It's own principles
and wax in the way its founders walk
ed, or turn aside to so after the strang'
doctrine Of the Socialists. II is for this
eason that The Times IS in favor OF d
Democratic Conference in Virginia arc
:a other Southern States to reassert tbs
principles Of Denloc. acy, and to invite
ali true Democrats 10 reassel1ble in tht
Democratic Household. Some OF cur con
ten1poraries seem TO he troubled ab0u
the candidate For cur part we thi..k
the platform OF far greater Importance
Gwen the right sort Of a Democratic
nlatform and the right sort Of a Demo
sras will be found to carry the standard.