The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-28
ABANDON DEAD ISSUES.

Washington City a few days ago. A
Washington Post representative came
across him and asked for his views on
the political situation. After a refer
ence to the rumor that he had a hank
ering for a seat in the senate and say
ing that he did not know yet whether
he cared TO return to public life or not
Mr.. Smith said:
Il am, however, deeply interested in
the welfare of the democratic party,
Inc am glad to see that the party is
On rising ground. The most encourage
ing feature is the general disposition to
get away from dead issues n from the
men who were prominent in their advo-
cacy."
When asked if he thought the demo-
cratic party had a chance to elect its
presidential candidate in 1904 his reply
was:
Beyond a doubt they have, and
there is no reason that forbids success
TO them. They ave excellent material
from which to choose a leader. What
better candidates could a party have
than MI. German. Mr.. Olney, or Judge
Parker, of New York? On the tariff
they have a superb issue, and there is
every Indication that upon this ques-
ton the country at large sustains the
democratic view. If with a. strong
leader and a good cause there is added
the further idea that the party will
conserve the business interests of the
nation, it's triumph in 1904 is more thu
probable"
In the above Mr.. Smith sounds the
battle cry for the democratic party for
the next W years. Times change and
public necessities change with them.
Because certain principles were good
democratic doctrine several years ago
is no reason that they should be for
ever chung to by that party as it's po-
litical faith. AS conditions change old
party principles, as it We're, wear out
and become useless. Legislation that
was beneficial to the people ten, twenty
or fifty years ago may no longer suit
present conditions. The fundamental
principles of the democratic party are
to secure the greatest good to the great
est number Of our people. In order to
carry out his idea the party tenets
must change with the varying Of the
conditions through which the nation
passes, based all the while upon the
solid foundation of equal rights to all
men and special privileges to none,
upon which the democratic party is
built. Old party tenets, when they
can no longer subserve the interests
Of the people should be abandoned for
others that the exigencies of the times
demand. ard the former leaders who
insist on sticking to these dead and
useless issues just because they were
the party principles in the past, and
are not willing to keep up with the
march of progress should be put aside
for others who recognize that party
principles should keep mace with the
march of events. This is not fickleness
or instability in politics. A party that
says because a thing was good for our
people fifty years ago it must be good
for them now and must be advocated
to preserve consistency in the party's
principles is not working in the best
interests of the people. This is the
case in a country like ours and especial
ly so in the southern states where such
rapid development is going on and
such great changes in Industrial condi-
tons are occurring. New conditions are
constantly arising which require a re-
casting of the principles of that party
whose object is to look after and main
tain the rights of the people. In these
changes old issues become useless, and
when they do it is the duty of the par
ty of the people to abandon them and
take up the new questions and advocate
that side of them which it co~nceives
10 be for the good of the people.
1t is this in the democratic party
which Mr.. Smith halls with delight and
which he thinks has put it in a fair way
to win victory in the presidential cleo
ton two ear hence. He thinks the
party has excellent material from
which to choose a candidate, and with
the tariff issue, on which all indications
point to approval of its position by the
people, it has a fair chance of success.
The tariff is the leading issue this year
n will be in the presidential election
unless the republicans, becoming fright
ened at the attitude OF the people, shall
grant them the relief demanded before
the people have the opportunity of turn
ing them out OF power and placing the
administration of affairs in the hands
of the democrats. This is one of the
old issues that is not lee 1t becomes
of more Importance every year. 1t is
one that is as much alive today as when
first raised and is Of greater Importance
because of vaster magnitude and of the
extreme length TO which the republicans
have carried the idea of protection of
n class of our citizens to the detri-
ment of all the others. II is such live
issues as this that the democratic party
should raise and abandon those that
no longer have any bearing upon the
present state Of affairs, and it is this
course it is now pursuing that has
given it the prospect Of victory.