The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-24
THE TILDEN CLUB BANQUET.

There was a notable gathering of
democrats in New York last night. The
occasion was h banquet given by the
Tilden club to celebrate the opening of
their new club house. 1t was a. har-
mony meeting, though, as ex-senator
Hill said in his speech, they were not
assembled for the purpose of making or
unmaking national platforms.
We regret that want of space pre-
vents u publishing in full the speech
of both ex-President Cleveland and ex-
Senator David B. Hill, for both make
good democratic reading.
Ex-President Cleveland was one of
the chief speakers and in a short ad-
dress he gave the democrats what we
consider some very sound advice. Mr..
Cleveland has faith in the future of
his party-in it's success and in it's abil-
ity to bring relief to the country from
the evils that have been brought upon
1t by the party now in power. Harmo-
ny is his cry-a coming together of the
people upon the issues brought out by
the changing events of the times. He
ON RoANy AOA =" oNA1n ~ IIooC
dead issues which election after cleo
ton, lave been advocated by the party
only to carry it down to defeat. The
rank and file of the party, he declares,
arr clamoring to be led to victory
through old democratic ways. He asks
is it too much to ask that proven errors
be abandoned, that issues tried again
snn1 nooSn a-I urh;oL oIu-o1r -o.,I+oI
in defeat be abandoned. New issues
have prung up which are of vital i'm
portance to the people-issues which if
.~squarely presented and a vigorous fight
made on them will place victory in
reach of the democratic party. The
fundamental principles of that party
are so simple-care for the best inter-
sests of all the people, as opposed to
favoritism of the few. the fostering OF
trusts and monopolies by the few ia
vored ones against the many-that it
ought to be able to deal with new ques-
tons quite consistent with democratic
doctrine and stimulating to democratic
impulses and instincts. While these
questions are called new, they really
are in a sense not new, In that they are
opposition taken by the democrats to
the violation of those fundamental prin-
ciples of our government which he
democratic party has upheld since its
foundation.
This harmony of which we have heard
so much. Mr.. Cleveland says. cannot be
constructed by mathematical rule or
by formal agreement on the part OF
those who have been divided that there
shall be harmony. 1t will come only
when true democratic principles are an
n-unced and democratic purposes hon.
estly declared. with the result OF conf
dence and enthusiasm among the
masses.
Mr.. Cleveland believes that, with the
party lines readjusted and the fight
made on those issues that confront the
people and effect their most vital inter
ests, victory is within our grasp.
Mr.. Cleveland closes his speech with
the announcement that his days OF
political activity are past; that he will
no longer assume to participate in party
councils, but as an humble member of
the rank and file of the party he ear
nestly desires to see the restoration to
perfect health n supremacy that de-
mocracy whose mission is to bless the
people, a democracy true to itself, I'M
corrupted by strange alliance, the de-
mocracy of patriotism, the democracy
of safety, the democracy of Tilden and
the democracy that deserves and wins
success.
Hon. David B. Hill was the other
chief speaker of the evening. He de-
c1ared that the signs of the times point
ed unmistakabley to an awakened in
terest in the success of the democratic
principles of government and that there
was a deep conviction among thought
full people that there was something
radically wrong in the foreign policy Of
the present administration. He ave
the president a pretty sound rap for his
decoration day speech n sharply crit