Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-11
STATE PRESS AND TARIFF.

In Virginia as elsewhere the Demo
cratic press look upon the results
throughout the country of the elections
of last Tuesday as marking an import
ant era in the history of the party. and
as fun of encoura cement. The tone of
our State contemporaries indicates conn
,lence that the way has been biazed to
victory in 1904 The only question is
whether the Democracy will follow 1t
steadfastly and not be deluded or entrap-
ped into turning aside into blind and
confusing paths of expectancy and COM
promise which will lead them into un-
Democratic entanglements. and cause
them to lose sight of the vital goal. !.
We once heard a clergyman OF another
denomination say that a little piece OF
advice prominent and beloved Methodist
bishop gave in his presence to several
candidates for the ministry made an in
delible impression on him and greatly IN
tlucnced him in preparing his sermons:
1t was this: When you go a-fishing in
river don't angle UP the creeks. mat.
is the lesson of the late elections TO the
Democratic party as our State contem-
poraries see it and as we see it.
The stanton News. for instance, aftei
remarking that the party came out Of
the contest feeling as fresh as daisy
and In the finest Of spirits" notes tina,
several possibilities" which might have
fight have been eliminated. But, con-
tinues our contemporary, ''above all the
great gain is that the party was lined UP
and harmonious in every State in the
Union, and that the combined onslaught
on the party of special privilege resulted
in cutting down the majorities and the
representation of the Republican party
throughout the country" And in conclu-
sion the News expresses the opinion that
there is not bailiwick In the Uniteo
States where the Democratic party Will
feel dspirited over the result of the
election; but on the contrary the feeling
will be one of eagerness to get into the
fray of 1904.
In other words the News recognizes that
tariff revision was the supreme issue IL.
the campaign and that by reason of tina.
fact the party became more united than
it had been in years. And it believes that
continuance of the regnancy OF tia.
issue will mean such Democratic har-
mony and such accretions to the party
from the Republican tariff revisionists as
will assure victory two years hence.
The Charlottesville Progress reads the
story OF the elections the same way. II
takes the same promising view Of the
outlook. provided the Democratic leaders
do not supinely and insanely throw away
the great opportunity fortune has cast
into their grasp" Having shown how the
tariff issue took precedence of all others
during the campaign ard exposed the
utter absurdity of expecting the Republic
can party as a party to abandon its.
fundamental creed as represented In rob-
Der protection. the Progress. urges that
the thing for the Democratic leaders and
the Democratic press to do is at once to
recognize that in the great and over
shadowing issue of tariff reform lies their
opportunity. nay. their certainty, Of re-
covering the reins of government in 1904"
For. as our Charlottesville. contemporary
contends. the result of Tuesday eemo,.-
srated that the masses are beginning to
see clearly that the trusts which are el,-
uenched behind the present tariff ARE en-
dangering the life Of the nation. ana
threatening the overthrow of our Repup-
lican government. and they tthe masses,
are willing to discard party lines 81 m
attempt to curb and restrain The raven