Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-17

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and Independent papers have been, ~ our 1
readers know, indus,rtously engaged I'm
working up boom FOR Mr.. Richard =. -
oIney as the Democratic nominee for
President Recently, however. Senator
carmack. Of Tennessee. Wag induced 70
talk on thu subject of the next Democratic
nomination.. and delivered himself in part,
as follows: Certainly not Mr. olncy. He
has a .snc record, but he lives In New
England The party can expect nothing
in New England. We can get no strength
there. Therefore 1t would be folly to
nominate the Massachusetts statesman
That deIiverance it is that has disturbed
the Republicans serenity; and in its per-
turbation 1t complains bitterly that the
particular section Of the United states
often referred to as down East. Is be
tween the devil and the deep sea. It is no
cx II, rgs, rem arks our Spri aE q Il III n :.
for New England to he told that her citi-
zens cannot aspire to the Presidency. On
the one hand. il continues. the Republic
Gang generai,y pass Rew England by be-
cause she is sure an: way" for Re-
publican candidate for President, and on
the ether, thu Democrats have been tn the
habit OF ignoring her. because she never
goes Democratic IN Presidential year
It Is "a dead line going and coming" walls
our contemporary.
Then the Republican aninadverts upon
the archaic regularity OF our electoral
system. which sorks to the disadvantage
of cit zs n< of Presidential SIZE. If they
chance to live in region where their par
ty happens to be in a minority; invetghs
against the pivotal State FETCH" and in
-; antly exclaims, "tl1is ought not TO be
--cf course not The nation. it adds. Is
entitled to the services OF the best and
the strongest men, no matter in what
corner of its domain they may reside.
Next. our Springfield contemporary en-
ters into series Of calculations to show
that the bulk Of the Democrats really live
in the North; yet it complains. this
country has such a hocus-pocus tucked
away in its electoral system that the
South to-day appears to be all there is left
to the Democratic party; and Southern
politicians are in the position almost Of
dictators as to the next Democratic Presi-
Dental candidate"
Perhaps. after all. the position the Re-
publican recognizes the South IS in, re-
specting this matter, is the sour milk in
our contemporary political cocoanut.
None the less we agree with 1t In its
main propositions. We applaud it for the
high ground it takes. and shall wait with
some interest to see what it will have to
say if, perchance, the strongest and best
man for the Democratic nomination
should turn up In this corner of the ma
put our friends consistency to q severe
strain, we fear. -
But banter apart. AS we have repeated
ly urged, the thing for the Democratic
party to DO is to stop booming candidates
and boom principles. In the past 1t
pivotal State FETCH and considerations
of expedency. There has been far too
much compromise of4sound doctrine The
hope of the party, and tho hope Of the
country, is that the Democracy get back
to bedrock principles, and instill these
into the masses Not in q generation has
the time for doing this been SO propltious
as now; and for the first time since the
war betw cen the States, the South has
had an opportunity TO lead the movement.
II the South avails herself Of that oppor-
tunity, and the movement succeeds. there
will be no question Of dictation of the
name Of the candidate A true Democratic
condition will have been brought about.
in which will be sought the services OF
the best and strongest man, no matter
from what section he halls, and the best
and strongest man will not necessarily
mean one that has been prominently in
the eye of the public. If New England
would insure equal opportunities for her
citizens In the matter of the Democratic
nomina ton for President, let her fight for
the triumph in the Democratic party Of
the policy of placing principles above
men. Such q, triumph will afford the surest
guarantee against the 'dictation" Of the
| name of the candidate by any section.