Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-04-30
r EO RGANIZERS
WOULD REPUBLICANlZE THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
Thomas F. Ryan Advises Southern Democ ats
to RepubIicanze the Party, in an Article
in the North American Review. A Re.
publican Paper Recognizes Principles
Advanced.

Mr.. Thomas +. Ryan, writing in the
North American Review, appeals to the
southern democracy to cline up" with
the reorganizers. The advice which Mr..
Ryan gives is the same that is extended
by all the representatives OF those who
would republicanize the democratic
party. More interest. therefore, than
att cl,es to the article of Mr.. Ryan, will
be taken in an editorial relating to that
article and appearing in the Kansas City
Journal, a republican paper.
Referring at large to Mr.. Ryan's sug-
gestions, the Journal says:
1--WE car imagine the sorry figure that
would be cut by the democratic party be-
fore the people on the issues presented
by Mr.. RYAN. With scarcely any modi
fication his presentation Of these issues
could be adopted bodily into the national
republican platform without doing vo-
lence to the views # that party"
The Journal admits that Mr.. Ryan is
Correct enough in saying that there can
be no hope Of restoring public confidence
in the democratic party until it supports
the policies which he enumerates )" but
the Journal adds:
"That which he proposes is public
confession that the democratic party has
been wholly wrong on every prominent
issue before the American peop.e in the
last ten years. Such confession, Of
course, carries with it an open admission
that the republican party has been wholly
right on the sefsame issues. And the
spectacle of a political party laying claim
to the franchises Of the people under
such set OF circumstances is not an eX-
hilarating or inspiring one, nor does it
seem to warrant the hope Of Mr.. Ryan
that such discredited and Inundated
organization can carry the country.
"Still, as Mr.. Ryan shows, there is no
future for the democratic party unless it
republcanizes itself in the manner sug
gested. With the passing of years and a
steady adherence to intelligent econom-
les, sound finances, and a loltier degree
OF patriotism, democracy may get back
into the respect of the people and earn
the right TO a larger participation in the
affairs Of government"
Reorganizers have sneered at the
charge that they seek to "republicanize"
the democratic party; and yet here we
have one OF the leading republican papers
OF the west saying that with scarcely any
modification, the Ryan presentation of
these issues could be adopted bodily into
the next republican platform without do
ing violence to the views OF that party.
Just as democrats have repeatedly
charged, this republican paper admits
that that which the reorganzers propose
is public confession that the democratic
party has been wholly wrong Oh every
prominent issue before the people in the
last ten years.
Just as democrats have contended, this
republican paper admits that such con.
fession carries with it the admission that
the republican party has been wholly
right on the selfsame issues.
just as democrats have shown, this re-
would be no reason for the people to set
aside the republican party in order to put
in its place democratic party that
differed from the republican party in
name only.
Perhaps these reorganizers may find
consolation in the assurance that if the
democratic party will adopt a steady ad-
herence to republican policies, it may
"earn the right to larger participation
in the affairs of government" Perhaps
this Charger participation" will consist OF
the privilege OF fat Offices and Of produc-
tive special privileges to be bestowed up
on few individual democrats who sue.
coed in Transforming the democratic
party so that 1t will not be serious rival
to the republican party.
The comments Of the Kansas City
Journal upon Mr.. Ryan's article ought to
be read by every democrat who has pride
in his party. 1t must be evident to such
democrats that the effort to reorganize
ahe party along republican lines must be
defeated if the principles for which the
democracy is presumed to stand are
preserved.
When democrats read in republican
paper the confession that with scarcely
any modification" the reorganizers'
presentation OF issues "could be adopted
bodily into the republican national plat
form without doing violence to the views
Of that party" then they must realize
t he importanceto of protecting democracy's
to mple.