The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-14
Repairing Party Fences.
The South and the Allies It Must Seek
to Elect q President.

to Elect q President.
Our alert and esteemed contempt
rary, the Norfolk Pilot gently
chides Us for asking whether the Dem
ocratic party viii be able to patch
up old fences" for 1904 by revving
the traditional alliance Of the solid
South on the one hand and the once
doubtful Northern States Of New
York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and
Indiana on the other Such a query.
the Pilot" thinks, does the Demo
cratic party an injustice, since It
seems to imply that Democratic sue
cess Is possible next year-as it has
been possible In other years only
through a coalition struck by the
South with certain Northern States
and interests.
Our Virginia neighbor objects to
this inference and proceeds to argue
that the Democratic party Is a party
truly national in character, and that
its fortunes do not hinge on the sue
cess or failure of any inter-sectionaI
coalition. We gladly admit that the
Democratic party Is thoroughly ma
uonaI IN scope and composition. Ger
tainly it can claim a more genuine ma
tionaI character than can the Repub-
lean party, with the Iatter's empty
and discredited shadow Of organiza-
ton in the Southern States. But We
cannot see how-mder the conditions
which govern in national elections
| Democratic leadership IS any more
absolved today than ii was twenty
years ago from the necessity OF
patching up an alliance" between the
South and certain Northern State,
and Northern interests, if 1t seriously
seeks 10 elect a House of Representa-
tives or a President.
| Three times since the war such a co
alition has been successfully effected
/ In 1876, with Mr.. Tilden of New
/ York and Mr.. Hendricks of Indiana
as Presidential and Vice Presidential.
candidates, Democratic electoral tick
cts won in New York, New Jersey, In
diana, and Connecticut. The votes of
South Carolina, Florida, and Louisi-
ana were given-or counted-for Re
publican electors, and Mr.. Tilden was
iockeyed out of the Presidency.
In 1884. when Cleveland and Hen
bricks were the candidates, the same
four northern States-New York
Connecticut, New Jersey, and In
joined their strength to a solid
South's and established a majority IL
the electoral college. In 1892 they
again Joined hands with the South tc
elect Cleveland and Stevenson, taking
with them from the West and far
West Illinois, Wisconsin, and Cali
fornia
In 1895 the Southern States broke
/ politically with their old-time North
ern allies and sought to make new
! friends in the West and Northwest
| But the new alliance proved a losing
one. the electoral vote won beyond the
Missouri being more than neutralzed
| by Eastern losses and by the partia
dissolution of Southern power itself
Inasmuch as the South Is still Tho
! true seat of Democratic power, anC
| that power, however solidifed, Is still
a minority fraction ii the electora
college, the Southern States must
continue to look for and work fol
/ some inter-sectionaI alliance, If thel
wish to establish Democratic fortune;
on any stable or lasting foundation
They should not be reproached fol
taking any steps toward new coali
/ tons which may strike their fancy
/ They have every right to make expert
ments, to offer or accept alliance.
which may accomplish the politica
OBJ ects they have most at heart.