The Irish standard., 1904-01-02

prcted to permit or excuse every form
of personal advancement, or partisan
advantage.
Trusts and monopoles have flour.
ishcd. and illegal combinations of
capital have been fostered and pro-
tcctcd. We have endured a long
period of government by the few for
the favored and against all the rights
and protests Of the masses. Tariff
taxes have been maintained at out
ragcons rates to provide revenue to
support ever increasing extravaganza
of administration. A detailed account
OF the dangerous tendencies Of Repub-
licansm long intrcnched in power
would be beyond the limits Of this ar,
ticlc. But the facts are so apparent,
they have been so brazenly admitted
and defended, that public opinion is
at last becoming aroused.
Important lessons We're taught by
the last city and state elections. 1t
was demonstrated beyond question
that the political tendency of the times
is again toward strict party organiza-
ton and clearly defined policies. Com.
binations Of parties and hybrid fac
tons, with compromising and equivo.
cal platforms, were defeated. Individ-
uals who by error or deliberate intent
sought to disrupt or destroy organiza-
tions suffered similar fate. Every
where there was evidence of return
from ism and factions to party lines.
The general tendency, too, was in the
direction Of conservative Democracy,
and therein lies hope and encourage
ment for the party.
| In the last elections there were no
victories for individuals who set them.
selves above their parties. In that
fact may be read sign of the times
and valuable lesson for those who
lead in political thought and party or
ganization. The Democratic party has
too long been weakened and ut times
almost disrupted by what may be
described as a clash of individuality.
The time has come to put the policy
above the man, the party above the
faction. There is opportunity and cer-
tainty Of success. This is not time
for abstract or personal discussion Of
fractional ideals, sometimes classed as
Organism or Clevelandis1n.
To-day there is no man in the Dem
ocratic party who in strength Of in
tellcct or record of achievement towers
so high above all others as to possess
a preferred claim to the nomination
for president. A spirit Of unrest per-
vades the country, a vague, but con-
stantly growing fear Of the conse-
quences of a prolongation Of govern
ment under the dangerous and ever
shifting policies of the Republican
party. In every great crisis in the his
tory of the country patriotic Ameri-
cans have instinctively turned to one
Of the great party organizations for
safety. To-day they are turning to the
Democratic party because of their
faith in it's ultimate wisdom and con-
servatism. 1t is the party Of the peo-
pie, and their reliance, so long as it
obeys their mandates and keeps their
policy above the hopes or the ambi-
ton Of the individual.
This is time for the Democratic
party to devote all it's energies and
mental capacity to the perfection of q
wise policy for the future government
Of the country. 1t is not the time
to search for candidates. Great oc-
casions produce great men. The plat
form, not the candidate, will win or
lose for the party at the next election.
The mistakes Of the past cannot be
undone, but they should not be re-
peated. This year the party cannot
do better as an initial step toward wis
dom and harmony than to elect all
delegates to the next national conyen.
ton without Instructions for any can
didate for the nomination for presi.
dent. Then in convention, untram-
meled discussion of the situation by
irync, Ni,u