The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-30
Friday Sept. 80. o
WHERE THE DANGER LIES.

We published an article yesscerday
from the Winston Sentinel Urging dem
osrats to turn out on election day and
vote their full party ticket. In The
journal: OF the same city. We find the
Tolrowing;.
! The TINE for activity among the DEM
oerats to turn out on election DAY anu
why Forsyth county should not DC
made the banner county or the state
In p,1re. strong democracy. All that IS
necessary is for the leaders to snake OH
the which now ~enchains them
and go to work. 1t is a deploraDle Iact
that the leading democrats or TINS CITY
almost to a man, are sitting with 1olo-
ed hands waiting for some one to take
up the work hat is to be done
II this apathy in Forsyth continues
until the day of election does any n
for a moment suppose there will be any
chance of the democrats carrying the
county?
We hate to make the statement, but
IL is best for us to face the condit1ons.
Forsyth county democrats are not the
only ones displaying lamentable lack OF
zeal for the cause in this campaign.
News comes to us from many other
points that the people are taking no in
terest in politics; that is, the demo-
Gratis. The republicans are displaying
more zeal and are working more ener-
getically than ever before.
Apathy. born of indifference and
over-confdence. is a most dangerous
menace to the democratic party. what
good is a big majority going to do if
the people do not take enough interest,"
in the success of that majority to reg
lister and vote? OF what value is a
man to his party who contents him.
self with saying Il am a democrat
and thinks that is enough to prove his
party fealty without making a single
exertion to aid his party?
AS we said a day or so ago, every
one knows that the democrats will
will elect their state ticket; but this
is not enough. We should not be con-
tent with this. We must keep thu
party intact. We must not allow tn
feeling of Indifference to grow in tn
party. The rank and file should b.
arOuSSu TO d lull SCIlSC VI lAiCh WIN
duty. Political apathy and indifference
are very contagious and spread rapid!
This corroding disease, unless promptl!
checked, will soo sap the strength O
the leaders of the party should opel
the way to republican victory in tn
near future. -
The leaders of the party should ope1
their eyes to this danger. They snoult
not try to shun it or minimize. it, blu
should face it boldly and tndeavor t.
nqu it by arousing the people t
their sense of duty.
In 1900 Mr.. Bryan's majority in thi
state was 24,671. That seems a prett.
safe majority and one that it would b
hard for the republicans to overcome
But look at it in another way. MI
Bryan received $3.50 per cent. of thu
entire vote cast. Had his vote beer
only four per cent. less it would no
have been a majority. This show:
what great changes a few votes il
every hundred will make.
This being the case, then, is it right
for us to be taking any chances?
This is the first election for presidenT
and state officers we have held under
the amended constitution. 1t should b,
shown that the democratic party is a:
intact and as solid as it vas before
The republicans are counting a grea'
deal on that amendment producing in
difference and opening the way to dis
cord in our party. At the very outse
of party alignments under the new or
der of things we must show them tina
the democrats still stand together FOL
the principles of their party. We cal
do this only by voting for those princi
pies and for the men who are chosen
by the party to sustain them.