The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-11-18
MOONS PHASES.
TIE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTION

GQNlrter Il pm. Z Quarter gu a. m.
THE .AFTERMA TIL OF THE ELECTION
The election is over and once more
the people can breathe with a sense
of security when it is remembered
that the next national struggle will
not again occur until 1908: In the
meantime, the Democratic party will
take advantage of the hull and
strengthen the weak places that were
developed during the campaign just
closed.
While we met with an overwhelm-
ing defeat, yet "sweet are the uses of
adversely" if we learn the cause Of
orr defeat and make future profit out
of the mistakes Of the past. The pop
ular plurality recorded against the
Democratic candidate approximates
100000. This almost trebles the
vote of the Greeley campaign, which
in the past has been regarded as the
greatest defeat that the Democratic
party has ever sustained.
But it is mistake to compare 1872
with 1904. In the former period, the
party put at its head man who
had led the most bitter opposition
towards an enlightened reconstruc-
ton of the South. Through the COL
urnns of his paper, the New York
Tribune, Mr.. Greeley had advocated
most drastic measures against the
defeated nation that had suffered all
of the horrors of war without any Of
its compensating triumphs. He had
rendered service to the Union during
the bloody struggle, and the influence
of his paper counted with the govern
ment. Disappointed i'll his greatest
ambition, he turned, at the last hour,
from the worship of his idols and ac
cepted the leadership of the disorgan-
lied Democracy. His defeat was
we'll merited rebuke for this action.
At that time the prediction was made
that the Democratic party would
never again figure in national cleo
tion-yet history records the election
of Samuel J. Tilden, the Democratic
nominee, Just four years after, i'll
1876. He was the nations choice,
both i'll the electoral college and by
popular vote, although tricked out
of his office by a Republican subter-
fuge.
The conditions surrounding Judge
parker's candidacy were in marked
contrast with the campaign of Hor-
ace Greeley. Our last nominee accep-
ted the position of leadership from
a unanimous convention, yet it was
one voiced for one purpose alone, and
that was harmony. We are con-
ironted with the plain truth that
since 1894 our party has been di-
v;ded, and. in the past hopelessly, on
several state matters of great mo-
ment. This division resulted in the
nomination, twice in succession, of
William J. Bryan, who has consist
emily made the silver issue a sine qua
non to that of any other. Twice we
failed under his leadership, and the
assemblage that met at St. Louis
last summer seemed to have an eve
purposed to the one point Of getting
together" While this was accom-
plished so far as the leaders were
concerned, the election returns show
that the people were not so we'll sat
islied For the sake of harmony our
course has somewhat vacillated, and
it seemed to be the policy to "let we'll
enough alone" until we become more
settled.
The most conservative members of
the Democratic party seem to feel
that the campaign of 1904 was a
necessary preliminary to the expected
victory of 19OS-and facts have JUS
titled this prediction. The party
now seems to be united on lines
safe and sane" The work of
strengthening our weak points is
going on, and, after mature consid-
Grafton. we can indeed see comfort
in our defeat that will serve us good
stead in the future