The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-07
An IropponTUyr CoNrENrroN.

- Some of our esteemed Virginia con-
temporaries are persistent and insis-
tent in their demand that the Southern
delegates to the St. Louis Convention
should unite on Southern man, pre-
ferably a virginian, and demand his
nomination. As a specimen of the
reasoning INDUCED in we quote this
from The virginian-Piiot:
southern man who is a real Demo-
crat should be named. II we win then
we elect a Democrat, and IL we lose
we merely lose what would be barren
victory. II the party elects its man
It gets nothing more than a few .non :
who are patteripg around on their up
pers and licking their chops. The sole
thing that makes the fight really worth
lighting. II a Northern man Is named is
of the nation. Apart from the duty
the; party owes the country to rescue
1t from a wild man. IL possible. defeat
would be a thing TO be welcomed
rather than stunned: this year. Il the
national policy. since the Republican,
will have Congress. and 1t will find
itself saddled with responsibility for
sins 1t has not committed.
There are several points in this sort
of reasoning that we take Issue with.
we do not by any means agree with
our contemporary In its virtual asser-
ton that there are no good Democrats
in the North. or that the South and
the Democracy would gain nothing by
the election of one of them. There
are true and tried Democrats North
of the line who have been faithful to
Democracy when Southern men were
not. and who have in some instances
shown themselves better and truei
friends to our section than our owr
| people have done. To claim that nc
one of these is worthy Of the support
of Southern Democrats is not a fail
statement of the matter.
Nor are we in accord with the Vlr'
Il ginian- Pilots assumption or intimatior
that the Democratic Party might b'
better OF II defeated than il success
full with a Northern candidate.
The idea is frequently advanced b,
some that there is no need for Demo
Gratis to exert themselves this year, he
cause, as they reason, II we should cleo
both the President and a majority G
the lower House we would still lacl
something of controlling the govern
ment because the Senate will be Re
publican for the present. That i
!. another style of reasoning that W
have little patience with. 1t is tn
duty of Democrats to make gains wher
, ever possible and IL they can only &c
possession of one of the branches o
the government 1t will be SO niue
gained for good government and 70
> party advancement. If we cannot oh
tain possession by storm let US do
by gradual advances.
We agree with many of our conten
poraries in the claim that the South
ern Democracy should no longer be
silent partner in the political firn
Now that the party in the South ha
practically recovered its equilibrium
and is no longer in danger of bein
drawn into Populistic vagaries "
think 1t time for our section to I
$ somewhat more obtrusive than 1t h;
I been of late. The votes of the Soul
2 in the convention and in the elector
t college will have a great deal to
!, with the result. and we have play
G the role of endorsement and acqu
r essence long enough. If the South w
: unite on a good and sound Democr
and a sane and safe platform both w
be named. Whether the candidate
v a Northern or Southern man is not
\ material as that he shall be the rig
lrtnd ~ man