The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-01-27
A SENSIBLE VIEW.
The Democratic Party And The South.

to obtain full control of both
branches Of the government for
the second time since the war,
the chance not only to put Dem
ocrats into Office but to bring the
republic back to the paths that
are vell-beaten and safe.
To accomplish this only unity
Of effort and the subordination OF
personal ambitions to the gener-
al good are needed. Past differ
ences must be forgotten, not BE-
cause this factinn or that should
confess error but because the
dangers lie ahead and we should
look to the future, not to the
past. At heart the people of the
United States are in sympathy
with the principles of the Demo
cratic party; if they are not,
then the people are not in sym
pathy with the-form of govern
ment which has been so long
preserved in it's magnificent or.
iginality. The Republican party
today, more than ever before,
stands for Capitalization and
federalism, if not for an actual
oligarchy. It attracts all who
believe, Tor one reason or anoth-
er, in strong government as well
as those-not a few-who have
no confidence in popular rule
and sincerely hold to doctrines
against which the founders of
the republic fought. Imperial
ism, colonialism, the oppression
of weaker states, needlessly
high tariffs which shelter mon
opolies and pile up a great sur
plus, personal favoritism in the
bestowaI of Offices and an ALI
ance between senate and presi-
dent based upon patronage
these are unrepublican practices
which bode no good for our once
cherished theories.
Il is meet and fitting that in
issuing the cali for the Demo
cratic convention the nationa'
committee should have invited
the cooperation of ':all Demo
cratic citizens in the United
States who can unite with US in
the effort for a pure and econom-
ical constitutional government. :"
That is concise and yet COM
plete statement of the paramount
issue Of 1904-''a pure and econ
omical constitutional govern
ment." For that the Democratic
party can afford to stand, be-
cause it is just and proper and
timely, and because "a pure and
constitutional government is not
to be had under Republican rule.
Excessive tariffs, presidential
favoritism and usurpation Of
power, disregard of other ma
tons rights, corruption in the
public service-these are the
proofs that can be presented
against the party in power.
While the opportunity and the
duty are alike manifest, there is
also evident danger that instead
of uniting in "a common cause and
with a common purpose the two
wings Of the party, each pro
Tossing equal allegiance to the
basic principles of the party, are
most likely to fall to fighting
each other, leaving the way open
again for Republican success
and the continuation Of impure
and unconstitutional govern
ment. The fight is even now on.
It is in a sense a sectional fight,
and the south should assert its
right to be heard in the settle
ment, for a Democratic ticket
cannot be elected without the
electoral votes of the southern
states from Maryland to Texas.
Knowing. or believing, that
these States will vote solidly for
any ticket that may be labelled
:sDemocratic.'' certain leaders,
chiefly in the east, are planning
to nominate and elect a candi-
date of their own choosing on a
platform of their own without
consulting the preferences and
desires of the people upon whom
the ticket must mainly depend
for it's success. The southern
States, we will admit and have
said before, are inclined to
favor-all things being equal
any acceptable candidate who
can carry New York and other
eastern States, say New Jersey,
Delaware and perhaps Connecti.
cut. But this does not mean
that the Democrats of the South
are ready to stultify themselves
for the sake of victory, it does
not mean that they are so eager
for the tieshpots of federal Office
that they will vote willingly for
a whited sepulchre or a stuffed
prophet of disunion and defeat.
The Democrats Of the south can
not be brought to support any
man who has repudiated their
friendship and BETRAYED their
trust, and any man who has ac-
cepted the leadership Of his par
ty and then refused to keep step
with the rank and file. In other
words, Cleveland is impossible.
We might take a Cleveland man,
even Olney, but not Cleveland
himself.