The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-09-15
DEMOCRATS GATHER
Editors Meet 1t a Banquet i'll Aew
York City
AN ADDRESS BY COL. WAIIERSoN
Nearly Five Hundred Present at the
Banquet of the Democratic Editor
ial Conference.

New York, Special-Nearly 500 DEM
ocratic editors from all parts of the
United States met at banquet at the
Waldorf-Astoria Wednesday night, the
occasion being national conference Of
Democratic editors which was called at
the instance OF the Democratic nation
al committee. The toast list included
several Of the best known Democratic
editors in the country, and all OF them
responded to toasts on POLITICAL sub
jects.
Sylvanus E. Johnson, Washington
correspondent of The Cincinnati En-
quirer, and former president of the
Gridiron Club. was the toast-master
A large orchestra furnished music.
Editor Henry Watterson, amid great
applause, spoke in part as follows:
I'm order to allay curiosity and
suppress conjecture-or words to that
effect-let me say in the beginning
that | believe we can win this presi-
Dental battle. l will 60 even further
and say that, with anything like an
even showdown of powder and ball, it
will be our own fault if we lose it. The
two parties will go the finish fairly uni
ted. Each will poll very nearly. If not
quite. it's noraml strength. The inde-
pendent vote, therefore. will decide the
result.
I'm the FIVE debatable States of New
York. New Jersey and Connecticut, in
the East, Indiana and Wisconsin. in
the West, there are. on a rough esti-
mate. a million of these independent
voters. Half a million of them are
Germans. The other half are mug
wumps and foaters. For the life OF
me cannot see how any self-respect'
ing mugwump can vote for Roosevelt,
the recreant civil service reformer,
nor how any intelligent German. much
as the President resembles the Kaiser,
can he willing to take even a lottery
chance in war with the mother coun-
try. precipitated upon the drop OF hat,
to glorify the administration.
Parker. the jurist, means peace with
al nations, entangling alliance with
none. Roosevelt, the war lord, means
complications abroad and corrupions
at home, designed to prolong a single
party dynasty, and to perpetuate its IA
vorites and agents in power. Every
economic question must pause before
an issue so transcendant.
In venturing to discuss it tonight
though surrounded by members Of my
own party and profession, may not
take a suppositious standpoint, and
declare that, if I were a Republican
and over about the headwaters OF Bit
ter creek, there are Democrats who in
sist that am not much better-l would
vote for Parker and Davis and against
NRoosevelt and Fairbanks. Being only
a plain American. who loves his coun-
try and clings to its institutions.
mean to do this anyhow. l shall do 1t
because it seems to me the upright
thing to do. the enlightened thing to
do. the prudent and honest thing TO 40.
I'm spite of some excess OF feel
ing and mistakes Of Judgment. the
Democratic heart beats true to the
entail principles of the republic as II
was created by the sublime Declaration
and ordained by our Incompatible con-
stitution. In spite of their intelligence
and energy. the Republican leaders are
losing sight of their fidelity to both.
Even the errors of the Democrats lean
to virtues side, whilst the very virtues
of the Republicans are beginning to be
sic,sled DER with the pale cast OF cor
ruption and absolutism. This is not be-
cause the Democrats are Democrats, or
the Republicans are Republicans. Ine
label has little to do with 1t. IL IS
the nature of long domlnancy
tends first to corruption, and then'
threatened with exposure, to tyranny.
Inc OLD DeIlOCIcliC panty Se
being. like the Republican party, as the
friend of man; it grew so strong, by
prolonged domination, that it was able
to make it's exit from power. the slgnal
for long. bloody and senseless war. !
would take no chance Of repetition OF
this evil history. would have
change of parties, though only for the
sake of the change. Little as the two
administrations Of Grover Cleveland
effected, either lin the statuary laws
or N the general policy. they were
benefcient interludes to the, unbridled
ambition and the grasping inclina-
tions of the Republicans. They did
bring the Republican leaders to
realizing sense of their public obliga-
tions. They did serve notice even upon
the saints that they do not possess the
earth. Such will be the affect, If none
other. of the election of Parker and
Davis, and the defeat Of Roosevelt and
Fairbanks"
Mr.. Watterson spoke at length upon
the issues of the campaign. Much en-
H.