Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-07-07
A REPsLLENT RECORD.

For the past twelve years the record of
the Democratic party has been of such
character IS to repel the conservative bust
ness men and young, intelligent voters OF
the country. The Democracy claimed that
the platform on which Mr.. Cleveland was
elected in 1892 was conservative. But his
official conduct, and that of a Democratic
Congress, was so extreme and cratic to-
ward the tariff and other important
national questions that depression and f.
nancial disaster came and accompanied
the full four years of his last Adminlstra-
ton. The results which followed the gain
ing of complete control of the Government
by the Democracy for a period sufficient
10 make and test a radical change in its
economic policy were disappointing and
alarming to many who had held strong
faith in the principles of the party. This
was particularly noticeable in the agrlcul-
tural districts of the West. Many thou
sands of farmers and farm laborers who
Lad been Democrats were made desperate
by the unhappy condition in which agri-
culture was placed from 1893 to 1897.
In 1896 the Democratic party felt con-
strained to get away from the record of
the Cleveland Administration, and it be-
came a victim to the fantastic craze of
Organism. The sober minded men If the
party are now heartily ashamed of the
ridiculous position that was taken upon
the money question. Those who think for
and lead the party would give anything if
they could wipe out or cover up its record
of 1896 and 1900 on the financial and
other questions. The Richmond News
Leader of the 30th ult. said
lone of the perplexities the Democratic
National Convention must face is the con-
struction of financial plank. The Demo
Gratis have made an unfortunate record of
financial theories in the last eight years.
Everybody now understands that it would
be suicide for the party to identify itself
further with free silver or fiat money or
any of the other wild doctrines to which it
has bt en- committed"
Our Democratic friends will not only
find themselves perplexed by their "un-
fortunate record of financial theories"
but perpIexity will confront them when
they come to consider every important
question that has arisen IN national poll
tics during the past twelve years. The
tariff will be perplexing, for the people
will remind them of the general calamity
which prevailed after the enactment of the
last Democratic tariff law. The money
question will be embarrassing, because of
"the unfortunate record of financial theo-
ries in the last eight years." Our foreign
policy will be confusing, because of the
foolish attitude of the Democracy on the
Philippine question and the absurd part
played by Democratic Senators on the rat
iication OF the Panama Canal treaty. The
trust question will be veritable puzzle to
the trainers of the Democratic national
platform at st. Louis. They will find 1t
to frame plank that will sat-
isfy the people that the Democrats are
sincerely "trust busters" and that will be
to Belmont, Morgan and the
other Wall Street magnates who have
created the Parker movement and who
are expected to furnish the party with
campaign funds.
The record of the Democracy has been
very repellent in the last eight or ten I
years and we confidently expect that the
eaders at st. Louis will do nothing to re-
ieve the party from the odium of incon- /
stency and confessed plumbers. The f
News Leader says: c
Nothing is gained in politics or bust 7
less by lodging or running away even
rom our own mistakes or crimes. The >.
me thing to do is to face them manfulIy, ;,
epent honestly and give practical evil !,
lence of restored reason and sound pur- :,
)ose."
The trouble with the Democrats Is that a
Ehen they repent it is not from honest "
noral conviction but from dread of pun u
jhment or hope of reward. They exem- :
lily restored reason and sound purpose I,
y repudiating one fantastic theory and d,
dopting another equally as absurd.