The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-21
i "WEDNESDAY, APR1L&s1, 1904. p

SsWrEDNEspAY, APRIL q, 1904 A 35s
ssE -- --=-==------= -------T-s
I; The Outlook for Democracy,
4 DIN Temple Graves editor OF 3tl1c
III Atlantn5 News, and an ardent supporter
~ q civilian r. Hearst for the #prcsentlll
8BB determination. is outs{ln5 q public statement
discussing the political situation ~ =
vhich he says that It may be Just as
8S we'll to acknowledge that tho Democracy
ff IS a 4 divided party, not 50 much upon a
persons as55upon principles ana upon
rs policies. According TO Mr., Graves there
M Is Al small, but influential element of the
a Democratic pnrty n 81 particularly N me
SS South, which has drif ted BY reas Oh OF us
II prosperity and It's fortune into near
III and almost undisting uis liable sympathy
with the Republican & party. These"
gE continues Mr.. Graves, are the ultra
N conserva tives, and the difference between
the things for which they stand ana
for which the Republi can party stands
3a& is SO obscure that one faith would easily,
Al serve for both But iii y his view, ''they
mass Of the Democratic party. meaning
n tho vast majority represented By the
middle classes, the plan pie, the " or ;l
ms people and the agricultural people are
MT definite, progressive and Gle arin their adj
vocacy Of certain governmental reforms,
Iand lin their opposit ton to certain 9 orpo-
rate evils and agressions, which disturb
the body polite and economic and he
concludes; III II 8sy5 3
1.-The mass, lacking a leader, may fol-
low the Old leaders who have long hetJa
Y "a ccust toned Ito direct their votes, but
&$if5 the mass had its way It would go III,
opposition to the old leaders, with WHOM
At .4 As # Ii 8 YEA longer in concurrence and
s3s sympa thy I t the Democratic masses fol-
asa low St he old leaders this time into ultra
conservative lines they will be sure TO
53rebel in the near future against empty
results which the next t, election IS III bring
l,Flthem.'
Sss We do not concede that the con-
servatives to whom Mr. Graves refers
Il are out Of tune with Democratic &princi-
ples, or that their natural sylnpathies
8 are with the Republican party. We can
speak by the card for some OF these
@ so-called conservatives md We declare
ms Mr., Graves or any one OF the
'.nasses' mentioned by him. They be-
lieve in the principles of the Democratic
party expressed and taught and adj
vocatcd by the forefathers and as for
nulated in the various platforms down
They would chcerfully and enthusiastic
acally accept the general provisions. so
s far as they apply to now conditions, Of
81 the platform Of 1892, But they are op-
81 posed to the RADICAL u,terances Of the
platform Of 1886 They are opposed to
the ultra policies Of William p ryan
and William r. Hearst and others Of
1.-The extremists. Their sympatllies are
Is not with the Republican party They are
Democratic to the core and opposed to
s4 the principles represented by the Repub-i
~ I;can party.
What therefore, in Mr.. Graves's view.
should be the policy OF the national
Democratic party? Does he believe that
z Mr.. Bryan is right In saying that the
4 platform Of 1895 should BIO reafHrmed
y and readopted. and that all Democrats
who refuse to concur should be driven
out OF the party? Does he believe that
1t would be good politics or good Demo-
I cracy to make q platform SO radical
as TO compel this element 10 which he
refers TO withdraw entirely from the,
ri organization? He ntimutes that II the
II party returns to the platform Of 1892.
the masses will rebel. How much or a
threat there may be in this We do not
undertake to say. BIZ, is 1t not also 10
be considered that If the platform OF
1896 IS readopted the conservatives may
B rebel, and II these conservatives rebel
and leave the party to the extremists
does Mr.. Graves think that the situation
& would be ,mprovcdY Does he think that
81 tho Democratic party would be safer III
The hands of WilliamJ, Bryan and Will
FL liam r. Hearst than II would be in the
hands of the conservatives?
@ These are questions for the patriotic
Democrats OF thls land to consider Sc
45 riously. The strength OF tho repNblle
is in It's democracy ana the democracy
il not made ur. as Mr.. Graves nlimatcs
OF the poor. Many Of the best and truess
and most Influential Democrats in the
county are men Of means, men Who
" direct large Interests and give employ
,nent 10 large numbers Of people, They
are none the less Democrats because
they are well 10 do, 70 drive these mer
5out OF tho Democratic party would et
more thar a misfortune, II would be I
calamity. 10 divide the people Of the
5s United states into two classes, with th'
4 iieh on one side ard ms poor on tis
olher were % bring about revolution am
"a lie destrtction of Democracy II nat 9!
the republic This is no time Tor rad
cslistn, II there ever Mas a tine IN I'll