The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-06-16


Both the New Bern Journal and
the Wilmington Messenger have is
sued letters OF admonition to the Dem
ocratic party in the form OF editorial
expressions The Messenger says:
"The only way to keep the Demo-
cratic party together in this State is
to establish a broad, liberal principal
of freedom of thought in non essen
tials.
"In this State the Democratic par
ty has no opponent worthy OF the
name OF political enemy. The party
has everything in it's own hands. 1t
can keep control OF the administra-
tion as long as it chooses-unless the
arrogance and overbearing assump-
tion of superior party fealty by some
does not wreck it and build up an
opposition party, which will wipe it
out of existence.
''The rank and file of the party are
willing, yes, anxious to still stand
by it, as it has on many dark and
threatening occasion in the past, and
the sturdy yoemanry OF the party
those who roll up the maiorities for
the office holders will continue to
stand by it for what it has been to
the State in the past, for what they
expect in the future, il they can do
| so and at the same time maintain
their independence Of thought and
their political self respect"
The Journal, however, cuts deeper.
1t says:
"Nearly four years of really undis-
puted control of this State has
caused the Democratic party to as
sumo an arrogancy which argues III
| for it's future. The liberty which has
come through the release from all
danger and fear no negro supremacy
has bred not merely independence,
but an indifference in the party, and
the issue of being regular has no
terror for many within the Demo-
cratic ranks, who regard the party
as tending towards q Capitalization,
of a political oligarchy, which seeks
to control the the rest OF the party
| and be the ipse dixit of Democracy.
Both of these letters are valuable
and guggestive in the way OF indica-
ting danger. However, we are in
clined to agree with the Raleigh
Times that there is nothing in the
present condition of tie Democratic
party to require ''heroic treatment. y
There appears to be AN enviable
future before the party provided al
ways that wise counsel prevails.
To be sure the Democratic party
| in this State is not now situated as
it was a few years ago. When the
educational qualification was im-
posed upon the negro the suffrage in
this State was relieved OF great
load of ignorance and venality cal
culated to corrupt any institution.
By the removal of the corrupting in
fluences our people conferred upon
themselves freedom that for years
was not possible to a large number
of white people of the State il they
would preserve Anglo-Saxon institu-
tions in their purity.
The Democratic party has ever
been, and is today the party OF the
people. 1t must remain the party
of the people and of the whole peo-
pie, else it will have outlived its use
fulness and the reason for it's organi-
zation. In order to maintain this
position it must continue, more and
more as the years go by to have a
platform OF principles broad enough
for the accommodation of all who
believe in the greatest good for the
greatest number. 1t must allow no
one to be read out of the party who
is in sympathy with the fundamental
ideas of Democracy. 1t must not be
dominated by any one man or get Of
men, by any one idea or set OF ideas
except in so far as that idea is the
embodiment OF the underlying prin
ciples of the faith.
The ideal then to which Democrats
must cling is this; comprehensive
understanding and agreement as te
essentials, and a complete toleranct
that will admit OF rarious shades o
opinion as to nonessentials.
The integrity OF the party is in nc
danger, provided we steer clear o
rocks OF narrowness and bigotry
and launch forth with bountifu
supply of tolerence and charity fo'