Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-09-16

STAKEHOLDER In his efforts to perpetuats
the institution Of human slavery and TO
extend slave labor at the expense of free
labor. The sacrifice OF principle neces-
STATED by this relationship led to rapid
decay. The party ceased to produce
great leaders. Men OF conscience and
| courage, like Thomas III. Benton, left
it. The significance of this period is the
illustration II gives OF the disastrous re-
suits Of betrayal OF principles, to the
morals honor and usefulness OF party.
The people have not trusted the Demo
cratic party since. except during the two
brief Nightmares of the Cleveland ad-
ministrations.
Party's shameful Record.
Founded on the wrong side OF moral
and political ethics, it spent the first
sixty years of It's existence along the
lines of self-aggrandizement and narrow
partisan legislation. While processing
in its platforms to be the friend OF the
masses. it persistenly enacted laws
which bound them TO penury and dis
tress. While publicly advocating a
broad, intelligent citizenship il voted
against individual freedom While beat
ing the tom-toms for prosperity to the
people, it voted against cheap postage,
the Homestead law, and the Resumption
or Specie Payment. Claiming to be in
favor of higher standard of living for
the workingman. ii enacted free-trade
measures which sent him into indefinite
enforced idleness. and reduced him and
his family to the level OF the pauper
labor of Europe. Processing the utmost
patriotism, 1t gave all possible aid to
the rebellion.
Some Comparisons.
Contrasted with the grand old Repub-
lican party: the one abolished slavery,
the other upheld it to the last: the pne
put down the rebellion, the other sup
ported the rebellion; the one preserved
the National faith and credit. and paid
the National debt. the other tried every
scheme and expedient to stultify the re-
public and avoid the debt; the one pre-
served the standard OF value unchanged.
the other sought to tamper with it and
destroy it.
Gets Worse Instead OF Better.
The professions and promises of the
Democratic party. during the past forty
three years, and the absence of all per-
fcrmance are as notorious as ever. They
show the lack OF ideas, or purpose, but
abound in hypocritical dogmas and
flatulent pretenses. 1t has reversed"
itself on almost every important Ma
tional measure and brought upon itself
the ridicule of right-thinking people
Apropos of this deplorable condition in
the party. 'Mr. Dooley'' proposed the
following want adj, little while before
the ST. Louis convention:
"wANTED-A good, active, energetic
Dmmycrat. sthrong iy lung an limb;
must be In favor iv sound money, but not
too sound an anti-impeeryalist. but fr
hoidin onto what We've got; an inimy of
thrusts, but a friend Nv organized capital;
a sympathizer with tn crushed an down
throdden people, but not be amy means
hostile TO vested inthrests: must advocate
sthrikes. Cover mint be Injunction free sill
YER, sound money, greenbacks, a single
tax, a tariff fr riyinoo, tn CONSTRUCTION
to follow tn flag as far as 1t can, an no
farther; civil service rayform iv tn la'ads
in office. an all tn great an gloryous
principles ~ our great an gioryous party,
or amy great an gloryous parts thereof.
an tn stock yards. In tn parlors iv tn
r-rich an tn kitchens iv tn poor"
cleveiandism and Democracy.
During Clcveland's administration our
National debt increased a half million
dollars a day in the face of the party's
promise of better times. Each day we
lost half a million dollars in foreign
trade. During that administration the
value of farm products decreased more
than FIVE hundred million dollars. Dis
trust and panic paralyzed the great in
dustrial system of the country. Banks
closed their doors; business houses as
signed; the balance of trade was against
4 r- nil al x,it hn Al of
legitimate enterprise into secret places
labor was forced into unwilling idleness;
we had deserted mills, smokeless facto-
ries. silent machinery. We had tramps
and beggars, industrial armies, starving
women and children. Two million able
bodied men were begging for work
the opportunity to earn bread for their
starving families.
Unworthy of Existence.
This happened during the adminstra-
ton of the Democratic party which dur
ing fifty years has added nothing to
progress. nothing to the cause OF liberty,
nothing to freedom, nothing to the glory
of our common country. This is the
party that, no matter what it promises.
always goes into partnership with calam-
ity. 1t feeds on disaster and fattens on
despair. The only time it has had con-
troll of this country during this gener-
alton, it shut the doors Of industry and
clothed labor in rags. 1t fought under
the dishonored banner of free silver, it
opposed keeping our flag IN the Orient,
and advocated that it be lowered in
retreat and trailed in the dust Of dis
honor. Such is part of the record OF
the party OF calamity, professions and
promises-the oft-defeated. discouraged,
disorganized. disgraced, divided. decrepit
old Democratic party. 1t stands to-day
without an issue, without a principle,
without a policy. without platform,
without a leader and without hope
In closing we quote s. K. Kisor. OF
the Nebraska Independent. who puts
these words in Bryan's mouth as regards
Parker and his party:
"Bryau's Position.
Friends and countrymen, let's trust him
Though he's not man to trust
Let's endeayor TO elect him.
Though his cause Is far from Just;
| have put away all rancor
AS I promised them | would,
l am for the splendid ticket,
Ft4t-. t...ft a