Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-04-19
OPINIONS OF TWO LEADERS
Parker and Bryan Explain Different Views OF
Jeffersonian Democracy

| commanded, and the number of Cover
nor and State legislatures unde~ ~ur
co W{a is surprisingly a s.1
not the frst time that the party has
been in what seemed to be a homeless
minority. 1t was so from 1860 to 1887
"nen a great wrong which has been
f~ar-reachlng in its effects upon morals
ana justice, left it in a minority for
anotner eight years. But when it's con-
oltlon was least encouraging, it was
stlll the same consistent advocate of
patriotic and manly policies as when
it was in the full plentitude of power
aurlng the first sixty years of the last
century. Rallying about it's natural
leaders-as courageous and patriotic
as any known to our political history
1t was then, as always, it's virtue to he
a national party. These leaders KEN
themselves in touch with every cues
ton of current interest in every ham
let OF the Union. Nothing American
was alien to them.
POWER OF THE PARTY AS A
MINORITY.
During the Civil Wal more than 500
900 Democrats stood on each side of
the firing lines of the two great ar
mics which faced each other, all believ-
ing themselves right. On the morrow
OF Appomattox, they, the victors and
the vanquished, had scattered to their
respective homes, all bent upon pro-
noting peace, all understanding each
other in their trials, all facing the
same great problems. In the foulest of
all days in our national life-those of
so-called reconstruction-these soldiers
largely recruited from other peaceful,
patriotic men in the North, we're found
voting together.
During this period there came to the
front in our national councils the great
historic figures of Thurman, Hendricks,
Bayard. Seymour, Hancock, Mcclellan
and opposition, which might we'll have
daunted the bravest, these men were
| able to combat and to overcome that
| sectional policy which at one time al
most dominated the whole country.
When, in spite of ~aggressions, fairly
divided between the misuse of military
power, and deliberate, studied corrup-
ton of the suffrage, these men had
I DcSu ouCCSoolul, llCy WC1C 1olAloASOu
by Lamar, George, Hampton, Hill,
Vance, Morgan, Vest and many other
strong and patriotic men from the
South.
Added to these leaders, who, in the
field of national politics, so nobly unit
ed to combat human passion at its
worst estate, we're hundreds of thous-
ands of sturdy men in the North, who,
~. 0o-o,-~-o -,or,1or~ of Ctoto 90
islatures, committeeman of every
grade, and private citizens, carried the
struggle of free government down into
| the smallest political divisions of the
country. Everything was won except
the presidency, in spite of which Dem
| ocracy was able from 1868 to 1885 to
keep at bay the enemies Of good Will.
NO ROOM FOR SECTIONAL1SM.
So, too, there is altogether too much
talk about an Eastern, a Western. a
| Southern, or some other Democracy,
when the essence of the party is It's
national character and the entire alb
sence of sectional features. The con-
troll of the party machine in n city
or another, in this or that State, or
even in the country, is not a matter
0lJuCi 1llpO! Iohl VI
great body of Democrats.
THE KIND OF ORGANIZATION
NEEDED.
T would not for a moment convey
an impression that organization is not
important. 1t is even more-it is vital,
if we are to give effect to the principle
and policies which buttress our party
faith. But, however necessary and vi
tai, it may be useless-a mere empty
bauble-if it is viewed as the end rath-
er than the means. We are confronted
by forces which, when not purely per
sonal, are almost wholly mechanical.
They are represented by a party, we'll
managed, indeed, in that two-thlrds
of the Union to which it restricts its
activities. 1t has everything that pat
ronage can suggest Or imply. In re-
turn for favcrs received it sells to the
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