The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-04-20
l0NS UT 1NO:LEADERS
er and Bryan Explain Different Views of
Jeffersonian Democracy

commanded. and the number OF Cover
nors and State legislatures under our
control is surprisingly small.
We may. however, recall that this is
not the first time that the party has
been in what seemed to be a hopeless
minority. 1t was so from 1860 to 1867
when a great wrong which has been
far-reaching in its effects upon morals
and justice, left it in minority for
another eight years. But when its con-
dition was least encouraging, it was
still the same consistent advocate of
patriotic and manly policies as when
it was in the full plentitude of power
during the first sixty years of the last
century. Rallying about its natural
leaderS-aS courageous and patriotic
as any known to our political history
it was then, as always, its virtue to be
national party These leaders kept
themselves in touch with every ques-
tion 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 War 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, were 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 Tilden. In the face of prejudices
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
been successful, they were reinforced
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 lts
worst estate, were hundreds OF thous-
ands of sturdy men in the North, who,
as Governors, members Of State Leg
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
keen at bay the enemies Of good Will.
NO ROOM FOR sECTIoNALIsM.
So. too. there is altogether too much
talk about an Eastern, a western,
Southern, or some other Democracy
when the essence of the party is lts
national character and the entire ao-
sence of sectional features. The con-
troll of the party machine In one city
or another, in this or that State, or
even in the country. is not matter
either important or interesting to the
great body Of Democrats.
THE KIND OF ORGANIZATION
NEEDED.
would not for 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-thirds
of the Union to which it restricts its
activities. 1t has everything that pat
ronage can suggest or imply. In re-
turn for favors received it sells to the
highest bidder or freely gives the